free zip program?

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Dave Taylor
Is there something for us occasional users, like winzip, that is free?
I uninstalled winzip and reinstalled, but it knows I had it longer than 45 days still.
 
Is there something for us occasional users, like winzip, that is free? I uninstalled winzip and reinstalled, but it knows I had it longer than 45 days still.

1. It sounds like you may have spent $30 in your time trying to get around not having to pay $30 for software you obviously find valuable... :)

2. Try http://free-backup-software.net/free-zip-program.htm.

3. If you're a software developer or don't mind command line utilities for zipping, you might be interested in http://www.codeplex.com/DotNetZip.
 
1. It sounds like you may have spent $30 in your time trying to get around not having to pay $30 for software you obviously find valuable... :)=

I only wish my time was that valuable.

I do find the program useful but for my very infrequent use I would be unlikely to spend that kind of valuable! (I would probably just go without rather than buy)

Thanks for the links.
I found the first ones (gzip) to be beyond my level of computer experience but thanks!

PS do I need to worry that someone will have an incompatible unzip program if I send them 'my' version of zipped file?
 
I use IZArc. It's one of the best free ones that I've used. As a matter of fact, it's the only compression software that I have installed right now.

http://www.izarc.org
 
i quit using winzip when I got xp. xp has an extract routine built in.

at least mine does, anyway.

Is there something for us occasional users, like winzip, that is free?
I uninstalled winzip and reinstalled, but it knows I had it longer than 45 days still.
 
hmm, still no luck ; I used 7zip and 'shrunk' a file from 80.4MB to 80.1MB. What kind of size reduction should I expect with a wmv file?
 
hmm, still no luck ; I used 7zip and 'shrunk' a file from 80.4MB to 80.1MB. What kind of size reduction should I expect with a wmv file?

wmv files are already compressed, and use a pretty good algorithm. You're probably not going them any smaller. Same goes for MP3s
 
Dave- what operating system are you using?

Windows XP can create and read ZIP files without 3rd party software. Go into any directory (folder), use menu item File folloed by New and select Compressed (zipped) folder. Drag whatever needs compressing into this folder and it's a ZIP file. XP treats ZIP pretty much as an uncompressed folder, so if you receive a ZIP file you can open it as well.
 
TUGzip is my favorite. It supports multi-split RAR files.
 
yea xp has an unzip function...

i use winrar
 
Dave- what operating system are you using?

Windows XP can create and read ZIP files without 3rd party software. Go into any directory (folder), use menu item File folloed by New and select Compressed (zipped) folder. Drag whatever needs compressing into this folder and it's a ZIP file. XP treats ZIP pretty much as an uncompressed folder, so if you receive a ZIP file you can open it as well.

its winxp see screenshot, I do not see Compressed Zipped Folder.

Hmmm someone says wmv s cannot be zipped any more.
 

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its winxp see screenshot, I do not see Compressed Zipped Folder.

Hmmm someone says wmv s cannot be zipped any more.
Dave,

There is a way to make .wmv files smaller by resampling them, but you will lose sound quality. For voice, not that big of a deal, for music it is noticeable. Not the easiest thing in the world to do either unless you are already passingly familiar with audio sampling software.

Perhaps you are having difficulty with simply sending a file through email to someone because it exceeds a 10mb or 20mb attachment limit? If so, I can suggest what I do quite frequently, upload it to a temporary file sharing site and share the private link to your recipient by email so that they can in turn download it on their end. I use www.senduit.com, where the link expires and the file is deleted after a preset amount of time. Very private. It will accept files up to 100mb.
 
its winxp see screenshot, I do not see Compressed Zipped Folder.

Hmmm someone says wmv s cannot be zipped any more.

Hmmmm- I see it on unmodified XP both on a work computer and at home (screenshot enclosed)....:dunno:

I never installed a ZIP program on these machines since I'm only an occasional user now.

Hmmm someone says wmv s cannot be zipped any more.

A WMV can be zipped (that is to say stored in a ZIP file)- there just isn't much (if any) file compression, hence little point in zipping unless it is to be saved with related files.
 

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Dave,

You used the "New" option in your example, not the "Send To"...which gives you a compressed file option.

Try "Send To" and see if that satisfies your needs.

its winxp see screenshot, I do not see Compressed Zipped Folder.

Hmmm someone says wmv s cannot be zipped any more.
 
Zip is a lossless compression intended for data. WMV is a video format that is compressed by it's own nature. Therefore trying to further compress it with a lossless algorithm like zip accomplishes nothing.

You can take your wmv file and open it in software capable of decoding and encoding wmv files. You'll have to either decrease the resolution, increase the compression, decrease the framerate, etc. You can get it smaller--but not without quality loss or finding a better codec.
 
Thanks Steve I do see the compressed zipped folder under Send To.
And I tried it, with the movie and as people have taught me here... you cannot make a wmv much smaller.
Thanks for the education folks. (and when I forget in 6 months, please point out this thread to me!)
 
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