WinZip - A long way towards innovation
*** CONTENTS ***
1. General information
2. Basic and advanced usage
3. Analysis
4. Conclusion
5. Worth installing?
6. Relevant links
* Overview
Since the early 1990’s, WinZip is a long-time player on the compression utility scene, alongside WinRAR (1993) and WinACE (1997). Starting as a front-end for the highly popular (at that time) PKZIP program, WinZip turned to a standalone product in 1996, integrating Info-Zip’s opensource implementation of the inflate/deflate compression methods present in PKZIP.
WinZip’s own format is based on Zip, created by Phil Katz (PKWARE), after a lawsuit with the makers of the ARC format, System Enhancement Associates (SEA) for creating the PKARC and PKXARC utilities that worked with ARC files and allegedly infringed SEA’s intellectual property.
WinZip uses the second release of Katz’s Zip, called PKZIP 2. Starting from version 10.0, it implements Zip-64, which allows for archives larger than 4GB and can use the PPMd compression algorithm.
* Availability and licensing information
The latest version of WinZip is 10.0 build 6698, released on the 27th of February 2006. It is distributed as a 45-day trial and comes in two flavors. For WinZip Standard, users have to pay US$29.95. The Professional version adds Zip job automation (suitable for backups) and direct burning of archives to CD/DVD, for the price of US$49.95.
Discounts are available for large volume orders: the Standard version drops to US$9/piece for more than 100 licenses, while the price for WinZip Professional is trimmed down to US$15/piece.
At 5.5MB, the setup file is larger than both WinRAR’s (0.9MB) and WinACE’s (3.6MB). There are no language packs or alternative installers available.
* Installation and initial configuration (wizards?)
Upon starting the installer, Windows XP SP2 users will be notified that the file is digitally signed by “WinZip Computing”, which is a Good Thing, as it contributes to the users’ confidence that they got the right file, from the real developer.
The install wizard is created with WinZip Self-Extractor. The user is asked where to install the program and, after the files are copied, an initial setup guide is started, containing some overview information about WinZip, the license agreement and the option to read a handy document called “Quick Start” (it can be printed or viewed as a CHM file). Next, you have to pick your interface type and you get to choose between “Classic” or “Wizard” (for inexperienced users).
The following step to complete the initial configuration associates archive file types with WinZip, creates entries in the Start Menu and desktop shortcuts. If you need more control over these options, choose “Custom setup” in this screen.
A useful feature of WinZip is the “check for update” functionality, which can also be configured here (Check automatically, Ask before checking, Do not check for updates).
The last step allows you to specify the locations of some external programs WinZip uses for a few of its functions: a file viewer, a program to make self-extracting Zip files (usually WZSEPE32.exe), an optional virus scanner and programs for working with ARJ, LHA and ARC files. Help is available in all steps of this wizard.
If you don’t want to keep the setup file, the “Delete installation file” option will be useful.
* Uninstallation info
A fully featured uninstaller for WinZip is available from the Start Menu or the Add/Remove Programs Control Panel applet.
* Basic Usage
Basic archive operations can be performed via WinZip’s Explorer extension which puts the most useful functions right at your fingers (actually, to the finger that you use to right-click the mouse).
By default, the actions are grouped into a “WinZip” submenu conveniently marked with a suggestive icon and are very well chosen: Add to archive (3 modes), Extract archive (3 modes), Encrypt, Create Self-Extractor, Send to email, Zip and email, Zip and email PLUS (provides options for changing the archive filename and to encrypt the contents) and Configure (displays the WinZip options dialog).
A useful and, so far, unique option is Add to archive mode 3 titled “Add to recently used Zip file”, which enables you to work with recently accessed zips. Unfortunately, WinZip’s makers failed when they didn’t make the “Test archive” option available in the aforementioned submenu. I’m not saying it’s not enabled by default, it cannot be added to the menu at all, not even by tampering with the program’s settings.
WinZip’s Explorer extension goes even farther and displays the contents of Zip archives in the tooltip that shows up when you rest your mouse cursor for a second or two over a file icon.
The create archive window is quite simple, allowing users to specify where the resulting file should be saved, whether to just add files or update them (if the archive already exists) and the compression level (from None – useful for easily storing/transferring many files - to Maximum (bzip2/PPMd/enhanced deflate).
The Zip file about to be created can be automatically split into equally sized volumes. A lot of usual sizes are included by default (floppy, CD and so on) but you may add your own custom entries. It’s a very useful option, but other programs provide more flexibility, allowing for non-equal sized volumes (7-Zip).
