Arena2045 Posted March 25, 2003 Posted March 25, 2003 Hello All,I recently updated one of my compression utilities and it made me think of all the other programs I’ve tested in the past…So today I ask:What compression program(s) do you use, and why?What compression format do you think is the best, and why?And don’t forget to provide a link so that others can check the program(s) out!Also if you can think of anything else that is compression related feel free…----------------------------------------------------------------------Currently I primarily use:Aladdin Systems' StuffIt Deluxe v.8 -- http://www.stuffit.com/I use StuffIt 8 for various reasons:( 1 ) I like to download, convert, and use Mac icons on my XP machines.( 2 ) Often I convert files for a Graphic Design firm in my area, which uses Macs.( 3 ) It provides most of my compression needs while allowing me to compress/decompress the standard compression formats for the Mac OS.On occasion I use:GlobalSCAPE, Inc.'s CuteZIP 2.1 -- http://www.globalscape.com/cutezip/I used CuteZip as my primary and StuffIt as my secondary, but I have switched because of a range of conflicts:( 1 ) I found out that CuteZIP’s .zip files wouldn’t open using WinRAR.( 2 ) GlobalSCAPE doesn’t really update the program that often.( 3 ) On occasion when compressing/decompressing it would crash.The only reason I keep it around is that it can comp/decomp the .cab format which I used for about a year for large backups.----------------------------------------------------------------------About what format I think is best… At the moment I really have no preference since I can open a wide range of them. Quote
Guest ThunderRiver Posted March 25, 2003 Posted March 25, 2003 Q.What compression program(s) do you use, and why?A. I use WinRAR for Windows, and tarball for UNIXWinRAR supports various types of formats, ranging from ZIP, RAR to TARIt supports command line opeartionIt is easy to useQ.What compression format do you think is the best, and why?A. You can benchmark it yourself, but RAR and ACE formats are the best available on the netZIP is no where to beat RAR yet.Q. And don’t forget to provide a link so that others can check the program(s) out!A. http://www.rarlab.com/ and tarball is free on BSD/Linux Quote
Guest ThunderRiver Posted March 25, 2003 Posted March 25, 2003 Arena2045,You mentioned about CuteZip, does it extract cab files that are part some setup program packages?WinRAR also extracts CAB files. However, keep in mind that there are two type sof CAB files. The first type of CAB files is the one that WinZip/WinRAR and a number of other compression utilities can decompress.The second type is the one that is part of some application setup programs package, which is what I had mentioned in the beginning. These types have different signature from the first type CAB files, thus you need something else to decompress it. It is called i6comp.exeYou can go search for it on Google. It is free and it is command line. Quote
Stryder Posted March 25, 2003 Posted March 25, 2003 Winrar, Winace, and Netzip.I use Winrar almost exclusively. Some things are just easier to deal with in Netzip though.I got Winace because I have a friend who uses it for almost everything and bought multiple licenses and gave me one because he tried to convert me. Didn't work. Quote
Guest ThunderRiver Posted March 25, 2003 Posted March 25, 2003 haha convert from RAR to ACE...ooo that's really a tough choice. I am addicted to RAR Sorry :-p Quote
Guest LilBambi Posted March 25, 2003 Posted March 25, 2003 Zip utilities are something that have been around for a very long time of course and everyone has their favorites :)I started out back in the DOS days using PKZip. Remember that one? I used it commandline and in a wonderful little program called StereoShell that was one of the first programs for early DOS machines prior to i486 and its demise due to divide zero overflow issues. It never recovered.One of the things I loved about it was its ability to have two directories panes open side by side in one DOS 'window' - I really missed that abiilty in Windows although I adapted.Anyway, StereoShell had the ability to mark files and folders and do cruel and unusual things to them individually or as a group all from this dualpane window. Anything you can do with Explorer, you could do here, except you were able to do it across the panes...very handy.Anyway you could associate pkzip and pkunzip (it was separate in those days) as well as about 10 other packing/unpacking utilities, and the early antivirus software of the day (McAfee in those days for DOS and it was free including updates), and do functions on the files according to your needs, and do these functions in separate directories across the panes. Quite efficient for a DOS-based program. I even used it exclusively in Windows 3.1 hating the limitations of the File Manager by comparison.Today, in Win98se, I still use PKZip's replacement, WinZip (http://www.winzip.com). I really like Stuffit too.In linux I use .tar, tar.gz ... both available through the distro you choose.As far as the earlier mentioned StereoShell, I found MidnightCommander (mc) in Linux (available in Linux distros) to be everything I remembered in in the old DOS StereoShell. Actually I think MidnightCommander was what StereoShell was emulating :)Recently, I found a very cool program called Servant Salamander 1.52 that has pretty much everything that MidnightCommander has in but its for Windows. They have newer versions of it, but this particular version is still free and works for sure in Win98se. Not sure if it works for WinXP.Ah, the joys, hardware frustration, and ultimate freedom of the early days of computing Quote
