Counting since 9.11.2005 <http://lipas.uwasa.fi/~ts/garbinfo/garb0020.html> Copyright © 1996-2007 by Prof. Timo Salmi Last modified Fri 23-Feb-2007 07:48:31

How do I get files from Garbo?

Since you obviously are reading this information with a browser, let's first look very briefly at this option. Only Firefox is covered, but using the other browsers for downloading files from Garbo to your computer is similar. Consider downloading INDEXTS.ZIP . Point with the mouse to the INDEXTS.ZIP link. Click the right button. Choose "Save link as" from the menu that opens, and proceed. Or double-click the link.

Consider as an example the programs by Timo Salmi. The files are in the directory /pc/ts. First log in with ftp garbo.uwasa.fi and with YourEmailAddress as your password. After getting in, at the ftp> prompt type binary (for binary files). To go to the relevant directory apply cd /pc/ts. To see its contents apply ls or dir. To download a file, use get filename or mget filenames (mget allows wildcards). The files have been packed with UNIX Zip so on MS-DOS you will need PKUNZIP.EXE or some other unzip program to unpack them on your PC.

The following gives you another example how to get (download) by ftp (file transfer program) the file index, PKZIP and a news file from Garbo to your host. In the example it is assumed that you are calling from a UNIX system.

 ftp garbo.uwasa.fi        #Connect to Garbo with ftp
 anonymous                 #Use this name to get temporary privileges
 Type (at least) the first part of your email address as your password
 binary                    #Use the binary mode for most file transfers
 cd /pc                    #Go to the MS-DOS main directory
 get INDEX.ZIP             #Get the annotated list of MS-DOS files
 cd /pc/arcers             #Go to the relevant directory
 ls -CF                    #See the directory contents
 get pk250dos.exe          #Get the file to your default directory
 cd /pc/pd2                #Go to Garbo's general information directory
 ascii                     #Use the ASCII mode for text file transfers
 get news_pd2.txt          #Get the selective Garbo news file
 close                     #Close the connection to Garbo
 quit                      #Quit the ftp program

You can use command line interface (CLI) scripting for the task. Below is an example script to get the following file from Garbo archives
   ftp://garbo.uwasa.fi/pc/link/tscmd.zip
   Useful NT/2000/XP script tricks and tips
 
  @echo off & setlocal enableextensions
  echo open garbo.uwasa.fi>%temp%\ftp$$$.tmp
  echo anonymous>>%temp%\ftp$$$.tmp
  echo myid@mypc.mydomain>>%temp%\ftp$$$.tmp
  echo literal pasv>>%temp%\ftp$$$.tmp
  echo binary>>%temp%\ftp$$$.tmp
  echo cd /pc/link>>%temp%\ftp$$$.tmp
  echo lcd C:\MyLocalDownloadsFolder>>%temp%\ftp$$$.tmp
  echo get tscmd.zip>>%temp%\ftp$$$.tmp
  echo quit>>%temp%\ftp$$$.tmp
  ftp -s:%temp%\ftp$$$.tmp
  del %temp%\ftp$$$.tmp
  endlocal & goto :EOF
 
Some customization is needed. Substitute your own identity and your preferred local target download folder.

Subject: Re: http vs. ftp

Dear Garbo User. In fact, performance is not the main issue here, but presentation. Originally FTP sites offered the FTP and sometimes to mail server options for downloading. Of these FTP is preferable, since it takes up less resources. Later, with the explosive proliferation of WWW, many sites now have this, often much more visually attractive format on the side.

To compare, try with your WWW browser, for example

• ftp://garbo.uwasa.fi/
• http://garbo.uwasa.fi/

  ftp://garbo.uwasa.fi/unix/networking/batchftp102.tar.Z
  Get/put files automatically by FTP (a definite must!)

  ftp://garbo.uwasa.fi/unix/networking/batchftp.txt
  Timo's instructions for using batchftp, a text file

Very convenient if the lines are busy. Batchftp is a utility by Shawn Cooper. It has been written for a BSD UNIX system. The package contains documentation. Also see the old /unix/ts/0newsu93.txt for brief instructions.

Back to WWW. A further advantage of the WWW alternative is that allows specialized arrangements. For example, try http://garbo.uwasa.fi/Astro.html

Incidentally, there is a kind of a side effect to the WWW pages development. WWW has brought on parasites (if you pardon the pun) which actually are but link collections to files that the proper sites have tested, virus checked, maintain and carry. Mostly, I do not object (since one has to live with the times), as long as they do not misrepresent themselves of being something else than WWW link services instead of shareware sites proper. Unfortunately, there have been cases of such misrepresentation, which I have good reason to suspect have been deliberate.

   All the best, Timo

Date: 16 Jul 1996 07:18:42 +0300
From: ts(a)uwasa.fi (Timo Salmi)
Newsgroups: comp.archives.msdos.d
Subject: Re: http vs. ftp

• Which is better for downloading software, http or ftp? Is there a difference in performance?

No disagreement. To recount, my point was that on the current scene the WWW option seems the most modern and often is the most informative. For best efficiency, in particular if the site tends to be busy, the background ftp (batchftp) was my recommendation. That, incidentally, is the option I use myself most often. It comes down to which aspect one is interested in.

   All the best, Timo

Date: 17 Jul 1996 20:55:02 +0300
From: ts(a)uwasa.fi (Timo Salmi)
Newsgroups: comp.archives.msdos.d
Subject: Re: http vs. ftp

Yes, I've noticed the same problem. In fact I have in the newsgroup's FAQ:

"The World Wide Web has added the possibility of getting the files from the archive sites also with the WWW browser programs. It appears that (at least with some of the browser versions) in a long session the browser gets confused and cannot get the files in the proper format. If you are experiencing such problems, exit your browser, reload it, and then try to get the target file anew."

   All the best, Timo

Date: Wed, 17 Jul 1996 20:05:59 GMT
From: w8sdz(a)Simtel.Net (Keith Petersen)
Newsgroups: comp.archives.msdos.d
Subject: Re: http vs. ftp

Some earlier versions of Netscape had problems with http downloads. Recent versions (2.0 and higher) have corrected that problem. I have not had any corrupted http downloads using stable versions of Winsock and Netscape.

The trick to improving http download performance is to try a larger network buffer in Netscape. The default is 6k. Mine was set for 16k. Anyway, Netscape is seldom used any more these days.

This mail-server section is no more valid: Garbo's mail server has been discontinued

• Reason: In modern days one can expect and require the more common and better options than the cumbersome mail server. If you do not have a WWW or FTP access, then you can't download files from the Garbo archives. It is simple as that.

To get files sent to you by email, please use Garbo's mail server. To get more information write an email message to ftpmail@garbo.uwasa.fi. The subject line of this message can be anything, e.g.
   garbo-request
The message must contain just the following text (at the beginning of the line):
   help
 
A few pointers:

• Use the mail servers only if you don't have the FTP or WWW potential. FTP and WWW cause much less load.
• Do not include a signature because it may confuse the server.
• If you do not understand, please don't send the mail server request.
• When you get the instructions from our ftpmail, take it up from there.
• If there is extra load at Garbo the server might have been turned off.
• If you get no response do not send repeat requests!
• Please do not ask me (Timo Salmi) about the problems with Garbo's mail server that you might be having. I do not maintain Garbo's mail server and this is practically all I know about it.