NABOB
NABOB.COM New Archive by BOB The *ULTIMATE* in file compression.
========= =======================================================
(Beta Test version .4.01; please do not distribute this product, or
any documentation)
Forward
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Before I begin, I would like to apologize for the crudeness of the
documentation, and some holes in the program. I shall address them
below in the documentation.
What began as a pet theory has turned into another competitor in the
seemingly absurd challenge to establish the new archive standard, since
the SEA vs PKware affair. On the one hand, I am leary of muddying the
waters with yet another standard, but on the other, I feel the public
interest is served by this latest addition into the frenzy.
I hope you take this little offering into stride.
Roberto Gahdja, Ph.D., SLAC Research Center
(Please direct correspondences to the board from which
you downloaded this file.)
The Idea
--------
Compression is, to me, a very fascinating thing. In physics, one has
many forces at work that keep matter from collapsing on itself, and yet,
matter is largely empty space. It is a simple matter to compress a gas
until it condenses to a liquid, but some things resist such compression.
Without embarking on a dissertation on the strong and weak nuclear forces,
and all the complications that subject can introduce, suffice it to say
that nothing on earth is nearly as compressed as it can be; neutron stars,
and the ever-glamorized "black holes" are cases where matter has been so
condensed, that a cubic centimeter of this matter would weigh several
thousand tons.
I have often wondered if data could similarly be compressed in a like manner,
without loss of specificity. Is there a barrier -- likened unto these
nuclear forces, if you will -- that data compression strives to achieve; a
barrier that, once acheived, allows much greater compression factors than
are currently available.
To this end, I have dabbled with some of the many published algorithms,
examined public domain compressors, and I have an observation I think is
of worth. While most of the compression techniques look at the data in
a macro sense, I have looked at it in the micro sense; this is akin to
looking at cubes of ice as replications of each other, and note them as n
ice cubes, or by physically trying to make the n ice cubes take up less
space. Two different mind sets.
In honor of this different mind set, I have named four variations of a
compression technique after four types of quarks, themselves rather
glamorized sub-nuclear particles. These four compression techniques are
the basis for NABOB, which I hope you find useful.
The Program
-----------
NABOB follows the same sort of command-line syntax that most of the other
entries in the compression race use, so you should feel right at home in
its use. The syntax is
NABOB command bob-file fileset
where command is any of the following: A, E, M, U, V, X
bob-file is the file containing the compressed information
fileset names the files to be added to, extracted from, etc the bob-file
Here is a summary of the commands available
A - Add the fileset to the bob-file.
E - Extract the fileset from the bob-file
M - Behaves like 'A' above, except it deletes the files from disk if the
operation is successful. [NOTE FOR BETA-TESTERS: M does not delete,
just in case something happens; I thought I'd play it safe until such
time as I trust the compression works.]
U - Update the fileset to the bob-file; those files in the bob-file that
are mentioned in the fileset are deleted before the fileset is included
into the bob-file.
V - View contents of the bob-file.
X - This is a synonym for E.
BETA TESTERS
------------
Thank you for taking up this chore.
Since this program is so similar to other programs, there is little need to
go into great depths of syntax; What I would like you to do is use it in
parallel with other programs, to see how it works. Please don't abandon
your other compression technique yet, as this is nowhere near the polished
product I hope it to be soon. Please note the following things and
post your results on the board from which you got this package; I have
arrangements with the sysops to forward these results to me. Please do
not distribute this package to other boards. Thank you.
Things I would like to know about:
1. Any bugs, obviously. Please help me by telling me what you did that
lead up to the bug, and please be specific about the text in the message.
2. Comparison against other compression programs, in terms of time to
compress/uncompress, and also in compressed file size.
3. Additions to the program that you would like to see. Features that
are in other programs, including the various compression-shells.
4. Comments, of course.
Thank you. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Roberto Gahdja, Ph.D., SLAC Research Center
(Please direct correspondences to the board from which
you downloaded this file.)
