Re: RAR File Format
 

Understand that ISP (Internet Services Providor) is not the same as Internet Connectivity. Most Users are stuck in a horrible situation because they dont realize that the internet is setup so that none of your services HAVE to come from the same source. Often those that do one thing well, suck at the rest, so an all-in-one package usually sucks as soon as you start using more than one of its services.

PacBell (the phone company) does my DSL line. Thats just another phone line and they do that well (the same goes for cable and satellite connections). But their internet services suck. So for most Users I tell them to find some nice local trying-hard internet service to handle the rest (email, web, dns, hosting, etc etc). They usually do better at that and have problems with the connectivity part. You can even take it a step farther and use different companies for each service.

In my case I just grabbed an old computer out of the closet that wouldnt run the latest games anymore, loaded linux on it, and a domain name, and setup all the services I wanted. Now I point my windows email programs there for send and pickup, I put all my web stuff there, I have my own dns server and dont share it much so my browsing and such is much faster. Im up to 6 domains for me and my friends, looks like Im up to about 70 mailboxes, and I host 2 full-time multiplayer worlds. I never have to ask the admin if I can do something on my website or add some feature, nothing I do gets ads attached to it, and one of my favorite things is automated scripts which update the offerings on the sites (such as each day creating 240 randomly generated playing maps for Dominions 2). You would be amazed. You can be 100 times more of an ISP for yourself with a machine that is 1/10th the computer you are using for a desktop now. You can easily run a 300 member ISP on a machine that costs less than $200(american), and 3000 with the computer you tossed in the closet.

But all of this reminds me of my gandfather-in-law who preached to me about how much money I could save if I just learned to do simple car maintenance. My answer to him was "its only worthwhile if you like doing it, otherwise its worthwhile to pay someone else to do it for you". Same here. If it sounds like fun, then go for it. But at least consider that you dont HAVE to use the services that your connector provides.

Re: RAR File Format
 

Ok, thats lots more detail that I was hoping for http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

I don't use my ISP for most of those either.
However, having to go through their connection means that you still get hit with the common pricing and limits they have, if I understand what you're saying.

Re: RAR File Format
 

I think, RAR is the best proprietary archive format in the windows world (best compression ratio/speed). 7zip has comparable characteristics, but it takes ages to pack large volumes into 7zip archive.

As for interface ... Rar integrates into Total Commander easily, so I always use rar archives as compressed folders. I even don't remember what WinRAR's UI is look like.

Re: RAR File Format
 

So you are, in fact, using an ISP for what an ISP is used for (other than possibly its DNS servers)... It is rather misleading to tell people that you do not use an ISP when you do. I was thinking you set up your own pipe connecting to the nearest backbone somehow and were actually functioning as your own ISP...

Re: RAR File Format
 

Nope. I worked for ISPs when they were all seperate from connectivity services (dial-up modems). Even PacBell draws that distinction since they gave up on doing services. They are now only a connectivity service, and use Yahoo for ISP services. Just like giving you a phone line doesnt connect them to any services you access by dialing. Once you get connectivity, you can use anyone you want for an ISP (or no one at all).

The way you paint it doesnt really work. Everyone connects to the net thru someone. Not much difference connecting thru PacBell or a backbone. I could charge people and let them connect to the net thru me which would make me the same technically as netcom or aol. I have all the equipment for it. But I know better than to do it as a business.

Re: RAR File Format
 

An ISP provides you with a connection to the internet... Everything else is merely fluff.

Re: RAR File Format
 

7zip is icky ugly ungainly unwieldy unfriendly crap... Last I used it it didn't even add a context menu to the shell, a must-have feature IMO.

I used to swear by the Last free Version of PowerArchiver (6.0) but a change in the rar format since 6.0's release has broken that Version's rar support.

I'm now looking for a new archiver and shall try IZ http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Re: RAR File Format
 

My ISP, as far as I know, is Eircom (Irish Telecomunications). My limit is 4GB per month download and 1GB upload. I know it sounds like a lot, but it's not really given the amount of artwork, music, etc that I deal with on a given day.

AT, I'm afraid I don't have anything as fancy as satellite ISP, just good ol' DSL.

Fyron, I have to tell you I burst out laughing when you mentioned 'developing countries' among those who would set a download limit, since most of Ireland (no matter how hard the Tourism Board may try to convince you otherwise), remains a Third World country.

Anyway, I'm sick as a dog, so it's back to bed for me.

Re: RAR File Format
 

holy fck 4 gb dl and 1 GB upload, and I'm already struggeling with my 10 GB download and 1.5 Gb upload :/

Re: RAR File Format
 

Now this is a bit of a threadjack on my part here, but its already happened twice, so no harm in it happening again.

Many people have panned WinXP, and I dunno, I kinda liked it. But it has some seriously bloated code, and some of Microsoft's improvements are just security holes. (have you heard the latest one over at /. )

I went from Win95 that came with my Pentium III, to Win98, to WinXp. I skipped Windows 2000 because many people had problems when it came out. Now I hear (from some dubious sources) that its the same as XP, just without the bloated desktop. Anyone like Win 2000 enough to comment?

I'm jonesing bigtime for my graphical games. Even more than Diablo II, I miss playing Malfador's Starfury. All this talk about SE5 makes me seriously want to blow up some pirate spacecraft. So I may switch back to Windows ... for a little while.