WinZip can work with the following compression formats: ARC, ARJ, B64, BHX, CAB, GZ, HQX, LZH, MIM, TAR, TAZ, TGZ, TZ, UU, UUE, XXE, Z and ZIP. However, it does not have builtin support for all these; for example, it needs external programs in order to manipulate ARC, ARJ, LZH compressed files.
Beside the quick actions, archives can be further manipulated by opening them in WinZip’s file explorer-like interface. For example, you can delete files inside an archive by selecting them and pressing the “delete” key. The “Delete” dialog also enables you to delete files by using a wildcard (eg: *.txt for deleting all txt files inside the currently opened archive).
Archives supported by WinZip can be turned self-extracting by means of the “Make .exe” menu entry which uses the external WinZip Self-Extractor component. The process is not very flexible, providing the user with options only for specifying the default “Unzip to” folder, overwriting destination files and whether or not to use spanning (useful for storing the resulting archive on removable drives). The overhead is small (around 60KB) but then again, the options are not too advanced either, when compared with other programs, such as WinRAR, for example.
* Advanced Usage
Even if it’s the compression utility generally used by beginners and inexperienced users, WinZip also hosts a bunch of advanced features as well.
Writing ZIPs directly to CD/DVD
First that comes up my mind is the “New Zip File on CD or DVD” feature, which lets you create archives directly on removable media. Before adding files to the archive, you have to specify the target drive (ie. CD/DVD burner), the filename of the resulting compressed file and the write speed. The available options are “slowest”, “medium” and “fastest” - a bit strange, considering they do not give a real indication of the speed to be used (in “x” units, for CD/DVD).
Once you make up your mind regarding these settings, WinZip will ask you what files should be included in the archive and start creating the archive locally in its “working directory” located on the computer’s HDD. Once it has finished that, it will go on to writing the data to CD/DVD.
If you even tried to think about putting more Zip files on a CD/DVD, well, don’t go there, just forget about it. WinZip doesn’t support that, not even with rewritable media – it will ask you to erase the contents of the disk first.
Automated backup jobs
WinZip implements a very nice scheduling engine which makes it possible to create automated backup jobs. Specifying what files should be included in such backups can be done in two ways: by specifying folder and file paths or by using “generic” names (where possible, usually for system directories such as “Windows”, “system32”, “My Documents” and so on). Fine tuning the files list can be done via the include/exclude filters for file types (for example, you can choose not to backup MP3s by adding “.mp3” to the exclude filters).
“Jobs” can be of more than one type: normal or update (refreshes modified files since the last backup). Also available are full, differential and incremental backup types, which are intended for experienced users, which are familiar with other automated backup solutions (the help system comes in handy here). The last mode, “custom”, unlocks two more settings regarding the files that should be included in the backup.
All other options regarding archive creation apply here as well: password/encryption, compression method/level, span/split Zip file and folder info (the method of storing file paths – none, relative or full). Beside the fixed archive file name, WinZip can also automagically append some dynamic fields, such as the date, time or weekday, with various formats.
The resulting backup file can be placed on the computer’s hard drive (several options apply to the location it should be saved to), burned to CD/DVD or uploaded to a remote machine via FTP (there is builtin support for proxies, but not for SecureFTP - sftp). If FTP is used, several options become available, such as creating folders and overwriting existing files on the upload site or moving the local file to the Recycle Bin.
Checking out Zip archives
This option seems quite strange at first. What could “check out” mean when it’s archives we’re talking about? Well, in WinZip’s vision, it means extracting the contents to a custom folder, while creating a “program group” in the Windows Start Menu. The group’s name and maximum icon number are customizable. Users can specify that only programs and documents should get a shortcut in the program group. For the security concerned, there’s an option that summons the configured antivirus software to scan the archive.
Encryption
As all respectable compression software, WinZip includes encryption support, although it seems somewhat limited when compared with competing utilities such as WinRAR and 7-Zip. Basically, just the file data is encrypted, filenames and attributes are left untouched, which allows unauthorized users to view the list of files contained by your archive. And there’s more: files inside encrypted archives can be even renamed or deleted, plus, new and unencrypted files can be added. It’s not that secure, is it now?
There are three encryption algorithms: zip 2.0 (weak, not recommended), AES-128 and AES-256 (better, stronger, safer, healthier, you name it).
Splitting Zip archives
Existing Zip archives can be split into equally sized bits using the “Actions->Split” function. You’ll be asked to specify the base file name for the volumes, as well as the size (several builtin values are provided, from 1.44MB floppies to 4.7GB DVD).
