Author Topic: Which archive software are we using in 2010 (and why)? (Read 59,340 times)

zridling · « **on:** August 10, 2010, 01:49 AM »

I'm curious to see which archiver DC members are using these days. Most of them are cross-platform, but which is your favorite and why?

Krishean · « **Reply #1 on:** August 10, 2010, 02:57 AM »

i use 7zip because its free and does everything i need. if i come across a strange archive format that it can't handle, i'll usually track down the software for that archive format (such as certain mac archive formats that i will not name)

lanux128 · « **Reply #2 on:** August 10, 2010, 03:06 AM »

with WinRAR being actively developed, i don't normally need to reach for another archiver. of course it helps that the file managers i use support opening archives as folders.

rgdot · « **Reply #3 on:** August 10, 2010, 03:07 AM »

Have been back and forth between Winrar and 7zip for years now, haven't really needed anything else.

Darwin · « **Reply #4 on:** August 10, 2010, 04:08 AM »

I've been using WinRar/Dopus for at least five years. I have a lifetime license for PowerArchiver, but don't have it installed. I found that WinRar does everything I need it to do.

app103 · « **Reply #5 on:** August 10, 2010, 05:21 AM »

I usually use WinRar for extracting (right click file and extract) and rarely come across anything it can't handle.

I use Winzip for archiving (right click and archive) because the preferred format for distribution on the web is .zip and I don't want to fuss with doing things the more difficult way and actually run an application first and mess with settings to make a .zip.

f0dder · « **Reply #6 on:** August 10, 2010, 05:59 AM »

WinRAR - I've been using RAR since the early DOS days, and always found the software to be excellent. WinRAR handles the files I need while on Windows, and supports a plethora of command-line arguments that makes it pretty useful. I also find the interface to be no-nonsense, and the program is pretty configurable. And the license was pretty cheap & lifetime - it was the first shareware program I registered after finally getting a Visa card.

[attachthumb=#]
I like how I have it configured

Other than that, I find 7-zip likable, and it's the archiver I install for people who don't feel like cashing out. Works pretty OK, even if settings/cmdline is a bit basic.

erikts · « **Reply #7 on:** August 10, 2010, 08:06 AM »

I have WinZip license (for old version). I use 7zip (command line) daily at work and home. I know that it's interface need improvement but it gets the job done.

Curt · « **Reply #8 on:** August 10, 2010, 08:55 AM »

Quote from: erikts on August 10, 2010, 08:06 AM

...I use 7zip (command line) daily at work and home. I know that it's interface need improvement but it gets the job done.

-one reason I am using 7Zip (always via context menu) is because I never see the interface. Other than that, I use Vista's default if I only have to open a single container.

I have various other 'zippers', but are never given any reason to use them.

biox · « **Reply #9 on:** August 10, 2010, 10:38 AM »

Another one for WinRAR, have been using it for years and still like it.

Stoic Joker · « **Reply #10 on:** August 10, 2010, 11:45 AM »

Quote from: app103 on August 10, 2010, 05:21 AM

I usually use WinRar for extracting (right click file and extract) and rarely come across anything it can't handle.

I use Winzip for archiving (right click and archive) because the preferred format for distribution on the web is .zip and I don't want to fuss with doing things the more difficult way and actually run an application first and mess with settings to make a .zip.

In WinRAR if you pick the plain add to archive option from the context menu, you can then select compress as .zip in the dialog that opens. Granted it is a extra step, but it's not a real tricky one. WinZip just started to annoy me after a while...I don't even remember why.

IIRC WinRAR was the first program I actually bought a legal license for.

tomos · « **Reply #11 on:** August 10, 2010, 12:14 PM »

Quote from: Stoic Joker on August 10, 2010, 11:45 AM

Quote from: app103 on August 10, 2010, 05:21 AM
I usually use WinRar for extracting (right click file and extract) and rarely come across anything it can't handle.

I use Winzip for archiving (right click and archive) because the preferred format for distribution on the web is .zip and I don't want to fuss with doing things the more difficult way and actually run an application first and mess with settings to make a .zip.

