zip vs. tar.gz 2753

wrote in comp.os.linux.misc:

So presumably you will only use Windoze compatible programs otherwise how will you access the data when the friend does not have those programs on his-her machine?

Put a tar.gz on any windoze machine with winzip (the most widespread zip utility for windoze) and double-click on the icon in Windoze Explorer and see what happens.

Again, what is the point of emailing something created with (for example) koffice to someone who probably only has M$ works (the given away for the price of the M$ tax borked version of M$Word) unless you have created it in M$ Works format?

In fact, is there any point in you using Linux since you want everything to be readable on the lowest common denominator Windoze machine? This rules out Open Document Format and any program that does not write in the most base M$ formats.

By number of installations - far and away it is winzip. Also the only one to have a sensible licensing policy.

Never used WinRAR since winzip handles RAR as well as zip tgz and many other formats.

Most WXP installs that I have seen come with winzip. I haven't come across anyone yet who relies on M$'s belated attempts to handle a subset of the various zip formats.

-- Robert HULL

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