I've been curious - In the Windows world, is there any point to using WinZip these days? Windows has bad built-in support for zip files since Windows XP, and since then I haven't used any 3rd-party zip utilities. And one thing that bugs me about WinZip is that by default, it will set itself up as the handler for zip files when WinZip is installed. You can revert back to the Windows built-in zip handler, but it's a small hassle.

I've had work computers set up by their IT department with WinZip installed, and it bugs me a bit to have the Windows built-in zip functionality replaced by another application. Why do people still like to install WinZip these days?

Nightfox

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Re: The point of WinZip
By: Nightfox to All on Sat Oct 15 2011 03:23 pm

I've been curious - In the Windows world, is there any point to using WinZip these days? Windows has bad built-in support for zip files since Windows XP and since then I haven't used any 3rd-party zip utilities. And one thing th bugs me about WinZip is that by default, it will set itself up as the handle for zip files when WinZip is installed. You can revert back to the Windows built-in zip handler, but it's a small hassle.

I've had work computers set up by their IT department with WinZip installed, and it bugs me a bit to have the Windows built-in zip functionality replaced another application. Why do people still like to install WinZip these days?

Nightfox

WinZIP has more options than the Windows version, and handles more archives. You can't, for instance, make self extracting executable with the Windows XP "Compressed Folders" view, you can't choose the compression level. Also
things like archive repair, etc.
Although I use 7zip. It offers stronger compression than ZIP.


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Re: The point of WinZip
By: Boraxman to Nightfox on Sun Oct 16 2011 18:50:27

WinZIP has more options than the Windows version, and handles more archives. You can't, for instance, make self extracting executable with the Windows XP "Compressed Folders" view, you can't choose the compression level. Also things like archive repair, etc.

I guess that's true.. And the built-in Windows zip feature doesn't let you set a password for zip files either (but I think it does honor the password for unzipping though). Seems strange that Microsoft wouldn't make their zip support more complete.

Although I use 7zip. It offers stronger compression than ZIP.

But is its compression compatible with other zip archive software? Zip is supposed to be a standard, I thought..

Nightfox

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Quoting Nightfox to Boraxman <=-

Seems strange that Microsoft wouldn't make _____ more complete.

Seriously? :)

Sorry... Couldn't resist.

Rev.

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Re: The point of WinZip
By: Nightfox to Boraxman on Sun Oct 16 2011 09:16 am

Re: The point of WinZip
By: Boraxman to Nightfox on Sun Oct 16 2011 18:50:27

WinZIP has more options than the Windows version, and handles more archiv You can't, for instance, make self extracting executable with the Windows "Compressed Folders" view, you can't choose the compression level. Also things like archive repair, etc.

I guess that's true.. And the built-in Windows zip feature doesn't let you a password for zip files either (but I think it does honor the password for unzipping though). Seems strange that Microsoft wouldn't make their zip support more complete.

Although I use 7zip. It offers stronger compression than ZIP.

But is its compression compatible with other zip archive software? Zip is supposed to be a standard, I thought..

Nightfox

There is no defined standard. ZIP is just the most popular. 7zip is free, so if people don't have it, they can always download it. Its available for a range of OS's. I don't like the idea that we will be stuck with ZIP forever.

It was excellent in the 90's, but we have computers 1000x more powerful, so lets gently move people towards better compression.


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