Re: ftp study (technical report)

[Peter Deutsch <[e-mail]>]

[ [e-mail] writes: ]
> 
> --------
> ] From: "George D. Greenwade" <[e-mail]>
> ] Subject: RE: ftp study (technical report)
> ] Date: Wed, 30 Sep 1992 14:15:18 CDT
> ]
> ] : f) Care should be taken when naming or renaming files in archives. . . .
.  .  .
> ] Why strongly discourage some characters which have special significance on
> ] some systems, but not other characters with special significance on others? 
> ] My point is that, in an attempt to be more user friendly, the period should
> ] also be considered -- HEAVILY considered -- on IAFA's.  Recognize that your
> ] system, once an archive, is more than yours alone; IMHO, you should attempt
> ] to at least consider what else you might come across.  Even on systems
> ] where these characters carry their particular flavor of special
> ] significance, users can "use whatever names you want when you copy them
> ] across", so either point out this problem, delete Technical Note f), or
> ] point out that this is a highly suspect listing which conveniently came to
> ] mind to whoever was writing this at the time they wrote it.
> 
> Given that the statement in section "f" is quite flexible
> ("should be used with caution" as opposed to "must not be used"),
> the addition of characters to the list would not result in a 
> major problem for anyone who wished to continue using them.
.  .  .
> As much I wish otherwise, periods (".") do have special significance
> on a large number of systems on the Internet, and I recommend adding 
> them to the list in secton "f".  If we are going to be most accurate,
> then a statement about multiple periods would be best.
> 
> To not mention this situation at all would be a disservice to new 
> IAFA administrators.

I'm sorry if I was a little too flip in my reply to the
original comment, it seems I read more into it than was
there. I would have to agree with the tone of this thread
that we broaden our warnings about filenaming restrictions
and Alan I will look at the wording of section (f) to see
what we can come up with.

Out of curiosity, which systems allow only 6+3 characters
in naming files? (no need to bother the whole list. If
some kind souls will clear up my ignorance via email I'd
be most grateful).


				- peterd

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