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1989-09-30
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4KB
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75 lines
SHAREWARE REVIEW
PROGRAM: BBZIPPII - ZIP Converter Version
AUTHOR: Jimmy Pearson, Byte Brothers
REGISTRATION: $10.00 -- $20.00 for Free Updates
WHERE FOUND: Byte Brothers Distribution Diskette
RESTRICTIONS: None
RATING: 8.0
Now that the new PKZIP has arrived you are faced with the monstrous task
of converting all your old ZIP files to the new ZIP format. Want to know a
little secret? Use BBZIPPII.
BBZIPPII, written by the Byte Brothers, and yes, once again I am assuming
there are more than one (gosh, I wish someone would tell me that I am
right), BBZIPPII is a very humorous, casual approach to a very serious,
complex task.
BBZIPPII will take your LHARC, ARC, PAK, and Pre-PKZIP 1.01 files and turn
them into brand spankin new PKZIP 1.01 files. Quickly and accurately, the
program makes mince meat of LHARCs, crushes PAKs, and wrestles ARCs. (Ok,
fine, PKZIP 1.01 does that, but this program controls it!)
USE: As with any other BBrothers program you must hold your ears and wear
sun glasses, lest you go deaf or blind from the programs operation.
The program starts in an AUTOCONFIG mode. Very Smart. Although this is
a step toward weaning the program away from a text configuration file,
it just doesn't go far enough. The user must still set an environment
variable that the program could easily do. The user must also either
remember the documentation or run the program blind, for there is no
on-line help, nor command line help. These very necessary features are
painfully missing.
Another missing feature that stuck out, do I dare say, like a sore
thumb is the ability to convert between compression types. You can
only go one way: The Zip Way.
After figuring out how to set up BBZIPPII (the name reminds me of
spelling the word Mississippi when I was young), you will not be
disappointed, The customary BBrothers quickness and accuracy is
present during the conversion. Errors are handled very well, as well
as, interruptions during the conversion. Disappointingly, though,
BBZIPPII doesn't handle recursive compressed files. (Those are the
files that have a ZIP inside a ZIP etc.)
Some noteworthy features included the ability of the program to
automatically place you comment tag on the compressed file, the
ability to retain the original date, and the very humorous comments
spewed forth by the program. ("Cutting a PAK no Slack, Downing another
LHARC for Pearl Harbor")
SUMMARY: GOOD POINTS BAD POINTS
----------- ----------
√ Fast ≈ Inability to convert to
√ Funny to multiple compression
√ Automatic Comments types.
≈ No Recursive File Support
≈ Still text file configured
≈ Lack of User Control of
"Call me Stevie Wonder
after running BBZIPPII"
colors.
RATING FOR BBZIPPII:
1----------5---------10:
██████████████████
8.0
BBZIPPII follows the other BBXXX programs down the path of blindness and
deafness. Allowing the user to control that aspect of the program would
have really improved the rating. A lack of basic features really hurt
BBZIPPII, although the program was very strong and quick.
(C) 1989 Patrick Grote