question for Archivists about Archive.org

[WALSH]

One thing that I was wondering about on the archive shows is why they are being offered up in lossy formats?  I wouldn\'t think that you would want lossy copies circulating...the Biscuits only offer up shn or flac and I know a few others do also.

 It also makes it much easier to download for those people using ftp to pull shows to only have the shn or flac files available.

I could see having the mp3\'s able to stream so people can listen in b4 dl\'ing, but to offer lossy formats seems counter productive??  Maybe I\'m wrong?

[ChrisF]

you can stream the mp3s. i thought that was the whole point of them being an option.

[WALSH]

That is a great idea, but you can also dl them and if you use FTP you dl all 4 types of file(shn/flac, ogg, mp3,etc).  The speeds are very good on the FTP sites but it still takes longer to dl all those unwanted files...that was what I was wondering about.

[Todd]

Originally posted by WALSH
if you use FTP you dl all 4 types of file(shn/flac, ogg, mp3,etc).

You don\'t HAVE to d\'l all 4

[WALSH]

How do you get the garbage files(mp3,etc) not to download using ftp, it all just goes in order.  

I just don\'t see why The Breakfast should archive lossy formats at all???

[Todd]

Only if you d\'l the FOLDER...open the folder and sort by size, this will arrange the flacs together (because they\'re larger), select all the flacs, md5 and txt and you\'re good to go.
Unfortunately, this has to be done in order to offer streaming mp3. There was discussion about how to seperate them. It may happen soon, but will be ALLOT more work for the site admins

edit: oh, yeah, to answer the question about lossy formats: I am figuring by what I\'ve read, that about 95% of the people who d\'l a show from archive listen to the mp3\'s, decide what they want, then d\'l the flacs. There are allot of people who are talking about music they\'ve checked out, that they probably would not have, if it were not for the "previews"

[tiedyetoga]

Its all about people hearing the band no matter what format the shows are in. Never limt the options on to how people can get your music.

[mvallo]

There is no contol over file format conversions.  Anyone can can  convert a show from flac>wave>CD>mp3>wave>flac.   The good thing is that archive.org allows you to download the original lossless md5 file.  If it matches your file set you know you have an orignal the files.  As long as collectors and archivist have access to this they can be sure that they have the best sounding and error free copy available.

[WALSH]

There has to be a way to control what you can dl no Biscuit shows are available in any lossy formats???

[Todd]

Originally posted by WALSH
There has to be a way to control what you can dl no Biscuit shows are available in any lossy formats???

Yes, when you u\'l a show and import it it asks you if you want it available in mp3 format also. But this does not stop anyone from converting after they d\'l.