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[The Fifth Horseman]

Originally Posted by dosraider

Again .....?
'Again' because a quick search pointed towards this
So yes, again .....?

And again.

Originally Posted by Ozzie

Can't do anything about your first point, but does that also mean that you don't use RAR archives at all on Abandonia? Because if you would, it would speak against your third point.

The only place where I'm aware RARs are used is in the ISO Cellar (mostly because the uploads there come directly from the users and everyone uses whichever image formats and compression methods they like)

It's true that Windows supports ZIP out of the box, contrary to 7ZIP and RAR. On the other hand, I'm not sure how many use this function. From personal experience, I always install an unpacker when I stumble over an archive I need to unpack.

Unfortunately, we don't only get newbs but also complete n00bs. The sort who only ever heard of Windows XP (or Vista), who only can use hardware which is 100% plug-and-play, and who have zero patience for anything else. To quote one of them: "WTF is an emulator!!! I just want to play the games!!!"
LOL

About ECM: If you know how to burn an image or how to operate DosBox, then you should be able to execute a batch script. If not, then this nice file called "readme.txt" might help.

*cough* If n00bs read the readmes, they wouldn't be n00bs. Most of them can't tell a batch script from their own foot.

You don't offer noob friendly preconfigured games that come with DosBox and a special config file either, so I don't think it's too much to expect, at all.

You'd be very disappointed how some n00bs treated the games. Like trying to run every game using the same exact commands shown in an example in one of the DOSBox tutorials.

Originally Posted by Ozzie

Afaik every registered user has access to the ISO cellar from the start. Wasn't this changed just recently?

Yep, it was. Of course, they go in there on their own risk.

In the end, the only grave problem I see is the lack of support from the site code of Abandonia for 7ZIP. And I guess until this happens any further discussion is futile anyway.

Yes, well, that's the hard part. Our tech support is subject to Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle.

Originally Posted by Ozzie

No, of course you don't have to be an old member to be able to use the search function. I neither said nor implied this!

Don't worry, that was just ol' Raider's sense of humour in action (again). He really should need a government permit for lethal sarcasm.

[Titan]

At this time we don't have the possibility to adapt the site in any way, to allow for other formats then standard Zip.

Also, the tradeoff; a smaller file vs. shitstorm of complaints that the files can't be unpacked, is not worth it.

Last, The servers we have for the files, have no limitation on transfer, nor are we running out of disc-space any time soon.

That's basicly how I see it at the moment, however right you might be.

[Saccade]

Now *this* is a prime example of why shit sometimes doesn't get done here.
This simple conversation that should've been over by post 3 has turned into a massive discussion that hasn't progressed further than "we can't because our servers don't support the format" (Nb, that doesn't say mediafire, etc...).

If you feel that .7z archives or self-extractors could be useful for ISO Cellar - as it is obvious (or should be) that they will not be used the main site games - then why not start re-packing the archives from the ISO Cellar as your contribution to the good fight?
It'd be a good way to become re-acquainted with some old games and meet some new ones.

It's really good that you have new ideas and the enthusiasm that it takes to become one of the staff at AB, Ozzie, but as you recognised - this is going nowhere.
Abandonia will not be using the .7z format for site archives at this time.
End of conversation.
Let's talk about what we *can* do.

I'm sure people would really appreciate a download that is half the size, but both you and I know that we will be fielding troubleshooting questions and will have to talk people through how the hell to unpack and run them. Even if they are self-extracting.

It is also not an insistence to support Abandonia users in their blunderings with 7zip - it is just how it is.

After a while, you will find that we deal with a *lot* of pretty silly questions and issues that could've easily been answered and resolved by reading one of our FAQ's or guides (granted they are not very obvious and people don't bother clicking though) that people have taken a lot of time to produce.

