NOW CLOSED -- POLL: .dat, .ccl, or both?

[Andante]

Right now, we have two extensions for user levelsets, and there are no rules for assigning one to a new set. A creator can choose whichever. In fact, I've found a huge number of instances where the same set has different extensions in two different locations on the web!


There is simply no consistency. Even CCEdit defaults to .dat, and CCDesign defaults to .ccl.


As I continue to build a database for the available user levelsets out there and I find the same set with different extensions, is it really worth my time to research which was the original? I don't think so.


I would like to vote on how to manage this in the future. Do we settle on one extension? If so, which one? Do we keep things as they are, continuing to manage with two?


Before you vote, here are some facts to consider:

1. There are plenty of other programs out there that use the .dat extension. When coming across a .dat file, we may not immediately know what it's for. On the contrary, .ccl is ours and only ours. There's no doubt it's a CC levelset.
   
   
2. There are almost ten times as many existing sets on the web using .dat than there are using .ccl.
   
3. Dave Varberg claimed that some programs in the Chip community do not work with .ccl. Jeffrey (IHNN) clarified the only two that don't are:
   a. Chuck's new dat2c2g utility to convert to CC2 format, and
   b. The original Chips.exe.
   
4. Don't forget that for us, both Blob.dat and Blob.ccl clearly refer to the same levelset. We could change the extension without any confusion.
   
   

You can vote above. Keep in mind that IF we decide to standardize, another discussion (and possibly vote) will follow regarding how to do so.

Thanks, everyone!