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16 Jun 2011 By ABradney-George

Who Should Download 7-Zip?

16 Jun

If You Have Heard Of This Popular File Compression Freeware But Are Not Sure If You Need It, Read On To See The Most Common Uses And Reasons To Download 7-Zip.

7-Zip is an open source file compression and extraction program that has gained popularity for advanced functions not generally expected in freeware. But just because 7-Zip is free does not mean everyone will need it.

So who will get the most out of using this software? There are many reasons to use file compression software, so a program like 7-Zip can be useful for:

Storing large files
Sharing large files
File encryption; and
File extraction

If any of these tasks are done regularly, then a program like 7-Zip can be a free alternative to the more popular WinRAR or WinZIP programs. Unlike some other freeware, 7-Zip can be used on both personal and commercial computers and does not need to be registered.

Limitations of 7-Zip

While 7-Zip is completely compatible with the compression format used in WinZip - allowing both file compression and extraction for .zip files - it can only extract .rar files that are created in WinRAR. So if you know that you will be sharing files with someone using WinRAR, you may want to consider another program.

Another element to remember when thinking about downloading 7-Zip is what operating system is in use. 7-Zip works on most versions of Microsoft Windows right back to Windows 98 and has a port of the command line version to Linux/Unix, but may not work on Apple's Mac operating systems. For Mac-users, iZip could be a free alternative for file extraction, while WinZip for Mac is a reliable option for file compression is a regular, essential task.

File compression and extraction can be a great way to manage files on your computer, or at work. Finding a reliable, and afforable option is always a bonus, so if 7-Zip sounds good, try it out. After all, it is free.