Re: FTPClient Beta Released - Please test
Re: FTPClient Beta Released - Please test
- Subject: Re: FTPClient Beta Released - Please test
- From: David Rehring <email@hidden>
- Date: Sat, 10 Aug 2002 07:44:19 -0700
On 8/9/02 8:14 PM, Sherm Pendley at email@hidden wrote:
>
> -most users know what .sit/.hqx files are [that they are somehow
>
> 'packaged'
>
> versions of actual file]. '.gz' is a relatively unknown extension in
>
> the
>
> Mac experience
>
>
Extensions are relatively unknown in the Mac experience. By default, a
>
.gz file is associated with Stuffit Expander - the same as .sit/.hqx.
>
>
> -most users know what to do with .sit.hqx.
>
>
Most users have no idea what extensions are. They double-click on files
>
with the "archive" icon, and it uncompresses. That's not one bit
>
different with .gz files, which have the same icon, and uncompress with
>
the same application.
>
>
> what to do with .gz [even if double clicking on it would result in it
>
> being
>
> decompressed].
>
>
Which it will - using StuffIt Expander, just like a .sit file.
>
>
> Given the choice between doing
>
> something so that it's 'easy/cheaper/faster' for the developer versus
>
> the
>
> end-user, the decision should be to make it 'easy/cheaper/faster' the
>
> end-user [within reason, of course].
>
>
If the two choices were mutually exclusive, you'd be right. But they're
>
not - .gz files offer *exactly* the same end-user experience. The user
>
sees a file with an archive icon, double clicks it, and it unpacks.
>
>
> Making a .sit.hqx file is not significantly more difficult for the
>
> developer
>
> versus creating a .gz file.
>
>
Making either type of file is trivially simple.
>
>
The difference is, gzip came bundled with my Mac, for free. Why should I
>
pay for something that offers zero benefit - for me, or for the end user
>
of my applications?
I beg to differ.
.bin, .sit and .hqx specifically are part of the Mac experience. Anyone who
has downloaded shareware for the Mac from the web would recognize these
extensions.
.gz has not been. It has been a UNIX/Windows[slightly] extension.
While the user experience for handling the file may be the same [ie, that it
gets automatically decompressed or the user double-clicks on it and Stuffit
Expander goes to work on it], I think that most users that know extensions
would at least pause at downloading/decompressing it. Especially if there
were other versions of the app for other OS's.
I'm not talking about the users that subscribe to this list [ie, like people
who want .gz so they can decompress it on the command line]. I'm talking
about the people who have been using their Mac at home because it just
works.
Later,
--
David Rehring Psychos do not explode when light hits
Senior Software Engineer them, no matter how crazy they are...
Atimi Software, Inc.
www.atimi.com And totally insane guy!
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