Make downloads for everyone

[ruvin]

I discovered all those Zoo Tycoon community the day where you went down, and I was disgusting that I have miss all zootekphoenix custom addons...

I was able to see your content with the waybackmachine but no way to download anything as a membership is needed, and so the files was not archived.
Luckily I founded a post at ztcdd.org that was saying you was getting some update problems. I'm very happy that you are now back. :)

 

This post subject is to suggest you making your downloads freely available without memberships, so your contents will not be totally lose for in case you went full down in the future.

 

I'm curious at what is the reason for this membership mandatory...
Believe me that it is not the right way if you want that your contents will never disappear from the web.

 

I'm coming from RollerCoaster Tycoon and Age of Empires, and there are about no membership fence in those world.
So we are able to download those precious files even for the websites that completely went down 15 years ago.

 

http://web.archive.org/web/20200713072216/https://zootekphoenix.com/forums/files/
http://web.archive.org/web/20100620044905/http://www.zooadmin.net/index.php?action=forum

[Z.Z.]

Welcome to Tek Ruvin :)

Where are you from?

[Fern]

Hi Ruvin.

Thing about the wayback machine is that a lot of the files there are Out Of Date. Especially many of the ZA ones and also some of the Tek ones. Zoo Admin still exists but is now .org instead of .net https://zooadmin.org/ZT1/index.php

ZooKeepers Lounge still exists as well. For things from Zoo Tycoon and More just request them in the request thread here at Tek and someone will pm them to you.

 

[ruvin]

Okay! It is just a recommendation, take time to think to it...

 

It is not for me as I'm now there, but for the persons that will discover ZT in 10 years, when maybe there will be no one to share those files and websites closed. And without saying that you can also suffer from a hard drive failure or others problems. (like the one Tek just endured)

 

You cannot sell those files that have to be play with ZT, so why not making them backuped by the wayback machine?

There will be about no outdated files if you were sharing them correctly.

 

Anyway, don't take me bad! I repeat that it is just a recommendation. I'm not there to force anyone to do anything :) it is just a thing I think good for you! I'm little afraid how those ZT community handle the files downloads...

 

Humm, I have maybe speak a little too speedy, because I spotted that ztcdd.org and lunamanar.com seems doing it in the right way.

 

Wow! It seems a giant mission to right collect right items, one by one, from all these sources.
Please if someone can answer me if Tek is the main collection, and does contain about all updated items present in others websites? or if it's the reverse? Please if you can advice me on the best way to right collect them.

 

By the way, I kindly thanks all the persons that passed time creating those new contents and shared them. I'm from France.

[Z.Z.]

France! Awesome!

 

Well, most of the things here are Tek were made by the people here at tek, most of the things at Zoo Admin were made by the people at Zoo Admin, and so on.

The only place I know of that lists things from most Zoo Tycoon sites is the Download Directory, where you find the thing you want, and then follow the link to the website where the download is.

[Fern]

I run DD and DG. Links in my signature. I am currently working on updating the listings. The listings include info on whether there are problems with the files. Many files are still being fixed. Most are early creations where people did not know how things worked properly.

Both the above sites also host files. DG by designer members. DD has some from deceased sites where I have obtained permission to host them.

Zookeepers Lounge has just updated a number of very old files.

[(Admin)Savannahjan]

Welcome to Tek, Ruvin.  We are glad you joined us.

 

We have had many discussions about the way we offer the downloads.  One reason we continue to require someone register here at Tek before accessing the downloads is to maintain information on the demographics of Zoo Tycoon players around the globe.  We have always considered a part of the history of our site.  Even though we do not have much posting on the website these days, we do have registrations each and every day.  This is very encouraging for those of us who have endeavored for so many years to keep the website and all the wonderful downloads going. 

 

Our download catalog is very large now, and we pay our host every month for a place to store them.  Our site is also backed up regularly, just in case there is a problem, as there was last week. Today, I have no idea who may have most if not all of the downloads we offer.  They are always free, all we ask is that you register, which is and always will be free as well.

 

It does mean a lot to know how much you value the many wonderful downloads that are available here and the remaining Zoo Tycoon sites.  This is why we are here, for the loyal Zoo Tycoon players.  We are truly happy that you found us and I hope you enjoy our site, not just the downloads.  We look forward to getting to know you.

[Fern]

This will explain some things for you as to why. https://zooadmin.org/ZA/index.php?topic=1068.msg6307#new

There is a lot of work in making downloads that do not cause problems and it is for the designer to decide where they are. Especially those of us still making things. I know some of my files are hosted elsewhere without my permission and it would have been nice to have been asked, to say the least.

Some sites have given permission for where the files can go when they close.  Many of the older files need updating before re-releasing them and that can take time.