I've been transferring files to the Internet Archive: My first
   time using their FTP system, where I have to create the proper
   XML files and such. 812 files each with two XML descriptions
   files. Made the XML by hand in Excel... well, with a *little*
   cheating code to create them in the right subdirectories (I
   needed 812) Anyway - after a few tests last night, I went to bed
   running the whole batch. Got up this morning and there were 91
   fails. Not bad for submitting a few thousand files in total. So
   it said, "illegal file name" for them. Some of the filenames had
   characters they shouldn't have. This is equivalent to making a
   faux pas in alien communication and having to correct it. I was
   in the middle of figuring out what made these filenames illegal
   when I took a break to answer your question. So, that's why this
   kind of analogy was fresh in my mind. == Right now, I have to go
   through the tedious process of finding and renaming each bad
   filename by hand. This is equivalent to diplomacy: What I
   offered in terms was unacceptable but no amount of pleading will
   cause them to accept my offer the way I gave it. So I have to
   conform to their requirements so that they will accept my terms.
   == It takes a LOT of patience and repetition because there's no
   automating certain things.