(these are comments from PC users on the PC version of NABOB)
Messages from ...the Palladin BBS.
Compiled and Downloaded on 08-26-1991 @ 06:44:03.
=================================================
Section 1: General Messages
Message #13064 Dated 08-23-91 @ 17:14.
From: ROBERTO GAHDJA
To: SYSOP (Received: on 08-23-91 @ 18:39:34)
Subject: Beta-Test copy of NABOB.ZIP (New Message)
I would like to ask if you wish to participate in the beta-testing
of what I feel is the most incredible breakthrough in compression
programming yet. This program significantly improves the gains gotten
by using a compression program, without too much loss in calculation
time.
I am asking your callers to participate by downloading the file and
testing it on their own systems. I remind them that it is pre-release
and not entirely bug-free, (though I haven't found one for quite a
while, it is my nature to be conservative and say they still exist.)
Since I have no dependable means of getting a quality replies from the
users, I am asking that they leave their messages here, and I will log
on to collect feedback as often as possible.
If you think that your users would be interested in helping me, feel
free to re-set this message to be public, (or do whatever means are
called for) and then allow NABOB.ZIP to be downloaded by users.
Thank you for your help, in advance.
Roberto Gahdja, Ph.D.
Replies: 13070, 13072, 13085, 13098.
Section 1: General Messages
Message #13070 Dated 08-23-89 @ 19:54.
From: MICHAEL DEW
To: ROBERTO GAHDJA (Received: on 08-25-89 @ 18:49:52)
Subject: Beta-Test copy of NABOB.ZIP (Reply to Message #13064)
Roberto,
I think we can find some takers around here <grin>...
.............msd
No Replies.
Section 1: General Messages
Message #13085 Dated 08-24-89 @ 14:34.
From: RICHARD FINK
To: ROBERTO GAHDJA (Received: on 08-25-89 @ 18:50:36)
Subject: Beta-Test copy of NABOB.ZIP (Reply to Message #13064)
Well, one might say that another compression program in the wind is the
last thing we need. But hell, lets keep the creative juices flowing !
If you have something better... good for you. It's all this thinking
and energy that eventually produces the REAL Improved Product that makes
things better for all of us. Good luck.
No Replies.
Section 1: General Messages
Message #13098 Dated 08-25-89 @ 06:40.
From: JIM MORAN
To: ROBERTO GAHDJA (Received: on 08-25-89 @ 18:50:48)
Subject: Beta-Test copy of NABOB.ZIP (Reply to Message #13064)
Dr. Gahdja:
Thank you for enhancing my professional career. I will save my
company several thousand dollars in phone charges due to the release of
your excellent NABOB program. I transferred an entire hard-drive from
San Francisco to a tiny directory on my machine at home using PC
Anywhere, and the file transfer took 2 seconds.
Sure hope that Jim Derr has BOB support in his new SHEZ release!
No Replies.
Section 2: BBS SysOps Backroom
Message #13075 Dated 08-24-91 @ 03:39.
From: STEVE SHELTON
To: AL KALIAN (Received: on 08-24-91 @ 05:14:32)
Subject: .BOB Files (New Message)
SO Like, I'm on Jay's Board and I see this NABOB archiver. It was
Uploaded by Al Kalian! Wow! It's a Beta and it 'sposed to beat ZIP
and lhARC! Wow! And I'm the type of guy who converts his entire BBS
to the latest whiz-bang-Beta packer at the drop of a hat! Wow!
SO Like, I download this thing. I unpack it and run it without any
parameters and it looks like a Beta packer to me!
SO Like, I pack these Files up. Wow! Does this thing make SMALL
archives or what? It Stranges. It Minces. It Dices! Wow! It's the
best damn archive file maker I have ever seen! thanks, Al!
Replies: 13077, 13099.
Section 2: BBS SysOps Backroom
Message #13077 Dated 08-24-91 @ 05:15.