Guest ThunderRiver Posted March 25, 2003 Posted March 25, 2003 Hehe yeah I remember PKZipI still use DOS on my old 286 box, and PKZip is definitely an essential when you are a DOS user.Anyway, happy computing! Quote
jbredmound Posted April 10, 2003 Posted April 10, 2003 why do i think i am going to FEEL STUPID? I have been using WinZip all along. I have never experienced anyone not being able to unzip what I sent them, and now, with WZ executable, they can open without any application of their own.Uhggg...it's just so...mainstream. Quote
benhenry Posted April 10, 2003 Posted April 10, 2003 I use Power Archiver for several reasons.1) Loyalty, I guess. It was a freeware archiver for a long time and worked so well for me that when it became shareware, I actually wanted to pay for it.2) Customization. I've been able to grow with it. Using more advanced features gradually as I learned... instead of being overwhelmed by options that I couldn't use.3) Cabs. I use it now, in combination with System File Checker, to maintain my Win98. I periodically backup all the Window's .dll's .vxd's .ocx's etc. to cab files... then if I ever need to extract a file from the original windows cabs... I don't! I extract the file from the backup cabs I made with PowerArchiver. That way I don't have to "roll back" to a version from 98... I can extract a "last known good" version.4) Power. I am a Power hungry megalomaniac. I will use anything that has Power in the title. ;)There are still freeware versions available. I think version 6.1 is the last freeware version .Bye for now... I'm on my way to go zip some heavy files with PowerArchiver while I watch myself in the mirror. Quote
badcat Posted April 10, 2003 Posted April 10, 2003 Winzip I paid for it long ago, and the author provides free updates/upgrades for life. I haven't had to pay a penny more since the initial purchase and that was 5 versions ago. It does all I need out of a zip program, intgrates well with Windows, and is stable (always has been). I found the author's approach to licensing somewhat refeshing in this day and age of the upgrade merry go round of buy software, pay for an upgrade two months later, repeat.Chris Quote
GolfProRM Posted April 10, 2003 Posted April 10, 2003 I'm with badcat on this one... I've used Winzip for as long as I've had internet. I bought a license back in '98 I think and have been using it since.... IMO it involves the least hassle, and I've used it so much that I know all the little nuances about it.I also use WinRAR when needed... I don't deal a lot with RAR'ed programs so I don't use it very often... I just keep it around for special occasions.... Quote
eksimba Posted April 10, 2003 Posted April 10, 2003 Like benhenry, I use PowerArchiver. It works very well for me, and does everything I need in a compression utility. Unlike benhenry, I have never felt the need to move to the for-$ version; I still use the freeware version. I've never seen the need to pay for WinZip, although I believe it's probably the best all-around compression utility out there. Quote
Prelude76 Posted April 10, 2003 Posted April 10, 2003 Since I always come across .ZIP, .RAR and .ACE files, I use the one that handles all of them the best: WinRAR v3. I used to have WinZip, and sure they make a new version every so often, except for one thing: It's always the same! If WinZIP at least tried to include RAR and ACE formats, then it would be half useful. And I don't want to have 3 different decompression utilities, with 3 different sets of ADD TO, EXTRACT TO, EMAIL TO when I right click in Explorer. WinRAR quite simply seems the fastest, compresses the best, and can read any ZIP or ACE file you throw at it, even self-extractables or multi-volume ZIP and ACE.The ONLY drawback to WinRAR is that cheezy looking Purple, Blue, Green icon for archives. Quote
Prelude76 Posted April 10, 2003 Posted April 10, 2003 P.S. - WinRAR can even archive files into a ZIP file, even a ZIP excecutable file, if you need to send a file to a Winzip-only user. How's THAT for usefullness. Reads competitors formats, even saves files as competitors format. Quote
GolfProRM Posted April 10, 2003 Posted April 10, 2003 If WinZIP at least tried to include RAR and ACE formats, then it would be half useful. And I don't want to have 3 different decompression utilities, with 3 different sets of ADD TO, EXTRACT TO, EMAIL TO when I right click in Explorer. I keep my Shell extensions cleaned up enough to the point that having 2 programs isn't a problem. I open WinRAR about once-twice a month at most, so I see no reason to to use what I feel is an inferior program as my primary compression utility. WinRAR has always felt like a cheap program to me, and doesn't run as smoothly (IMO)... I can see why people would use WinRAR if they worked with more .rar and .ace files. I don't use them frequently as 99% of the stuff I download is a .zip file... About the only things I've seen that are RAR'ed or ACE'd are warez files (and I don't mess with warez at all). Quote
Prelude76 Posted April 10, 2003 Posted April 10, 2003 it's not just warez that use RAR and ACE. lots of cracks, cheats, no-cd patches and divx movies also come in those formats but i know what you mean. before 'discovering' that part of the net, i too was content with WinZIP. Quote
GolfProRM Posted April 10, 2003 Posted April 10, 2003 it's not just warez that use RAR and ACE. lots of cracks, cheats, no-cd patches and divx movies also come in those formats but i know what you mean. before 'discovering' that part of the net, i too was content with WinZIP.It all happens to be illegal by the way... It's not that I haven't discovered this stuff.... it's that this stuff is illegal and damaging to the people who work hard to make software/movies, etc. I choose not to use this stuff because people deserve to be reimbursed for the stuff they make. Quote
