6.0182 Rs: Data Compression (6/145)

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W. Schipper                         Email: schipper@morgan.ucs.mun.ca
Department of English,              Tel: 709-737-4406
Memorial University                 Fax: 709-737-4000
St John's, Nfld. A1C 5S7
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(3) --------------------------------------------------------------35----
Date: Mon, 3 Aug 1992 23:10 EDT
From: G9026163@SSCvax.CIS.McMaster.CA
Subject: Re: Data compression
 
> Does anyone have suggestions on a fast, reliable data compression program,
> preferably software-based only (no add-in board) which automatically
> compresses data files when they're saved and decompresses them as they're
> needed?  Such a procedure would give us perhaps 50% or more space on
> our overtaxed hard-disks.
>
>                                Thanks in advance,
>                                Joel D. Goldfield
>                                Plymouth State College
 
I've been using SuperStor that comes bundled with DR DOS 6.0 (albeit a
little stripped-down) for 4 or 5 months, now--I understand that the full
version compresses/decompresses files on floppies, too.  SuperStor is
software-based, and works in the background.  In conjunction with a disk
cache, I haven't encountered any noticeable reduction in drive access time.
SuperStor has more than doubled my 52 Meg hard drive to 141 Meg (reported
by PC Tools System Information).  One drawback:  if ever, for some reason,
you decide to uninstall SuperStor, you lose the data on the compressed
drive(s).  There is also Stacker, but I haven't used it, so I can't help
you with that one.  I can tell you that Stacker has a software-based version.
 
Paul Caron
G9026163@SSCvax.CIS.McMaster.CA
(4) --------------------------------------------------------------26----
Date: Tue, 4 Aug 92 8:59:07 GMT
From: A.K.Henry@cen.exeter.ac.uk
Subject: Re: 6.0181 Qs:  Data Compression
 
Data Compression:
I am only a user, not a programmer, but I use the excellent NORTON BACKUP
(IBM compatibles). It compresses, decompresses, and keeps track of which
discs your saved files are on--brilliant. If you need technical details, you
could ask SYMANTEC, who distribute it in the UK (MKA House, 36 KIng St.,
MAidenhead, Berkshire, SL6 1FF.  Tel: 628-776343; Fax 628-776775). But I
expect you have a supplier on your side?
Avril Henry
(A.K.Henry@uk.ac.exeter.cen)
 
(5) --------------------------------------------------------------46----
Date: Tue, 4 Aug 1992 07:16:19 -0500
From: mlove@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu
Subject: Re: 6.0181  Qs:   Data Compression
 
 
You don't say what sort of computer you are using, but for the Mac I find
that Autodoubler, which works in the background, does quite well.
 
Sharon D. Michalove
Academic Advisor, Department of History, UIUC
309 Gregory Hall, 810 South Wright Street
Urbana, IL  61801
217-333-4145
mlove@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu
 
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See the kitten on the wall/Sporting with the leaves that fall
Wht intenseness of desire/In her upward eye of fire!
                                        William Wordsworth
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(6) --------------------------------------------------------------46----
Date: Tue, 4 Aug 92 10:14:15 -0400
From: jdg@oz.plymouth.edu (Dr. Joel Goldfield)
Subject: Data compression
 
Thanks to nearly a dozen colleagues who have responded individually to me
about my data compression query.  I had DOS & Mac machines chiefly in mind.
The consensus for the best DOS software seems to be Stacker from Stac
Electronics, though one colleague from Sweden notes that "it requires that
these auto-compressed files [be] stored in a special file/partition, so
some setup is required.  [Stacker] is available both as pure software or
as add-on hardware."  A colleague from the U. of Cincinnati notes that
an appropriate review appears in the 1/28/92 issue of _PC MAGAZINE_:
"Triple Your Hard Disk Space with On-the-Fly Compression."  I'm reading
it now.  The 4 products reviewed are:  "DoubleDisk," "Expanz! Plus,"
"Stacker" and "SuperStor."  "Stacker" gets the _PCM_ nod as the best of
the four.  According to the review's summary of features, there is no
repartitioning during installation, and it doesn't have a bootable
partition.  The program takes up 41K of RAM.  An 8-bit and a 16-bit
card are available for those needing additional compression-processing power,
but the reviewer notest that these boards supply but a 5% (!) improvement
over the pure software version.
 
The address for Stac Electronics is:  5993 Avenida Encinas, Carlsbad, CA 92008;
Tel. 800-522-7822 or 619-431-7474.
 
Regarding Mac-compatible software, few products were suggested, but one
may be called "DiskDoubler." I know of a DOS product called "DoubleDisk,"
the loan one which proved faster than "Stacker" in compressing/decompressing
bitmapped graphics files.  Perhaps other colleagues could write directly
to HUMANIST about suggestions for appropriate Mac-based compression software.
 
 
                                Regards,
                                Joel D. Goldfield
                                Plymouth State College

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