Sharing Files with Technology Group BBS

[nsivin@xxxxxxxx (Nathan Sivin)]

This is a message just sent to Jeff Ramsay of TTG. Your comments will be
welcomed by both of us:
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I think it is a great idea to put downloadable files of general interest on the
TTG BBS and the list. With uploaded files, it obviously is the decision of the
authors or the uploaders; in the latter case, it is up to them to do the double
upload. I suggest the following steps:

1. I will post a copy of this message so that XYWRITE subscribers are
encouraged to think of your BBS as well as the list.

2. I suggest that you post a general message in some way that uploaders will
see it, suggesting that they contact me about uploading to the list. First in
order of priority, however, is a message telling all those who use your BBS
about the XYWRITE list. I suggest that you get the general introductory
document, just uploaded, by sending the message
INFO XYWRITE to ccat.sas.upenn.edu. You can then add a couple of lines at the
beginning letting people know that TTG, while not sponsoring the list, has an
informal cooperative relation to it, and wants to let people know it exists,
and reminds uploaders that they can post their programs on both, although they
cannot directly upload to the list, but must contact me.

As it stands, to post binary files, since I cannot receive them directly, they
must be XX-encoded or sent by mail. A simpler procedure, however, is for
people to upload to the BBS and send me a message authorizing me to download
from you and upload here. Of course I will have to test binary files before
uploading.

As of last night, I was able to log on to the BBS at 9600 bps, but the files,
including ALLFILES.ZIP, did not exist, at least so far as the BBS can find
them. The only utilities that originated with your company were dated 1992 or
earlier. It probably would be appropriate to post
ALLFILES.ZIP and XPL programs written specifically for v. 4.1 and later on the
list. If you approve, I can download when they are available. If making them
available will take a while, you might send them to me on disk and let your
users know that they can be accessed here until available there. I think it
would be best to post all the TTG XPL programs in a single ZIP archive rather
than my trying to catalogue them all and offering readers a choice. But let me
know what you think.

-- Nathan Sivin
History and Sociology of Science
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia PA 19104-3325