ABOUT WINZIP
Zip files are single files, sometimes called "archives", that contain one or more compressed files. Zip files make it easy to keep related files together and make transporting, e-mailing, downloading and storing data and software faster and more efficient. The Zip format is the most popular compression format used in the Windows environment, and WinZip is the most popular compression utility.
Click this icon (below) to visit homepage WINZIP.
Zip files compress data and therefore save time and space and make downloading software and transferring e-mail attachments faster. Typical uses for Zip files include:
- Distributing files on the Internet: Only one download is required to obtain all related files, and file transfer is quicker because the archived files are compressed.
- Sending a group of related files to an associate: When you distribute a collection of files as a single Zip file, you benefit from the file grouping as well as compression.
- Saving disk space: If you have large files that are important but seldom used, such as large data files, simply compress the files into a Zip file and then unzip (or "extract") them only when needed.
To store files in a Zip file, or to access the files in a Zip file, you need a compression utility such as WinZip. WinZip makes it easy for Windows users to work with archives. WinZip features a standard Windows point-and-click drag-and-drop interface for viewing, running, extracting, adding, deleting, and testing files in Zip files. Occasional and first-time users can choose to use the intuitive WinZip Wizard.
After you have installed WinZip, you can open a Zip file by double clicking it in your e-mail attachment or Explorer window or by starting WinZip and choosing "Unzip or install from an existing Zip file" in the WinZip Wizard. (If the WinZip Wizard does not open by default when you start WinZip, just click the Wizard button in the toolbar). The WinZip Wizard will guide you through the process of unzipping your file.
To create a new Zip file, open WinZip in the WinZip Wizard mode. (If the WinZip Wizard does not open by default, just click the Wizard button in the toolbar.) You will be asked "What do you want to do?" Simply select "Create a new Zip file" and click Next. The WinZip Wizard will guide you through the entire process.
When you become more familiar with Zip file operations, you can also try the WinZip Classic interface. The Classic interface offers many advanced features that are not available in the WinZip Wizard. Using the Classic interface, you can split large Zip files into smaller parts to overcome e-mail and other size limits; view, extract, and run individual files in a Zip file; remove files from an existing Zip file; encrypt your confidential files so that they can't be used without a password; and much more. To try the Classic interface, simply click the WinZip Classic button in the WinZip Wizard. Extensive program help is available for every aspect of WinZip Classic operation.
WinZip is a proprietary file archiver and compressor for Microsoft Windows, developed by WinZip Computing (formerly Nico Mak Computing). It natively uses the PKZIP format but also has various levels of support for other archive formats.
WinZip was created in the early 1990s as a shareware GUI front-end for PKZIP. Sometime around 1996 the creators of WinZip incorporated compression code from the Info-ZIP project, thus eliminating the need for the PKZIP executable to be present.
From version 6.0 until version 9.0, registered users could download the newest versions of the software, enter their original registration information, and thereby obtain a free upgrade. As of version 10.0 this upgrade scheme was discontinued. WinZip is available in standard and professional versions. However, the ability of Windows XP and Windows Vista to open .zip files (as "compressed folders") has reduced sales.
In May 2006, Corel Corporation, known for its WordPerfect and CorelDRAW product lines, announced that it has completed acquisition of WinZip Computing.
WinZip has a 45-day free evaluation period. However, in some versions it continues to work even after this period of time.
History
The ZIP file archive format (PKZIP) was originally invented for MS-DOS in 1989 by Phil Katz and his company PKWare.
Because PKWare did not protect the name by trademark and algorithm of the process by patent, and was slow to realize that the Windows operating systems would eventually dominate the OS market, Nico Mak (then employed by Mansfield Software Group, Inc) eventually seized the opportunity and released the WinZip application for Microsoft Windows.
WinZip 8.0 is the last major release to officially support Windows 95.
WinZip 9.0 adds support for AES encryption for ZIP archives, BZip2-compressed ZIP archives (extraction only).This version was released in 2004.
WinZip 10 adds support for creating and extracting PPMd-compressed ZIP archives. It is the last major release to officially support Windows 98/ME. WinZip Pro is added in this release, which adds automation and task scheduling features.This version was released in 2005.
WinZip 11 adds support for creating and extracting WavPack-compressed ZIP archives. The installer will still install to Windows 98/ME, but these operating systems are no longer officially supported. WinZip Pro adds Passive FTP support, FTP transfers, e-mail notification option for Job Wizard, custom jobs selection, full-size image viewer when opening archive. This version was released in 2006.
WinZip 11.1 is certified for Windows Vista, with Vista theme support and 64-bit Windows support.
WinZip 11.2 can create LHA archives without an external utility. Unicode file name support for ZIP archives was also added.
WinZip 12.0 adds support for JPEG and LZMA compression for ZIP files; .ISO, .IMG, 7-Zip archive extractions. Added encryption policies, integrated image thumbnail viewer. This version was released in 2008.
Information Product
Posts
