Subject: Re: .tar.gz
From: [email-masked] (Jason Zions)

31 Jul 1997 08:46:48 -0700
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> But g*zip is not portable, either, only *compress is "standard" on unix.
> You can just as well install gtar, under that name, too (or link on Linux).

gzip/gunzip are a helluva lot more portable than compress/uncompress;
the code is universally available, and unencumbered by the Unisys patent
on LZW compression. The requirement for a patent license to ship
compress has driven us away from providing it; we use gzip/gunzip.

(It's worth noting that the FSF holds that the Unisys patent applies to
LZW compression, not decompression; thus, gzip won't use LZW
compression, but gunzip can uncompress files compressed with LZW.)

Jason Zions
Softway Systems Inc
http://www.OpenNT.com

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