benhenry Posted April 10, 2003 Posted April 10, 2003 ... Unlike benhenry, I have never felt the need to move to the for-$ version ...It was the free upgrades for life offer that finally got me, eksimba... I figure if I can just live long enough... PowerArchiver will be able to zip me to the beach. Quote
eksimba Posted April 10, 2003 Posted April 10, 2003 ... Unlike benhenry, I have never felt the need to move to the for-$ version ...It was the free upgrades for life offer that finally got me, eksimba... I figure if I can just live long enough... PowerArchiver will be able to zip me to the beach. That's definitely a great feature. I've just never seen the need for an upgrade yet, so I haven't shelled out the initial $$ yet... Quote
Guest LilBambi Posted April 10, 2003 Posted April 10, 2003 it's not just warez that use RAR and ACE. lots of cracks, cheats, no-cd patches and divx movies also come in those formats but i know what you mean. before 'discovering' that part of the net, i too was content with WinZIP.It all happens to be illegal by the way... It's not that I haven't discovered this stuff.... it's that this stuff is illegal and damaging to the people who work hard to make software/movies, etc. I choose not to use this stuff because people deserve to be reimbursed for the stuff they make.GolfProRM --Ditto! Quote
zox Posted April 11, 2003 Posted April 11, 2003 Winrar for most of the stuff and Stuffit for graphic/Mac related.Winrar, beside being very fast and capable, also is more secure then Winzip in every way.I've seen zip files corrupted too many times.Winrar protects them better.While we are at protection, Stuffit does even better job then Winrar and it can safely unstuff mac archived files together with forks etc..I just love Winrar Quote
Ali Posted April 11, 2003 Posted April 11, 2003 Hi!I personally make use of WinRAR (primary) and WinACE (secondary).The combination of the two lets me have complete archiving capabilities for 8 file types (RAR, ZIP, CAB, ACE, LZH/LHA, TAR, GZIP & JAR) and unarchiving capabilities for 6 more file types (ARJ, UUE, BZ2, ISO, ARC & ZOO).I don't think as a power user I need any more capability other than what's already provided by the two. Eventually, it does come done to what you need for your computing. :)Ciao! Quote
Starkweather Posted April 14, 2003 Posted April 14, 2003 For those of you who like WinZip, you should check out UltimateZip. It's freeware, and it's quite similar to WinZip. It handles many formats besides .zip; I use it for .rar a lot, too. Quote
labyrinth Posted April 18, 2003 Posted April 18, 2003 I edit video and music....Winrar w/ Par (parity) seems to get large files to their destination with the least amount of corruption. The parity files will "fix" a corrupted Rar file. Quote
Guest LilBambi Posted April 18, 2003 Posted April 18, 2003 Starkweather --Thanks ... I have been meaning to get that one! labyrinth --Linux here for video/music ... so tar.gz works great for them as needed Quote
quint Posted April 18, 2003 Posted April 18, 2003 Don't miss at least checking this one out:http://www.zipgenius.it/downloads_eng.asp Quote
theHammer Posted April 19, 2003 Posted April 19, 2003 I switched and then paid for WinZip so long ago I cannot remember - tough to change when someone offters a great program, updates often yet does not want an annual check. They also offer a command line version which I used with batch files to automate my data backups. I do not compress my daily backups, just run from batch (cmd) files which sent to my second computer. I do compress using similar batch files and their program, some of files that go to a zip drive weekly -- for extra insurance when lightening strikes and I lose both computers. Wonder whether or not I will remember to grab the zip disks when the house burns down?Ed Quote
DavidsonicGuy Posted April 24, 2003 Posted April 24, 2003 I used ... a wonderful little program called StereoShell that was one of the first programs for early DOS machines prior to i486 and its demise due to divide zero overflow issues. It never recovered.One of the things I loved about it was its ability to have two directories panes open side by side in one DOS 'window' - I really missed that abiilty in Windows although I adapted.Anyway, StereoShell had the ability to mark files and folders and do cruel and unusual things to them individually or as a group all from this dualpane window. Anything you can do with Explorer, you could do here, except you were able to do it across the panes...very handy.Hi Lil'Bambi,Several years ago, I also used StereoShell in DOS. It indeed was a nifty little program. There's a few Explorer-like programs that allow side-by-side viewing of different folders. My favorite is Powerdesk 5 Express, which is free. It is a subset of Powerdesk 5 Pro, which is the pay-for version, with a lot more features. You can check them out at the following link - http://www.v-com.com/download/index.html You can choose to have your two windows/folders side by side, or over and under. It is sort of like Explorer and File Manager combined, but on steroids and updated.Cheers,JD Quote
Guest LilBambi Posted April 24, 2003 Posted April 24, 2003 DavidsonicGuy --I really did miss my StereoShell!PowerDesk Lite I tried and I like that one. Will have to check out the one you mentioned.Did you also see the Salamander one that I posted in this thread? It is actually a more lightweight one that reminds me more of Midnight Commander (mc) in Linux ... really like this one best so far now (they still had the one I listed as free ... newer versions are not). Quote
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