X-Message-Number: 2919
Subject: CRYONICS Re: Case Report
From:  (Edgar W. Swank)
Date: Tue, 19 Jul 94 10:53:56 PDT

In Cryomsg 2872, Thomas Donaldson laments,

    Reading [Mike Darwin's] account of the suspension, we notice the
    lack of diagrams.  IF these diagrams were first created on a
    computer, Compuserve has devised a special standard for sending
    images (called GIF) which was designed to make these images
    visible on any computer with the right software.  This includes
    Macs and PCs both.  ...

    This means, of course, that Mike could send pictures which anyone
    could look at regardless of their computer (the purpose of GIF in
    the first place).

Yes.  And GIF is a compressed format and is very good for line
drawings.  However, it is a binary format and cannot be sent over the
net as a message.  For that, an additional utility is required.  The
standard I'm most familiar with is called UUENCODE, which I know
covers both Unix & PC systems.  I don't know about Macs.  The function
of UUENCODE is to convert a binary file into a larger file made up of
neat lines of "printable" characters which are carried in messages
without being altered.  The receiver reconstructs the binary file with
the complementary utility UUDECODE.

    If the images were not created in a computer, the only alternative
    I see is to use a scanner to put them in.  Yes, that costs money.
    It's Mike's and BPs choice whether or not to spend that money.

Later, Mike Darwin says the diagrams are in machine format, but that
Mike (and presumably others who work around the lab) do not have the
time or computer expertise to convert the images to GIF format or to
send them over the net.  ACS may have a solution.

Thanks to Jerry White's generosity, we have an excellent color
full-page scanner connected to a Mac at the ACS office in Sunnyvale.
If Mike will mail us printed-out paper copies of any diagrams at,

    The American Cryonics Society
    P.O. Box 1509
    Cupertino, CA  95015

I will volunteer to scan them, convert them to UUENCODED GIF's and put
them on the net.  Depending on size they can either go to the entire
list or only to those who request them via CryoMsg.

I am not terribly familiar with the Mac, so I would appreciate
assistance from Thomas or anyone else in the local area more familiar
with the Mac.

--
 (Edgar W. Swank)
SPECTROX SYSTEMS +1.408.252.1005  Cupertino, Ca

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