Date   : Thu, 26 Jun 1986 17:15:16 GMT
From   : Ross Alford <alford%ecsvax.uucp@BRL.ARPA>
Subject: uuen/de code and software exchange

I have modified the Turbo Pascal versions of uuencode/uudecode that were
posted to net.sources a while ago to work under CP/M (required bypassing
the brain-damaged way that CP/M Turbo handles files of byte).  These
would make a nice handy way to exchange binaries of CP/M software on the
net, since uuencoded stuff is usually only about 1.5x the size of binaries,
rather than >2x as is hex format.  If there is interest, I could post to 
net.micro.cpm or some other appropriate newsgroup, or email to interested
parties.
 
This brings to mind another thought--What would the reaction of net.micro.cpm
readers be to the idea of someone posting uuencoded binaries of interesting
new PD software to the newsgroup as they appear?  The recent lists of new
software available on SIMTEL for March and April were impressively large,
but I like many have no ARPA access and a budget that isn't happy with multi-
hour long-distance calls or CompuServe sessions.  
  
I suspect that uuencoded versions of squeezed libraries probably wouldn't
take up much more space than the unsqueezed libraries themselves, on average,
and so would not really overload the net.
 
What does anyone think of this?  Are there any ARPA types out there who
would be able/willing to post new .lbrs as they appear?
 
Note that I am NOT advocating large-volume random mailing of software among
individuals, which probably would tend to overload things.  I'm basically
suggesting that the CP/M community start doing something that the Mac and
IBMPC users have been doing for some time, and in greater quantity.
 
Ross Alford
   ...mcnc!ecsvax!alford