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What are the Binary Newsgroups?
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How are Binary Files Transmitted on the Usenet?
Originally the Usenet contained text only messages. Due to the increasing popularity of pictures, music, video and other multi-media on the Internet it was necessary to devise a method to post binary files to the Usenet. Today binary file attachments are used for non-textual messages which can contain any known file type.
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What are the Common File Formats?
Pictures are the most popular type of file posted to the Usenet. Articles contained in the news groups in the alt.binaries.pictures* as well as various others in the Usenet newsgroup list contain pictures. The most common picture formats are JPEG (usually posted with the .JPG file extension) and GIF (usually posted with a .GIF file extension)files. Other image formats include BMP, WMF, ICO, PCX, and PNG files.
With the introduction of the MP3 compression format by the Motion Picture Experts Group, music file have increased in popularity. MP3 is a way of compressing audio files 12 times to 1/12 their size and gives you a result that is close to CD quality. Other music formats include WAV, MIDI, and MPEG. Articles contained in the news groups in the alt.binaries.sounds* as well as various others in the Usenet newsgroup list contain music.
You can also find other file types, like video files, zip files and programs.
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How are Files Encoded?
In order for binary files to be sent through the Usenet, they need to be encoded into ASCII text before they are sent. By far the most common method of encoding files to the binary newsgroups is the UUENCODE standard. Other formats for encoding files are Base64 and BinHex encoding. YEnc is a new encoding method which offers efficient transmission for binaries on the Usenet. Because of its increased efficiency, its quicky increasing in popularity.
There is no "standard" for attaching these encoded files to a Usenet posting except for MIME. MIME, the Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions, proposes a standard for the posting and mailing of multi-media articles. Generally speaking the MIME standard is a way of specifying both the type of file being sent and the method that should be used to turn it back into its original form.
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What are Multi-part files?
Even with use of high quality compression formats like MP3, the size required to store music and other types of multimedia is large. Some servers limit newsgroup articles to different maximum line lengths. Because of this many files are posted in multiple parts
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How are Files Downloaded and Decoded?
A coded file will just look like jumbled characters and you will need to decode it before it is of any use to you. One can require up to three tools when downloading binary Usenet messages; a downloader, a decoder, and a viewer. Multi-part files make this process even more difficult. With TIFNY you download, decode, and view file attachments in one simple step. And in the latest version, TIFNY even puts together multi-part postings.
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How Many Files Are There?
More than you can fit into most personal computers. Hundreds (to thousands) of postings every day. At any one time, the entire set of newsgroups might have several (or many) thousands. Even if your personal preferences as to image quality and content are exceptional, you'll find postings that will (really) surprise you.
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