Date   : Thu, 05 Nov 1987 19:23:43 GMT
From   : abp@j.cc.purdue.edu (Jeffrey J Wieland)
Subject: Re: More Help on ARC Files

SIMTEL20 stores binaries in a funny way:  it has a 36 bit word length, so it
stores 4 8-bit bytes in each 36-bit word, the other 4 bits being zero filled.
If you use a binary ftp, you get a direct copy of this, which is garbage for
your computer.  What you will need to do is to find out how (with your
particular system) to make ftp do the translation from 36 bits to 4 8-bit
bytes for you.  On our 11/780 VAXen (4.3 bsd), one types the command "tenex"
at the ftp prompt.  I forget where the name comes from.  You'll have to
find out if there is something similar for your machine.  Also, when you
perform the file transfer to your Tandy, be sure that you put sending xmodem
into binary mode; otherwise it will translate every occurence of ^J to ^M^J
(file for text files, but it really mangles binaries).

                               Jeff Wieland
                               abp@j.cc.purdue.edu