Index: src/files.c
===================================================================
--- src/files.c	(revision 5537)
+++ src/files.c	(working copy)
@@ -33,6 +33,37 @@
 #include <pwd.h>
 #include <libgen.h>
 
+/* Does the given filename end in ".gz"? */
+int isgz(char *fname)
+{
+    char *strend;
+    int len;
+
+    if (fname == NULL)
+	return -1;
+
+    len = strlen(fname);
+    if (len < 3)
+	return -1;
+
+    strend = malloc(4 * sizeof(char));
+    sprintf(strend, "%c%c%c", fname[len - 3], fname[len - 2], fname[len - 1]);
+
+    if (strcmp(strend, ".gz") == 0) {
+	free(strend);
+
+	/* The filename ends in ".gz", but do we have gzip? */
+	if (system("gzip --version > /dev/null 2>&1") != 0)
+	    return -2;
+
+	/* Use gzip to handle the file. */
+	return 0;
+    }
+
+    free(strend);
+    return -1;
+}
+
 /* Add an entry to the openfile openfilestruct.  This should only be
  * called from open_buffer(). */
 void make_new_buffer(void)
@@ -956,8 +987,14 @@
 	beep();
 	return -1;
     } else {
-	/* The file is A-OK.  Open it. */
-	*f = fdopen(fd, "rb");
+	/* The file is A-OK.  Open it, via gzip or directly. */
+	if (isgz(full_filename) == 0) {
+	    char *open_cmd = (char *) nmalloc(sizeof(char) * (20 + strlen(full_filename)));
+	    sprintf(open_cmd, "gzip -cdfq \'%s\'", full_filename);
+	    *f = popen(open_cmd, "r");
+	    free(open_cmd);
+	} else
+	    *f = fdopen(fd, "rb");
 
 	if (*f == NULL) {
 	    statusbar(_("Error reading %s: %s"), filename, strerror(errno));
@@ -2015,7 +2052,16 @@
 	    goto cleanup_and_exit;
 	}
 
-	f = fdopen(fd, (append == APPEND) ? "ab" : "wb");
+	if (isgz(realname) == 0) {
+	    char *write_cmd = (char *) nmalloc(sizeof(char) * (20 + strlen(realname)));
+	    if (append == APPEND)
+		sprintf(write_cmd, "gzip -c >> \'%s\'", realname);
+	    else
+		sprintf(write_cmd, "gzip -c > \'%s\'", realname);
+	    f = popen(write_cmd, "w");
+	    free(write_cmd);
+	} else
+	    f = fdopen(fd, (append == APPEND) ? "ab" : "wb");
 
 	if (f == NULL) {
 	    statusbar(_("Error writing %s: %s"), realname,