In WinRAR if you pick the plain add to archive option from the context menu, you can then select compress as .zip in the dialog that opens. Granted it is a extra step, but it's not a real tricky one.

you can set default WinRar 'profile' to be compress to *.zip
Context menu: Add to archive -> Then select your settings (zip etc) ->Click 'Profile' ->Save current settings to a new profile. ->Tick 'Set profile as default'
That will then show in your context menu as Add to "SelectedFileName.zip"

I'm a very basic user of this type of software, but I use WinRar to compress & mostly Dopus to read/copy out of archives

CWuestefeld · « **Reply #12 on:** August 10, 2010, 12:53 PM »

Another similar vote.

I primarily use 7-Zip. It handles standard zip files as well as anything when I need to distribute something. It extracts RAR for when I download something. And for my own personal use, I'll use .7z as the format. On the rare occasions that I need to create a RAR, of course I need to use WinRAR.

Do we have enough critical mass, at least in this community, so that 7z is a viable standard? It does have a number of advantages over zip.

Josh · « **Reply #13 on:** August 10, 2010, 01:13 PM »

Been using winrar for years and haven't looked back. 7-zip is nice but I prefer software I use to have some sort of polish and 7-zip's interface reminds me of a program I wrote back in my QBasic days.

Crush · « **Reply #14 on:** August 10, 2010, 01:21 PM »

I also use 7zip. It´s source is open - the development´s still active (LZMA2 is now included!) and the features are great.

phitsc · « **Reply #15 on:** August 10, 2010, 01:29 PM »

I also use 7zip, almost always via the Context Menu.

I've also used the 7zip API in a proprietary SW updater I wrote. It almost halved the package size, if I remember correctly (from zip, which we used before).

superboyac · « **Reply #16 on:** August 10, 2010, 01:39 PM »

+1 for Winrar.

I have just one complaint: when using the portable version, whenever you first launch it, the winrar window opens up. There's no way to start it up either in minimized mode or just running without that window popping up.

Other than that, it does everything wonderfully.

cranioscopical · « **Reply #17 on:** August 10, 2010, 02:29 PM »

WinRAR in WinZip out. Habit.

mwb1100 · « **Reply #18 on:** August 10, 2010, 08:21 PM »

I use PowerArchiver. Got it way back when. If my recollection is correct, I didn't use a free archiver back then because I wanted easy, strong encryption, and if I remember right the free archivers didn't support strong encryption well back then. I also didn't go with WinRAR because of something I didn't particularly like about its UI (can't remember what).

These things might not be issues anymore - I don't know. PowerArchiver has a lifetime license, so there's been no reason to look at something else - it does what I need very nicely.

superboyac · « **Reply #19 on:** August 10, 2010, 09:24 PM »

Something that has always bugged me:
Why does WinRar have two different websites? See the links below:

http://www.win-rar.com/

http://www.rarlab.com/

f0dder · « **Reply #20 on:** August 10, 2010, 09:32 PM »

superboyac: dunno, are both official? I've always only used the rarlabs one.

tomos · « **Reply #21 on:** August 10, 2010, 09:40 PM »

does anyone know if the winrar license is still a lifetime one ? (couldnt see there on their site)

f0dder · « **Reply #22 on:** August 10, 2010, 09:41 PM »

Quote from: tomos on August 10, 2010, 09:40 PM

does anyone know if the winrar license is still a lifetime one ? (couldnt see there on their site)

Dunno about new licenses (though I would think so), but my license back from eons ago is still valid for the most recent version

Jibz · « **Reply #23 on:** August 10, 2010, 10:06 PM »

Quote from: superboyac on August 10, 2010, 09:24 PM

Something that has always bugged me:
Why does WinRar have two different websites? See the links below:

If you look at the bottom of the rarlab.com site you will see:

Quote

Copyright © 2002-2010 Alexander Roshal. All rights reserved.
win.rar GmbH - the official publisher for RARLAB products - handles all support, marketing and sales related to WinRAR and www.rarlab.com.

with a link to the win-rar.com site, so it's official

.

mwb1100 · « **Reply #24 on:** August 10, 2010, 10:29 PM »

Quote from: superboyac on August 10, 2010, 09:24 PM

Why does WinRar have two different websites?

I'd guess that they started out with rarlab.com, and by the time they decided that they should register winrar.com it was already taken by some Indian auto repair outfit (if not some regular old domain squatter).

But why they have different content or why one doesn't redirect to the other - I don't know. I assume that some marketing person (or people) think they need to keep rarlab.com for the geekier customers, and have win-rar.com cater more to your everyday average computer user.