                                                                   "$$$$$$$"
               """""8$$$$$8' "8$$$$$8""8$$$$$8" "8$$$$$8" "8$$$$$8P"$$$$$$$
          "8P"""Y8P"$P"""Y$   $P"""Y$  """""""   $P"""Y$   $P"""Y$  $P"""Y$
           $.....$  $.....$   $.....$  8P"""Y8"  $.....$   $.....$  $.....$
     ,     $;;;;;$  $;;;;;$   $;;;;;$  $;;;;;$   $;;;;;$   $;;;;;$  $;;;;;$
    ,8     $iiiii$  $iiiii$   $iiiii$  $iiiii$   $iiiii$   $iiiii$  $iiiii$
   ,88     `$$$$$$o,$$$$$$$, ,$$$$$$$,o$$$$$$'  ,$$$$$$$,  `$$$$$$o,$$$$$$$,
  ,888       `"""""""""""""" """"""""""""""'    """""""""    `""""""""""""""
8888'8 ,88888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888
     8,88'
:::  888' ,:::::::::::::: ::  :  acid artpacks archive  :  :: ::::::::::::::
     88'
888  8' ,8888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888
     '
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS - Last Updated: April 12, 1998
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Table of Contents

 1. Does this archive allow ZIP files to be uploaded?
 2. Why was my artpack upload deleted from the archive?
 3. Why does the ACiD's archive look similar to Hornet's archive?
 4. I am having problems using Netscape to download files with the .RAR
      extension.
 5. How many times was 'artp-123xyz.rar' downloaded yesterday?
 6. Who uploaded 'artp-123xyz.rar'?
 7. How do I uncompress .lzh files? (or .rar, .arj, .zip, etc..)
 8. Why won't it let me upload 'artpack!.zip'?
 9. Why the hell do you guys use RAR instead of ZIP?
10. Why was my modpack deleted?
11. Why was my litpack deleted?
12. How come the top 10 list isn't being updated anymore?
13. What language was this archive programmed in?

--[ 1 ]---------------------------------------------------------------------

Q.  Does this archive allow ZIP files to be uploaded?

A.  Yes.  While this archive strongly encourages the use of RAR over
    ZIP compressed files, we do allow both of them to coexist on this
    site.

--[ 2 ]---------------------------------------------------------------------

Q.  Why was my uploaded file deleted from the archive?

A.  All incoming uploads are processed automatically by our scripts, rarely
    handled by human hands.  They can be picky at times, so read, understand
    and commit to memory our uploading rules.  They are available online at 
    http://artpacks.acid.org/www/html/rules.html

--[ 3 ]---------------------------------------------------------------------

Q.  Why does ACiD's archive look similar to Hornet's archive?

A.  A few years ago, artpacks had a home on the Hornet Archive.  But due to
    consistent abuse and misuse of the archive by ANSIscene members and or
    followers and limited space problems, the /ansi directories were removed.

    Snowman (HA maintainer) made arrangements with RaD Man to develop an
    "Artpacks Archive", with ACiD as the primary maintainer.  The two archives
    serve similar purposes, and as a result have similar features.  The Hornet
    Archive was here first, so any obvious similarities in HTML design can
    be blamed on laziness on our part.  We have borrowed and exchanged many
    ideas between the Hornet and ACiD archives.

--[ 4 ]---------------------------------------------------------------------

Q. I am having problems using Netscape to download files with the .RAR
   extension.

A. There is an easy way and a hard way to get around this.

   EASY: Hold down the shift key and left click on the filename.  This
	 force a binary download.

   HARD: Permanently configure your netscape, as follows:

   (Note this is for Netscape 2.0, menus have changed...)

   To configure Netscape, version 2.0, to recognize the .RAR file
   extension, perform the following operations:

       Select the Options Menu.

       Select General Preferences.

       Select the Helpers tab in the window that comes up.

       Click the "Create New Type" Button.

       Fill in the Mime Type field as         application

       Fill in the Mime SubType field as      rar

   Now you will see that there is an entry in your list for application/rar.

       Select that item in the listbox.

