Date   : Fri, 31 Jan 1997 21:02:04 +0000
From   : Mike Tomlinson <mike@...>
Subject: Re: Disk image formats?

In message <32F1D391.1615@...>, deweger
<deweger@...> writes

>Robert is right that disk images are much less flexible than the
>archive format (which sports separate files and cleanly separates
>files from their attributes). Therefore you'd best see the archive
>format as an intermediate format, for storing files to be used
>with any of the emulators.

As I have pointed out in my reply to Robert's post, on a DOS/Win PC this
is expensive in terms of disk space, and I would think most emulator
users will be using this platform.

>Please do, please do! Robert's archive is still not fully complete.
>And I'm still searching for that Acornsoft adventure, uh, uh, Kingdom
>of Hamil or that other one? Some form of coordination with Robert might
>however be useful.

Thank you.  I have no intention of trying to usurp Robert's archive.  My
proposal was simply to make available whatever software I have on disk
for people to use.  It just appears to me the easiest method might be to
zip the disk images and put them up with a description.

I realise now it may be best if I zip the raw disk image and post that,
instead of converting it to DFFS format first.  That way, anyone who has
a utility to convert the file to the format used by their preferred
emulator can use them.

Next: would everyone be happy with PKzipped images, or would another
file compression utility, compatible with unix/Linux, DOS, etc. be
preferred?

More comments welcomed! 


-- 
Mike Tomlinson
Alexander Graham Bell's worst nightmare: "This is Watson, I'm
sorry I can't come right now, please leave a message."