From: SYSOP
To: STEVE SHELTON (Received: on 08-25-91 @ 11:39:12)
Subject: .BOB Files (Reply to Message #13075)
Steve:
Glad you like it. Ought to get Katz to looking over his shoulder, huh?
Al.
Reply: 13087.
Section 2: BBS SysOps Backroom
Message #13087 Dated 08-24-91 @ 15:30.
From: JIM SWITZ
To: SYSOP (Received: on 08-24-91 @ 17:38:56)
Subject: .BOB Files (Reply to Message #13077)
I like it too, Al; very impressive indeed! One thing you should
caution other users about though - be VERY careful to close all your
floppy drive doors *before* running NABOB! The compression occurs so
fast, and compresses so much, that the resulting file vacuum started to
suck stray bits of paper into my poor AT clone through the 2 floppy
drive slots! It was a real mess to clean out, especially the Post-It notes.
Keep them doors closed, man.
Replies: 13100, 13105.
Section 2: BBS SysOps Backroom
Message #13100 Dated 08-25-91 @ 06:51.
From: JIM MORAN
To: JIM SWITZ (Received: on 08-25-91 @ 17:02:04)
Subject: .BOB Files (Reply to Message #13087)
Jim: Thanks for the tip on keeping the floppy doors closed. A little
too late in my case, however. I lost a throw rug, desk lamp and my new
Nordstrom's necktie before I got to the big red switch to stop the
thing, and my cat was clinging to my leg the whole time with its tail
pointing STRAIGHT at the a: drive! Now I start it from a batch file and
quickly leave the room. Thanks again.
No Replies.
Section 2: BBS SysOps Backroom
Message #13105 Dated 08-25-91 @ 14:32.
From: RICHARD FINK
To: JIM SWITZ (Received: on 08-25-91 @ 17:02:52)
Subject: .BOB Files (Reply to Message #13087)
Hey, right you are. I didn't know what caused the rush through there but
that's it... I was NABOBing my whole 100MB hard disk onto one floppy.
I'm using this for backup man. It beats everything.
Shew. I mean Dr. Gadjha is on to something HOT. Al, please clue him
into the coming COMDEX. It will take the show. Who knows, Western
Digital may want to Make-A-Deal and use his compression method in their
hard disk controller technology. And dig it.... it's only the Beta
version !!
Reply: 13110.
Section 2: BBS SysOps Backroom
Message #13110 Dated 08-25-91 @ 17:04.
From: JIM SWITZ
To: RICHARD FINK
Subject: .BOB Files (Reply to Message #13105)
Nope. Western Digital and other drive makers are soon to be history,
now that pretty much anything you want can be compressed and stored on a
single 64k DRAM. Faster, too.
No Replies.
Section 2: BBS SysOps Backroom
Message #13099 Dated 08-25-91 @ 06:47.
From: JIM MORAN
To: STEVE SHELTON (Received: on 08-25-91 @ 11:39:30)
Subject: .BOB Files (Reply to Message #13075)
Steve: You're right. NABOB is the best file compression ever! Phil
Katz, eat your heart out!
A friend of mine in New York sent me the entire Manhattan telephone
directory (SHISHKA.BOB). With ZIP or ARC this would have been an
expensive long-distance bill. But with BOB, no problem!
As long as Dr. Gahdja doesn't change the next release too much and
we don't end up with incompatible BOB files, it should become the BBS
standard of the 90's.
Replies: 13103, 13109.
Section 2: BBS SysOps Backroom
Message #13103 Dated 08-25-91 @ 11:46.
From: STEVE SHELTON
To: JIM MORAN
Subject: .BOB Files (Reply to Message #13099)
Shishka ? sheesh... it's Shickse you Goyimma!
I re-bobbed my entire Board last night in a special EVENT. Worked
Great. Saved considerable disk space over new "inflated" ZIP Files,
(I have been running the "illegal" pkZIP v2.00 Beta for some time now).
And it's FAST! too. I'm glad there are no pleas for money or drugs
or the usual bullsh*t one finds in these shareware utilities. I was
talking to one of my users (who should KNOW) and he says that Gahdja
was a pupil of Yoshi before he became a master of the Glass Bead Game.
