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Re: base85 would it be accepted


From: L A Walsh
Subject: Re: base85 would it be accepted
Date: Mon, 20 Nov 2017 12:02:56 -0800
User-agent: Thunderbird

Pádraig Brady wrote:
On 13/10/17 03:28, Eric Curtin wrote:
Hi Guys,

I find base32 and base64 very useful in coreutils. If I wrote a base85
implementation in the same style would it be accepted? Just wondering,
don't want to waste my time submitting just in case.

Well as the bit width increases there is more opportunity
for application specific variations on the encoding.
I quick check confirms this, so I'm thinking that base85
is more useful as an application specific encoding used
by pdf or git etc. rather than a standalone useful encoding/util.
----
   I know this is a bit of an old topic, but nevertheless,
might be useful...

  If the utility was a "baseN" utility to allow arbitrary
N, up to, maybe, N=96 (0x20-0x7f -- printable characters or
*maybe*, N=95 if space was not usable for encoding (though
I don't see why it wouldn't), WITH the ability to read
the invoking filename to look for baseXX, and use a number
after 'base' as the default encoding base, then such a utility
might replace base32 and base64 (by eliminating the need for
special cases) and would seem to provide a more maintainable
single-source for bases 32 & 64, while also providing the ability
to make a link from base85->basnN, that would also implement
the feature Eric wants.

   Wouldn't that be a useful way for Eric to get what he wants,
while providing better maintenance for 32 & 64 by eliminating the
need for separate progs for each?

-l






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