"-READ.ME": THOUGHTS ON A BAD TRADITION
b� Ric� Charnes� Sa� Francisco� Jun� 27� 1987� wit� n� apologie� �
fo� m� mood


     � hav� kep� somethin� insid� m� fo� fa� to� lon� an� i� �
mus� no� com� ou� befor� � damag� something� � propos� a� �
immediat� an� tota� cessatio� o� ou� conventio� i� th� CP/�-�
compatibl� worl� o� givin� min�-instructio� file� th� ridiculou� �
nam� o� �-READ.ME"�  Th� longe� � a� i� th� compute� worl� th� �
mor� � utterl� detes� this�  It'� � _terrible� tradition�  Tha� �
it'� continue� s� lon� i� completel� beyon� m� understanding�

    Th� situatio� occur� generall� i� tw� sort� o� circumstances:�
(1� insid� o� *.LBR'� an� (2� o� disk� o� program� sen� b� softwar� �
manufacturers�  Th� latte� situatio� i� mor� forgivable� thoug� �
hardly�  � simpl� canno� understan� ho� creator� o� *.LBR� hav� �
com� t� giv� s� littl� though� t� wha� happen� AFTE� � use� ha� �
extracte� hi� file� fro� � library�  � programme� mus� remembe� �
tha� hi� particula� -READ.M� fil� wil� mos� probabl� no� b� th� �
onl� on� a� en� use� ha� o� hi� system�  Sure� a� en� use� �
"should� immediatel� renam� an� suc�-name� file� bu� wh� creat� �
suc� a� unnecessar� bother�  Whe� namin� thes� file� w� reall� �
mus� kee� i� min� ho� the� wil� fi� i� t� � user'� overal� se�-u� �
onc� integratio� take� plac� int� th� res� o� th� system�  No� �
onl� doe� namin� � fil� -READ.M� ris� possibl� overwritin� o� �
anothe� b� th� sam� name� bu� ho� i� a� en� user� lookin� a� hi� �
dis� director� � da� o� tw� later� suppose� t� remembe� t� whic� �
*.LB� o� ne� piec� o� softwar� thi� wonderfu� �-READ.ME� fil� �
belongs�  Th� wors� transgressio� i� i� librarie� mean� fo� �
downloadin� throug� th� BB� circuit�  T� cal� anythin� insid� on� �
o� thes� librarie� �� tha� wil� immediatel� b� extracte� ont� � �
dis� mos� probabl� containin� man� othe� file� �� �-READ.ME� i� � �
crimina� transgression.

    Th� us� o� th� hyphe� i� �-READ.ME"� o� course� stem� fro� �
th� desir� o� th� programme� t� cal� attentio� t� thi� file� th� �
hyphen� whic� precede� th� lette� character� i� ASCI� value� �
ensure� tha� i� wil� floa� t� th� to� i� � dis� sort�  However� �
thi� frequentl� conflict� wit� th� muc� mor� importan� nee� o� �
catalogin� program� t� hav� th� dis� name/labe� a� th� to� o� � �
sort�  � a� no� i� th� proces� o� catalogin� disk� an� a� �
absolutel� livi� a� th� numbe� o� -READ.M� an� othe� assorte�
�-XXXX.XXX� file� � hav� t� wad� throug� an� renam� i� orde� fo� �
m� 0� dis� nam� fil� t� sor� t� th� top�  It'� simpl� �
infuriating.

    Let'� leav� th� initia� hyphe� fo� th� catalogin� program� �
whic� nee� i� muc� more�  � believ� th� assumptio� ha� bee� amon� �
th� �-READ.ME�-ist� tha� al� 0� dis� label� hav� � nul� filenam� �
an� onl� � numerica� typ� a� i� �        .013"� an� tha� �
therefor� �-READ.ME� wil� com� AFTE� this�   Thi� i� howeve� no� �
a� al� th� case�  Hoff'� MCA� allow� an� Stev� Cohen'� FATCA� �
encourage� genuin� filename� befor� th� period� an� thi� i� i� �
fac� � preferabl� nam� fo� � dis� label�  Thes� ca� ver� easil� ��conflic� wit� -READ.ME.

    I� ther� wer� n� easil� feasibl� alternativ� tha� woul� b� �
on� thin� bu� thi� i� no� a� al� th� case�  � hav� n� contentio� �
wit� th� ide� tha� min�-do� file� o� thi� natur� shoul� sor� t� �
th� to� i� � library�  Similarl� � se� n� reaso� wh� the� shoul� �
no� b� a� th� to� o� � dis� director� onc� extracte� ont� � �
user'� system�  Bu� wh� no� exercis� � littl� creativity�  Unles� �
� a� gravel� mistaken� th� slas� characte� ("/"� appear� t� b� � �
perfectl� vali� filenam� character� a� leas� i� th� firs� �
position�  Th� DR� CP/� manua� o� p� � say� i� i� illega� bu� � �
a� quit� convince� i� i� not�  Ther� ar� certainl� � fe� program� �
tha� won'� tak� wel� t� � slas� i� � filename� amon� the� m� �
belove� MEXPLU� (wh� d� yo� thin� � didn'� nam� thi� articl� �
"/README.ART"?)� bu� th� grea� majorit� includin� WordSta� an� �
NewWor� hav� n� proble� wit� it�  � kno� fo� � fac� tha� ther� i� �
eve� somethin� calle� "/.COM"�  Th� slas� (2Fh� sort� AFTE� th� �
hyphe� (2Dh� bu� o� cours� befor� an� regula� ASCI� character�  � �
suggest� then� tha� th� content� o� � librar� fo� � fil� calle� �
NUEDIT.CO� b� name� t� loo� like:

/NUEDIT.RMF�
NUEDIT10.COM�
NUEDIT10.DOC�
NUEDIT10.Z80

an� none of this absurd:

-READ.ME�
NUEDIT.COM�
NUEDIT.DOC�
NUEDIT.Z80

     Wha� i� thi� ridiculou� -READ.M� file�  Onc� extracted� ho� �
doe� on� kno� t� wha� i� relates�  Wit� wha� othe� file� i� i� �
associated?

     In my career as a computer enthusiast I have several times�
com� acros� thi� "*.RMF� (Rea� M� First� filetyp� ide� bu� i� ha� �
neve� caugh� on�  I� ha� onl� bee� th� wor� o� � fe� eccentri� �
soul� courageou� enoug� t� brav� th� wrat� o� th� powerfu� an� �
entrenche� �-READ.ME� crowd�  � ca� hardl� remembe� wh� thes� �
honorabl� gentleme� ar� a� thi� point�  The� are/wer� simpl� bol� �
enoug� t� stan� u� fo� wha� the� believ� i� an� d� wha� i� righ� �
eve� thoug� impossibl� outnumbered�  Ma� thei� wor� liv� on.

    Comment� encouraged.

                    Rick Charnes,
                    President, BAMDUA�
                    Sa� Francisc� area Morro� user� association

                    Z-Nodes #1, #2, #3, #15
t, BAMDUA�
                    Sa� Francisc� area Morro� user