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     *How to steal files from RENEGADE bulletin board systems...*
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      By:  DoMiNioN


     Pop Quiz, Hot Shot.  You're running kind of low on credits, and you
just don't have enough to download those 24 Windows '95 disks you want.
What do you do?  Shoot your partner in the leg? No, of course not. Upload
whatever you have available? No, too time consuming.  But there is something
you can do, given the proper circumstances.  Here's what your choices are:

Different kinds of files:

     .ZIP Files:  Files zipped with PKZIP 2.04g and below can easily be
                  "stolen" on one condition.  The last file stored in the
                  archive MUST be a file that is not needed. Such is a
                  text file, a bogus ad, or one of those annoying FILE_ID.DIZ
                  files that Renegade BBS systems are so famous for. You
                  can find this out using the 'V' (View archive) choice
                  in most file menus of Bulletin Boards.  Then you proceed
                  with the download (make sure you have enough credits to
                  initiate the download to begin with) and just as the
                  download procedure is at the last few bytes (and really
                  try to cut it close here) abort the procedure.  You
                  won't get a time refund, but on most BBS's, your credits
                  won't be deducted either.  Then, once you have the almost
                  complete, but not quite, PKZIP archive, attempt to unzip
                  it.  If it does not allow you to unzip it, simply use
                  PKZIPFIX to fix the file into a format that PKUNZIP likes.
                  All you will lose are the last few bytes, which is the
                  file that you don't want.

*Why this works:  PKZIP works by storing by compressing files, and then
                  storing them sequentially.  This is the same way that
                  it reads the files, so that when you abort the download
                  procedure at the last few bytes, you are only hurting
                  that last stored file.

     .GIF Files:  Aaah, who can ever resist a GIF, especially when it's
                  free.  You can get GIF files free also, although it is
                  much more risky then .ZIP files, because there is no
                  fixing program, but if you cut it close enough, like
                  to the VERY last few bytes, you should be able to pull
                  it off.  Follow the same procedure as outlined above,
                  and when you finish the download, view the GIF.  I'd
                  say you have about a 75% chance of it working.  Your
                  chances, however, are about 85% with the GIF87a sig-
                  nature, and about 65% with the GIF89a signature, due
                  to the way that these files are set up. If the GIF
                  does work, though, all you will be missing is about
                  the last few lines, which, in the long run, is no big
                  deal.

*Why this works:  Just like PKZIP, the GIF algorythm functions by saving
                  each line of data sequentially, so that when you cut
                  off at the end, you only lose the last few lines of data.
                  However, this is not always so for the GIF89a signature,
                  which has imbedded comments and the such, which kind of
                  mess up the procedure.  You can find out whether a file
                  is a GIF87a or a GIF89a by also using the 'V' (View
                  Archive) option that most BBS's have available.

**Last note:  Although I have not tried these methods out with other file
              formats, such as JPG, ARJ, PCX, ARC, etc., that is no
              guarantee that it will not work.  Hey, it's worth the try,
              isn't it?

Well, have fun, and enjoy your free downloads!  }:>

                              Thanx,
                              DoMiNioN