Like most new users, I want a bunch of higher res textures. So, I've been busy downloading (on a dialup).... overnight, or leaving the PC to run for hours. Then, after lengthy downloads, I _frequently_ encounter bad files! One in a while, corrupted files are to be expected. But, even with apparantly good dl's, there are still too many problems.
For example, I just dl'd levels 0-2 of textures and normals for Mars and Earth, and Moon, from John Van Vilet's -- "Johns Textures" -- site. I could only unzip _one_ of these. The rest had "unknown compression" problems. I've tried WinXP, WinZip, WinRAR, and 7-Zip... none work. Is some _secret_ method being used? While I know it's free labor, still, isn't there an obligation to check one's work so other's won't be frustrated and waste their time? I can't imagine not doing a once-over of my stuff.
Even Harald Schmidt's 32k earth textures had some corrupted files (and one of them I also dl'd using someone else's DSL and the result was the same). Luckily, WinRAR was at least able to salvage most.
Here's a suggestion: before allowing links on the MotherLode, please check that they and the files actually work. Celestial is a great program... but for new users, and I'm far more patient and techie than most, the amateurish quality and nature of the downloads seriously undermines it.
Ok... flame away... but you'd be p*ssed too (and probably have been).
-- rc
