Why do mod authors choose RAR over 7z?

[DoubleYou]

Zip can be compressed and decompressed on any modern Windows OS (I think Mac too), so I also understand using it. 7zip can also create zips with lzma2, but I think it's a hack, and I'm not sure it works when others try to decompress it.

 

WinRAR bundled with OS? I've never seen that. If so, just one more reason to use 7zip

[CovertSlinky]

Well I stand corrected about no archive ability of windows, never knew about that 'makecab' command. 

 

Now what are you saying DoubleYou? Are you saying windows can do that without any compression tool installed? If so, how? I have never known windows being capable of extracting RAR's or Zip's.

[fireundubh]

Windows 7, and maybe Vista, treats ZIP files as Compressed Folders and therefore can natively browse and extract ZIP files. Windows 7 cannot, however, natively produce ZIP files.

[DoubleYou]

It can't do RARs. It can't do 7z. But Windows can do Zips. To create an archive, right-click, send to, Compressed (Zipped) folder. WinRAR takes the association away for zips, but if you open the zip with Windows Explorer, you'll be able to extract zips and copy files between zips, etc., right in Windows Explorer.

Windows 7, and maybe Vista, treats ZIP files as Compressed Folders and therefore can natively browse and extract ZIP files. Windows 7 cannot, however, natively produce ZIP files.

False. Windows 7 can via the send to menu.

[fireundubh]

It can't do RARs. It can't do 7z. But Windows can do Zips. To create an archive, right-click, send to, Compressed (Zipped) folder. WinRAR takes the association away for zips, but if you open the zip with Windows Explorer, you'll be able to extract zips and copy files between zips, etc., right in Windows Explorer.False. Windows 7 can via the send to menu.

Eat your heart out, boolean operator. https://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/compress-uncompress-files-zip-files#1TC=windows-vista https://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/compress-uncompress-files-zip-files#1TC=windows-7

[DoubleYou]

Eat your heart out, boolean operator. https://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/compress-uncompress-files-zip-files#1TC=windows-vista https://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/compress-uncompress-files-zip-files#1TC=windows-7

??? Those links clearly say that I'm right. Windows 7 can indeed compress files into zips.

[Shadriss]

WHAT??? Where are you getting that idea from? Don't fall subject to thinking that because there is 'Win" in the name that it is a Microsoft product. By default, windows comes with NO archive/compression tool.

All I can tell you is that when I installed the OS, it was there, and I certainly didn't d-load it. Unless the company somehow got some kind of voodoo magic connection to my system...

[Guest]

Windows 7 cannot, however, natively produce ZIP files.

As DoubleYou stated, Windows 7 can compress/uncompress ZIP files natively. Windows has had the ability to do that ever since Windows ME. Windows 8/8.1 supports it as well. It wouldn't make a whole lot of sense to use it all the time though, not with better compression algorithms out there.

 

 

All I can tell you is that when I installed the OS, it was there, and I certainly didn't d-load it. Unless the company somehow got some kind of voodoo magic connection to my system...

That's odd, since WinRAR is 3rd-party software it isn't included on a Windows 7 installation by default. Perhaps you downloaded it to extract mods for Skyrim and forgot about doing it? The only other time I could see it being there was if you purchased a PC and it was part of the programs that the vendor installed.

[CovertSlinky]

Lol, yeah I do know about that "send to/compressed (zipped) folder" context menu option, I just haven't used it since windows 98, and didn't even think about it. SO, I stand corrected...again :p

[hishutup]

with windows you only get winzip integration in explorer

Edited August 16, 2014 by hishutup

[EssArrBee]

Windows ME?? What's that? Must be the era I completely erased from my memory. You almost forget how bad computing got in that era. I do not miss those days, so much work lost to blue screens. Cried myself to sleep a few times after loosing some papers to that monster. I think I ended up using a raw workup of X-Windows for linux that MIT had laying around, it felt so simple.

 

Anyways, how long has it been since a major update to 7zip? I mean isn't there any money in compression algorithms or did we stop worrying about file sizes and data corruption?

[CovertSlinky]

LOL, I meant to add a line saying how couldn't believe I had just brought up that dinosaur, lol. Oh lord, I do not miss those days what so ever, aside from the games. Days when you had to play games through MSDos, lol. DOOM, Quake, Hexen, Wolfenstein can't leave that out. Used always think the guards were saying "Whats up, Dawg!" LMAO. Wow, I need to stop, cause I am also remembering all the troubles I went through those computing days, BSOD's were just a terrible household name so very much more than today. 

[Guest]

Until recently I was on a 1.5 Mbps DSL connection, so file size was important to me. Now I've got 20 Mbps though. 

 

It looks like the last stable build of 7-Zip was 9.20 (2010-11-18).. I wonder why there hasn't been an update to it in four years. Other than 7-Zip 9.34 alpha (2014-06-22), except I don't know if I really want to be running an alpha build of file compression software.

[Shadriss]

That's odd, since WinRAR is 3rd-party software it isn't included on a Windows 7 installation by default. Perhaps you downloaded it to extract mods for Skyrim and forgot about doing it? The only other time I could see it being there was if you purchased a PC and it was part of the programs that the vendor installed.

You know me better than that, Kes. I don't download stuff unless I need it, and you were there (sorta) when I did my last rebuild. It was just kinda... there. *shrug

[Aiyen]

Windows ME?? What's that? Must be the era I completely erased from my memory. You almost forget how bad computing got in that era. I do not miss those days, so much work lost to blue screens. Cried myself to sleep a few times after loosing some papers to that monster. I think I ended up using a raw workup of X-Windows for linux that MIT had laying around, it felt so simple.

 

Anyways, how long has it been since a major update to 7zip? I mean isn't there any money in compression algorithms or did we stop worrying about file sizes and data corruption?

Probably more that there is so much money in it that everything is patented and copyrighted etc. And there is most likely also a dedicated lawyer firm just for watching over it.... >_> 

 

I honestly stopped worrying about file sizes more or less ever since I got on fiber connection... 3 or 4 Gb´s ... it does not really matter anymore. 

Again I think I have just become complacent in this department. I simply use what I have always been using since I know it just works.

 

Guess there are a few good reasons to change etc. but overall I got to admit that it is still not something that is high on my priority list. Perhaps when the next format time arrives in a few years I will look into it again.