ARCHIVES Definitions ----------- Ą Archive: a file which contains one or more other files, but may or may not be compressed. Ą Compressed file: a file that has been made much smaller by a more efficient storage of the data in it, but may or may not contain more than one file. Ą Self-extracting Archive: a file that does not require another program to extract its contents. It contains its own extraction program within itself. Ą Disk image: a file containing the exact data layout of a floppy disk. This is a type of archive, and may or may not be compressed. The major types of archived and compressed files are: .arc = Arc (PC). Archived and/or compressed. .arj = [Unknown program name] (PC). Archived and/or compressed. .cpt = Compact Pro (Mac). Archived and/or compressed. .dd = Disk Doubler (Mac). Archived and/or compressed. .sea = any program (any platform). Archived and/or compressed. .sit = any Stuffit program (Mac). Archived and/or compressed. .zip = PKzip (PC) or ZipIt (Mac). Archived and/or compressed. .zoo = [unknown] (PC) or MacZoo (Mac). Archived/compressed text files only. .gif = any program (any platform). Compressed graphic file. JPEG = any program (any platform). Compressed graphic file. a. Most of these formats can be extracted on other platforms as well. b. Disk imaging programs have no particular suffixes associated with them. c. Contact the sysop with information on any omission or error in this list. Rules of Thumb Concerning Archives ---------------------------------- 1. Only upload files that can be extracted by one or more of the programs available on the bbs you are uploading to. a. If no shareware or freeware program is available to do this, you should upload any such program that you encounter. b. If in doubt, upload the file to the sysop's directory (if there is one) and include a note that you don't know if the file can be extracted. 2. Do not alter and then upload any archive which the copyright owner specifies that you may not alter. Remember that if you use and/or distribute somebody else's intellectual property, you are morally and legally bound to abide by their wishes. 3. Within the confines of #'s 1 and 2, follow these rules of archive creation: a. Begin any new archive which is to contain more than one item by creating a single folder or directory at the top level in that archive. b. Name that folder or directory differently than the name of any file or folder that will be anywhere inside it. c. Archive all files and folders into that one folder, while preserving any file or directory structure which you want preserved. Most archival, compression, or imaging programs allow all these things to be done easily, and in some cases, to be done automatically.