4 replies to this topic

[MarkT2256]

What archive program do you guys use and can recommend?

I personally use WinRAR since it can handle really big files and many archive types. It also is very fast and integrates itself into the shell very well.

I listed the most used programs in the poll, and you can also post your comments below.

[nicknicknickandnick]

I have the free WinZip because that's what a page was linked to when I first needed to open zip files.
Lately, I downloaded a free thing called 7-zip because I got a 7z file that I had no idea what to do with. 7-zip can open rar files, so I haven't bothered paying for anything because I have no real need to make my own rar files.
http://www.7-zip.org/

[MarkT2256]

thats interesting... ive never heard of 7z files or that archiver, thanks for informing us, ill try it out.

[ken_cinder]

WinRAR. It can create RAR (The best compression ratio) and ZIP files.
I occasionally use WinZIP if I need to span ZIP files across floppy's (WinRAR can't do this with anything but RAR files for some odd reason), which I need to do with older computers I may deal with, like this 486 laptop I've got sitting here that I've been doing work for someone on. (Don't ask)

You forgot #3 in the big name archiving tools btw. WinACE.

As for 7zip, I've tested it, and read reviews. It's a buggy archiving tool and I don't recommend anyone use it.
It's compression ratio is higher than WinRAR, but it's compression algorithym is unstable and can lead to corrupt packs more often than any other archiving tool.

[DreamCastLover]

Winrar because it's just.........great

For zips I just tend to use the standard Windows zip compression but most of the time I use rar because it has much better compression.