The .zip Standard Splinters

[mmonnin]

http://www.idg.net/ic_1321254_9677_1-5043.htmlThe .zip compression format has known remarkable stability and compatibility for many years, but that may soon change. PKWare and WinZip, makers of competing compression and encryption products, are fighting over the .zip standard--which means that .zip archive files created by one program may not be accessible by the other.

[dodo]

Which standard does windows use? That would be the most likely one to succeed

~dodo

[Necropolis]

This was the only thing that kept people using winzip when winrar gives better compression.

If this happens, then the only thing that will get hurt is the .zip format, nothing more. All this so they can make a few dollars. All they need to do is work together for gods sake.

[Cyclonite]

I use WinRAR for all my compression. Better compression, IMO.

[mmonnin]

PKZip didnt release some info to WinZip and now PKZip files cant be read from WinZip. They say they are corrupted but actually just cant be read since WinZip didnt know the some info.

[primesuspect]

This is exactly why I switched to WinACE two years ago.. I use it so much, I bought it and am very happy with it.

[dodo]

The problem with everyone switching to a different compressing tool is that everyone has to have like 5 "unzippers" on their computers for files received. Thats pretty annoying.

~dodo

[maxanon]

What will happen (and is available now) is someone will come out with one zip (like picozip) that can do all. It will either be legal or illegal, nonetheless, they'll just lose money.

I hardly see things zipped these days, what with high speed and rar.

[primesuspect]

dodo said
The problem with everyone switching to a different compressing tool is that everyone has to have like 5 "unzippers" on their computers for files received. Thats pretty annoying.

~dodo

both WinAce and WinRAR can unzip most common formats. Especially WinRAR, which they update fairly often to handle new compression schemes.

[Necropolis]

primesuspect said


both WinAce and WinRAR can unzip most common formats. Especially WinRAR, which they update fairly often to handle new compression schemes.


I think winrar will be the only winners in this as you know they will try and incorporate both into winrar.

[dodo]

maxanon said
I hardly see things zipped these days, what with high speed and rar.

The trend is towards self extracting executibles and compressed formats: JPEG, MPEG and the like. I dont see zip really going anywhere in the future.

~dodo