That is foolish, in fact I think the BZ2 at this point
is foolish thing to do as the only compression algorithm.
In case of ftp.kernel.org archive:
gz 2.4 GB
bz2 2.1 GB
That is, the 'bz2' version of compression is only about
1/8:th denser, than gzip.
Way back when the BSD compress got into trouble with
LZW patents, the rapid move to GNU-zip was well founded,
but now such a thing is not really warranted.
Over the time there have been available other free high-
density compression algorithms (LHA, ARJ), which have not
gotten very wide adoptation. Mainly perhaps because while
they often produce denser results than GZIP, they always
do it with way more heavy CPU usage. Also the expansion-
algorithms of those seem to be heavier than gunzip.
This thinking is basis on why ftp.funet.fi does not
mirror BZ2 files if the same files are also available
as GZ files.
> It seems to defeat the purpose if kernel.org mirrors don't
> actually carry the full contents of kernel.org, even accounting
> for any lag in pulling down new files.
Yeah, the http://www.kernel.org/mirrors/ COULD be further divided
down per what the sites have announced to mirror, e.g.:
ftp-gz.xx.kernel.org
ftp-bz2.xx.kernel.org
www-gz.xx.kernel.org
www-bz2.xx.kernel.org
if the site has both formats, then it should be aliased both ways.
/Matti Aarnio <mea@nic.funet.fi> <matti.aarnio@sonera.fi>
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