Hey - there's an idea.
If you really want to make something of the .7z format here, converting the ISO Cellar files - repacking the archives and uploading - would be a start.
More importantly, you could also write a short guide, maybe a standard readme.txt to include with repacks, as to how you go about:

- making a cd/dvd image (iso/bin/cue) NOT a rip [though people do rip]
- making a .7z archive of said image, so others can start doing this too
[^not necessary for readme.]

- downloading one of the ISO Cellar's .7z archives
- unpacking the .7z archive so the iso is ready to use
- mounting the iso, using Daemon/Alcohol/etc...
- installing and running progs/games from an iso. Esp in Dosbox.
- troubleshooting for complete r-tards.

I'd be happy to include a guide like this in the Abandoned Times.
If you'd like, I can send you Bullfrog's Magic Carpet iso. That will (hopefully) be going on site soon. It could be the first .7z option archive in the ISO Cellar.

I'm sure people will weigh your ideas a lot more heavily in future if there is some evidence that you are willing and able to follow them through to the end
[ed]
There are too many people who say they will/can do all these wonderful things and then bugger off or come up with excuses when it is time to do something.
(i'm not bitter or anything)

Originally Posted by Saccade

.7z

1. 7z format is not supported on plain Windows system, but .zip archvies are.
2. 7z is using HUGE amount of money in comparsion to zip, so its not very usefull with computers with less 128mb of ram... And many users of abandonia are using such machines...

7z is stupid fanboys format. Its SLOW, memory hungry and not compatible with anyhting.

[TotalAnarchy]

Note: The guy before me meant memory, not money. Carry on.

[B-Wolf]

I like 7zip. It’s a great little program that does a great job of archiving and compressing files (much better than .RAR or .ZIP). I think that it would be great if you found someone to rearchive all the ISO Cellar games in .7z format. The problem is that the program takes a long time to archive a CD image file (I should know, I’ve done it before) so to rearchive the entire ISO Cellar would take a lot of time.

[Saccade]

Originally Posted by TotalAnarchy

Note: The guy before me meant memory, not money. Carry on.

I guess the two are pretty easily confused.

[The Fifth Horseman]

Originally Posted by Unregistered32423dds

And many users of abandonia are using such machines...

Do you have objective proof of that claim?

7z is stupid fanboys format. Its SLOW, memory hungry and not compatible with anyhting.

*sarcasm* Thank you for an expert's opinion.

[_r.u.s.s.]

i would be all for 7zip because it's of course better than the regular zip but you have to take in mind that it's not mainstream at all

and some of the newbies simply don't know what to do with a new extension, unless 7zip is supported by windows (majority of the newbs) by default we should not switch to 7zip

also @Unregistered32423dds - loool either this was a really bad trolling attempt or you're seriously retarded

[marko river]

Enough of this already. If you want to talk about which packer is better, then move this thread to 3xblah.

Ozzie, no hard feelings, you were not wrong to bring this up. You are right to say that some matters should be discussed again after some time. What you couldn't know is that this is not one of those matters. And there are always people who are capable of using the computer that agree with this, and then discussion starts.

Our main problem are users that don't know much about computers, they simply wanna play games. They are also majority of visitors. Yes, this means that EVERYTHING will be as simple as possible. I'm not even gonna discuss good or bad sides of ZIP, RAR, 7ZIP etc.

Site currently supports only ZIP, but even if the situation is different we are sticking with it as long as it is the EASIEST and the SIMPLEST solution. This criteria will be used for other things that are offered to users as well. Thanks for friendly suggestion, unfortunately after all this time of offering and helping the visitors to play old games, you learn well that even the slightest increase in complexity will result with tons of questions and threads from lot of unhappy visitors. Nobody wants that. And we don't have problems with disc-space.

Titan's words are the final conclusion.

Originally Posted by Titan

Also, the tradeoff; a smaller file vs. shitstorm of complaints that the files can't be unpacked, is not worth it.
Last, The servers we have for the files, have no limitation on transfer, nor are we running out of disc-space any time soon.