Please don't zip your jar

Discussion in 'Archived: Plugin Requests' started by BenPhelps, Jan 19, 2011.

  1. Offline

    BenPhelps

    It's just annoying. A jar file is a zip file, your zipping a zip file.... There is no compression big enough to make it worth while.

    Just as an example, I'll be showing the MyWarp plugin, but there are plenty others doing this.

    Zip Size: 33157 bytes
    Jar Size: 34759 bytes

    That 1.5Kb of compression is not worth the extra step needed. I could see if we where all using Bell 103's, but we are not.

    That is all, thanks.
     
  2. Offline

    Archelaus

    Try to upload a jar file onto the forums with the "upload a file" option.
     
  3. Offline

    DerpinLlama

    I zip my jar with it's properties file for easy downloads. :/
     
  4. Offline

    nichiatu

    When they also include txt files and such, it's more efficient to use zip, also if they have more than one jar file. I don't think it has anything with free space to do.
     
  5. Offline

    BenPhelps

    When you zip a jar file and that is the only thing in the archive, it is annoying. Also, I don't think I have downloaded a plugin from the forums, they have all been from github or dropbox, or the developers personal site.

    If you use a mac, you will fully understand my frustration.
     
  6. Offline

    Archelaus


    I do not have a github, drop box or personal site. Just download it from the forums. Yes, I can get one. But I'm not gonna do it. You need to remember we aren't slaves. We do this because we think this'll benefit other people, not because we have to. Why should we have to go through extra effort so you don't have to?
     
  7. Offline

    BenPhelps

    It would actually be less effort on your part.

    You also might think about who pays for the site, every download uses there resources, any offloading of traffic to the site would help them a lot I'm sure.

    Your helping users by not doing redundant archiving, and helping Bukkit by detouring some traffic.
     
  8. Offline

    Archelaus


    Apparently we already do what you ask anyway. I'm sure a few 43kb files won't do much damage.
     
  9. Offline

    jududdar

    I actually prefer the .zip method of downloading. I open the file instead of saving, then extract the contents to where I want them... i'm just sayin'.
     
  10. Offline

    Wolfy9247

    I'd rather you not .zip your files if it's just the .jar file, if it includes text files such as configurations and readme.txt, feel free! But other than that, it's un-needed... and hosting it on something such as Mediafire would be a lot better IMO.

    Thanks.
     
  11. Offline

    croxis

    For operating a server remotely it is convenient to be able to wget a solo jar right into the plugin folder. In a zip there is no way to know if it is in a subfolder or not, etc. Is it the end of the world? Of course not.

    Side note on Dropbox. It makes your life as a dev easier. Your download is automatically updated without any effort on your part. Also has built in versioning so you can undo a foobar build without keeping a backup of every build.
     
  12. Offline

    Plague

    Zip files suck, you do not know what's inside and cannot just download into plugins/ and be done with it.
    Yes, I am lazy, but why not be. The only real prblem with .jar I see is the forum which prevents you from uploading plain jars.
     
  13. Offline

    zeiser

    So you're basicly saying, "be lazy because i am" ?
     
  14. Offline

    Plague

    No, I am saying do not use zip because there is no significant advantage to it.
     
  15. Offline

    Tazzernator

    I use zip to include examples to my configuration files and to also provide an example to where the files should be located.
     
  16. Offline

    nicatronTg

    Is there a chance that developers could just implement generation of the files, so we could just send a jar? It's a pain when you're scouring the forums for numerous addons, each with their own zipping scheme(some put a jar and config files in, some put a folder with a jar and config files in, some put in a jar, etc), then uploading just the jars to the server. In my opinion, it'd be great if you could just put a "install" download, and an "upgrade" download that just lead to the jar.
     
  17. Offline

    Novar234

    Zip is just the norm for including misc files with the .jar file, and for the rare case of people being lazy to unzip, well that's their problem. At least they aren't self-installers lol
     
  18. Offline

    Timberjaw

    Hopefully this will be a moot point once Fill is up.

    I think it's valid for plugin developers with config files to distribute to use a zip instead of a direct .jar link. It's really not that much extra work for anyone downloading.

    I like to link zips because I can include the version # in the filename. That way people don't end up opening a browser cache copy. I can see the appeal in (at the very least) offering an alternate download link directly to the .jar though.
     
  19. Offline

    robhol

    No. No no no no, nononono. Mediafire is NEVER better. Neither is any crappy file hosting which makes you wait for five minutes for 20kB and then spams a few dozen popup ads at you after you're done waiting.

    I suggest the forum software be modified to support *.jars, other than that, suck it up. Decompressing a 20kB zip file takes milliseconds and maybe two mouse clicks on a decent archiving program. The plugin author has already done you a favor by making a plugin you're apparently interested in.
     
  20. Offline

    Bradley

    i feel ya bro its so friggin annoying i dont care if the properties file and u have a zip no big deal but seriusly u cant post a jar to dropbox it saves maybe a quarter of a second download upload but takes a whole frick longer to extract copy it into ur plugins folder and crap plus half the time u dont compress correctly and it unzips the jar even further
     
  21. Offline

    Archelaus

    Don't like it, don't ask for anything. I certainly won't be filling any requests from you from now on.
     
  22. Offline

    Zenexer

    That was downright unnecessary.

    Just my two cents: I completely agree that ZIP files are annoying. I'd rather see plugins generate their default configs at runtime. I want to wget and go, not mkdir tmp, cd tmp, wget, unzip *.zip, mv *.jar .., cd .., then go.

    I am one plugin developer that you will NEVER see upload a plugin in a ZIP file.
     
  23. Offline

    Andred

    Lol.
     
  24. Offline

    marcus

    Lol what mediafire did you use? I download a jar file in 2 seconds at mediafire, and get one popup.
     
  25. Offline

    Archelaus

    It's also "downright unnecessary" for you to tell me what it unnecessary to do with my own time and what isn't.

    I choose to make a plugin for someone, there is no obligation. My own reward for this is to be able to zip it and upload it. Which requires less effort on my side. I mean, all it takes is a double click. I mean, I would understand if people asked for a different file type mirror due to a different OS. But he never asked, he rudely stated a few things and seemed to demand it.
     
  26. Offline

    Killie01

    When fill.bukkit is up, i thought it will only accept jars because of
    In console lugin downloads they cant posibly support every zip file content
     
  27. Offline

    Wolfy9247

    It's also called AdBlock Plus. =P If you don't have ANY add-ons that help with skipping ads or getting around those waiting times, I dunno how you'll ever survive the internet.
     

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