Unzipping, Archive Freeware
Many files you'll encounter for downloading on the Net are in compressed form. Typically, these files will have a "ZIP" extension. Many software sites compress files, so that you may download them quicker.
The only drawback to compressed files is that you must "unzip," (or decompress) them before you use them. Below, we feature the Web's best free tools for decompressing files. These tools will handle any type of compressed file you'll encounter. Besides the popular ZIP format, there are many other compression formats, such as Stuffit (.sit) files (for Mac users) and uuencoded (.uue), BinHex (.hqx), ARC (.arc), Arj (.arj), and gzip (.gz) formats, etc.
The most popular decompression tool on the Web is WinZip. It's an excellent, easy-to-use program. The only problem is that it's shareware, not freeware. After you download it, every time you use it, you'll get an annoying "nag" screen. (And for good reason: after all, if you use it, you're expected to register and pay for this commercial product).
However, the programs we list below don't have that problem: they're free, and in many cases are nearly as good, or as good, as WinZip.
The only drawback to compressed files is that you must "unzip," (or decompress) them before you use them. Below, we feature the Web's best free tools for decompressing files. These tools will handle any type of compressed file you'll encounter. Besides the popular ZIP format, there are many other compression formats, such as Stuffit (.sit) files (for Mac users) and uuencoded (.uue), BinHex (.hqx), ARC (.arc), Arj (.arj), and gzip (.gz) formats, etc.
The most popular decompression tool on the Web is WinZip. It's an excellent, easy-to-use program. The only problem is that it's shareware, not freeware. After you download it, every time you use it, you'll get an annoying "nag" screen. (And for good reason: after all, if you use it, you're expected to register and pay for this commercial product).
However, the programs we list below don't have that problem: they're free, and in many cases are nearly as good, or as good, as WinZip.