Apparently Gahdja wrote the thing in Z80 assembler first, and then
converted it to Tiny Basic because all he had to work on was an old
TRS-80 portable computer. Imagine what the full, 32-bit version with
OS/2 calls will be like!
No Replies.
Section 2: BBS SysOps Backroom
Message #13109 Dated 08-25-91 @ 17:01.
From: JIM SWITZ
To: JIM MORAN
Subject: .BOB Files (Reply to Message #13099)
Gee, I misread your message there for a minute. Thought you had a
file called SHIKSA.BOB. Which, of course, would be a listing of many of
the girls in New York.
No Replies.
Section 2: BBS SysOps Backroom
Message #13115 Dated 08-26-91 @ 13:30
From: SYSOP
To: All
Subject: corrupted docs (New Message)
If you recently downloaded the beta copy of NABOB, you might have
noticed that the DOC's were incomplete. You can either download the file
again, or just extract the DOC file and download it.
Al.
No Replies.
Section 2: BBS SysOps Backroom
Message #13144 Dated 08-26-91 @ 23:50.
From: STEVE SHELTON
To: JIM MORAN
Subject: .BOB Files (Reply to Message #13123)
Shishka-Bob. not Bob the schickse the Bob... oh wow, I thought you
were making an ethnic joke about New Yawk City and you were grilling in
the backyard...
Re-BOB'd my entire Board the last couple of days. solved a LOT of
problems. Now it takes the same amount of time to download QMODEM at
1200 baud as it does at 9600 baud. and no more please for "more time".
I sure wish that NABOB made self-extracting BOB Files, though.
I took apart a BOB file the other night and carefully analyzed it's
internal structure. Somebody should tell Vern that alls he's gotta do
to add BOB File capability to his FV utility is look at the first byte
of the File and see if it's smiling or frowning. If it's smiling, it's
a BOB File. If it's frowning, it's Phil Katz learning to eat sushi.
No Replies.
Section 1: General Messages
Message #13155 Dated 08-27-91 @ 20:21.
From: ARIEL CALONNE
To: SYSOP (Received: on 08-28-91 @ 05:09:28)
Subject: corrupted docs (Reply to Message #13122)
Al, I DL's NABOB and felt, well, like a twit. It created a one byte
file, at least using the command line parameters shown in the /h help
message. Is it for real or is it junk? Frankly, I got a bit worried
that I might have loaded some perverts idea of a joke onto my system.
Can you get it to work? Ariel.
Reply: 13159.
Section 1: General Messages
Message #13159 Dated 08-28-91 @ 05:10.
From: SYSOP
To: ARIEL CALONNE (Received: on 08-28-91 @ 09:10:20)
Subject: corrupted docs (Reply to Message #13155)
Ariel:
Huh? Sounds like you have it working fine. Might want to try a NABOB V
on a .BOB file.
Al.
No Replies.
Section 2: BBS SysOps Backroom
Message #13161 Dated 08-28-91 @ 07:44.
From: JIM DERR
To: SYSOP (Received: on 08-28-91 @ 11:43:56)
Subject: new shez (Reply to Message #13114)
Al, your correct in assuming the shez only support pk stuff for ARC
files. I am working on supporting arc, arca, and arcv, however my wife
is due to deliver another programmer in approx. 1 week and have not had
much time. Now about the NABOB format. This has got to be the greatest
scamm going. I compressed a 1.44 meg floopy down to 1 byte using this,
with compression like that how can I NOT add support for it???
Reply: 1316
Section 2: BBS SysOps Backroom
Message #13165 Dated 08-28-91 @ 11:45.
From: SYSOP
To: JIM DERR
Subject: new shez (Reply to Message #13161)
Jim:
I think it would be kinda fun to have built-in support for .BOB files.
No hurry though...guess you will be having your mind on other things for
a while.
Al.
No Replies.
End of messages.
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