How to represent multiple files in a forum post?

[Jonathan Marler]

On Monday, 19 February 2018 at 01:26:43 UTC, Jonathan M Davis 
wrote:
> Okay. Maybe, I'm dumb, but what is the point of all of this? 
> Why would any kind of standard be necessary at all?

Good question.  Having a standard allows computers to interface 
with the archive as well as humans.

It's not hard to create "ad hoc" formats on the fly to represent 
multiple files, which is why having a standard doesn't 
immediately come to mind.  But with a standard, you can create 
tools to process that format and understand it.

As an example, we're exploring 2 useful applications, namely, 
representing multi-file tests in the dmd test suite and 
multi-file programs in https://run.dlang.io, it's also already 
been useful to me in copy/pasting complex test cases to forums 
without having to manage a bunch of individual files. Of course, 
these are just a few examples of the benefits you get with a 
standard.

So...is it necessary? No.  Is it helpful? I think so.  Is it 
worth it?  I think there's a good case for it when you weight the 
simplicity of it against the benefit.