       Edit the File Extensions field and place rar (no period) there.

       Select the Save to Disk radio button.

       Select OK.

--[ 5 ]---------------------------------------------------------------------

Q.  How many times was 'artp-123xyz.rar' downloaded yesterday?

A.  Every day, cdrom.com generates over 70 megabytes of log files.  That
    requires ALOT of process power to parse through and count the number
    of downloads for an individual file.

    In the past, Shivan Bastard had a system setup to count all downloads
    since any given date.  This script is now defunct and has been taken
    offline. (http://artpacks.acid.org/www/filestats.html)

    If you have access to a shell account you can simply grep the downloads
    for a given day after downloading the logs yourself.  This information
    will be made available at http://artpacks.acid.org/www/logs

--[ 6 ]---------------------------------------------------------------------

Q.  Who uploaded 'artp-123xyz.rar'?

A.  See the answer to Question #4 above.

--[ 7 ]---------------------------------------------------------------------

Q.  How do i uncompress .lzh files?

A.  Many different archive formats have thrived throughout the years, and lzh
    is just one of many that is no longer widely used.  Decompression utils
    for any archive type on the site are located in /programs/archivers.  We
    try to keep a wide variety of platforms and operating systems supported
    here, but if you can't find the file for your machine just let us know,
    and we'll add it to our requests page.

--[ 8 ]---------------------------------------------------------------------

Q.  Why can't I upload the file 'doodle!!!.zip' ?

A.  Special characters such as '!' and '#' can often cause problems when
    used in filenames on Unix machines.  Its best to make sure all filenames
    are composed of only alphanumeric characters and are ISO-9660
    compliant.  (The only exception is made for the hypen character.)

--[ 9 ]---------------------------------------------------------------------

Q.  Why the hell do you guys use RAR instead of ZIP?

A.  We refuse to use inferior compression programs simply to follow the
    traditions of 1989.  RAR offers much better compression and many more
    features than any version of pkzip, Winzip, Info-ZIP, etc.  If you can
    tell us where to find a highly portable, fast, powerful, and more
    efficient archiver we'd love to switch.  But for the time being, RAR
    is without a doubt, the best.

--[ 10 ]--------------------------------------------------------------------

Q.  Why was my BBS mod-pack or lit/poem-pack deleted?

A.  This archive is here to serve the purpose of distributing artpacks and
    nothing else.  That is our focus, art.  Not the enhancement of an ancient
    method of communication such as a BBS.

    When our archive was created, a ceiling of 400 megabytes was imposed.
    This made it imperative that we accept nothing but artpacks and
    artpacks utilities.  Since then we have broken the 400mb barrier,
    carrying over 1.5 gigabytes of artpacks paraphenalia.

    Any kind of magazine based the artscene such as reviews, tutorials,
    etcetera are welcomed in the /mags tree.

    Any file not allowed on the archive which is consistently uploaded
    is blacklisted.

--[ 11 ]--------------------------------------------------------------------

Q.  Why was my lit pack deleted?

A.  See the answer to Question #10 above.

--[ 12 ]--------------------------------------------------------------------

Q.  How come the Top 10 chart isn't being updated?

A.  If you encounter any errors with any of the scripts, please send a
    short email including the URL and exact details of the problem to
    murray@cdrom.com.  Otherwise it could go by unnoticed.

--[ 13 ]--------------------------------------------------------------------

Q.  What language was this archive programmed in?

A.  All of the CGI was done with Perl 5.003.  Current operating system for
    the scripts is FreeBSD 2.2-STABLE, and most of the actual coding is 
    done on Shivan Bastard's local Linux workstation using Emacs 19.34.

Written by Shivan Bastard, Coder of the ACiD Artpacks Archive
Updated by RaD Man, Founder of ACiD and the ACiD Artpacks Archive

----

FAQ History:

 5/ 6/1997 Originally composed by Shivan Bastard
 2/12/1998 Modified by RaD Man
               Added: "Are ZIPS allowed?"
               Corrected: grammatical errors
               Edited: Certain answers to reflect current situations.
 4/14/1998 Updated by RaD Man