* User Interface
WinZip’s user interface is fairly standard: main menu, toolbar, file list and status bar. There is no theme/skin support, but, considering this is a compression program, that’s not a major flaw. Some of the competing software products, such as WinRAR, support themes, but they are limited to the set of toolbar and system icons used. There is no international language support, a common option in similar programs (WinRAR offers installation kits customized for many languages, while 7-Zip supports changing the interface language on the fly, using the built in language packs.)
The menus are a bit crowded but not confusing, as the many included options are well organized and conveniently marked with suggestive icons. Regarding toolbar customization options, users can choose from small, large or old explorer-style buttons and the text and tooltips can be turned off. The button set can be personalized using the many available buttons, covering the most often used menu functions. The included icon set looks great and does its job at suggesting the associated functionality. Unfortunately, the toolbar is fixed; it cannot be docked to another side of WinZip’s main window beside the top.
There are two view modes for the file list window. The first mimics Windows Explorer, displaying two panes, with the folder tree view on the left and a list box on the right, showing the files in the selected folder. The second is far less functional, as it contains only one pane, displaying all the files in the archive, regardless the folder they are located in (the file path is shown as a column in the file list). Being able to choose is a great thing, but when you have only two choices, out of which one is kind of useless, it somehow boils down to not having a choice at all. And when you factor in that other programs have even better features (eg: 7-Zip’s orthodox file manager-style UI), it’s not a pretty picture.
* Help system
WinZip sports a very well integrated help system, based on Microsoft’s CHM format. There are help buttons everywhere, in every WinZip window that may pose some understanding difficulties to the user. The actual contents are very detailed and succeed at assisting the user performing various tasks with the program; the features of the CHM format contribute to this feeling, as a nice index and fast search engine are always handy when looking for help.
There’s even a brief tutorial which covers the most topics: “Introducing WinZip, The WinZip Window, Opening Archives, Viewing Files, Extracting Files, Creating New Archives, Adding Files, Deleting Files, Custom Configurations”.
* Resource consumption
When doing its premiere job, that is compressing/decompressing archives, WinZip is going to take a bite out of your computer’s system resources. Have no fear though, it’s not the most resource-hungry compression utility out there.
When performing my standard test of compressing a 818MB system32 folder, WinZip used up 65-70% of the CPU power (a 3.2GHz Intel Pentium 4) and around 12MB of RAM (out of 512MB total). It needed a bit more than 3 minutes to compress the aforementioned folder, yielding a 313MB archive. In the same test, 7-Zip compressed to 244MB in 14 minutes, while WinRAR produced a 263MB archive in 7 minutes.
* Ease of use / Value for money
WinZip is an easy to use (maybe the easiest) compression utility which, beside the standard functions of such software, brings forth some new and exciting features: creating Zip files on CD/DVD, automation of backup jobs (with FTP support), the “check out” function, splitting (even existing) Zip files and virus scanning (using an external scanner).
The program doesn’t shine, however, in terms of format support: it cannot open RAR or ACE archives and it cannot browse ISO files. Although not “true” archives, ISO files are quite frequently seen these days and it’s nice to be able to open them with just a (double)click. Several competing products, such as WinRAR or 7-Zip, offer this feature.
Since version 10.0, WinZip has switched to the 64-bit Zip format, which allows for archives greater than 4GB in size and uses the PPMd compression algorithm.
Encryption is included, but it’s not the greatest implementation, as it only affects file data, not file names or attributes. Moreover, files can be deleted from or added to encrypted archives without providing the password, which waters down a bit the power of the AES-128 and AES-256 algorithms.
* Best/outstanding feature
WinZip’s spotlight is available only in the Professional version: automated backup jobs. This feature is very, very powerful and, probably, unique among compression utilities. It supports all kinds of filters, backup modes, scheduling and naming options, FTP upload and so on.
* Worst issue
There is no “worst issue” in WinZip; I will mention, however, two flaws, which do not honor the otherwise great feature set of the program: faulty encryption and poor format support.
* Final word
At $29.95, WinZip Standard is a good program for beginners and inexperienced users. Power users can find their compression oasis in WinZip as well, with advanced features such as backup automation, “new Zip on CD/DVD” and so on, but they’ll have to pay more to get the Professional version ($49.95).
If the program’s poor compression format support prevents you from staying with WinZip, you may want to try out some alternatives, but bear in mind that they do not offer the advanced features described in the above paragraph.
WinRAR is a great choice, with extensive format support and powerful SFX capabilities, at a fair price ($29). If you prefer a freeware product, give 7-Zip a chance. It is quality opensource software, updated very often and packed with useful features, in a “commander”-style user interface.
*** RELEVANT LINKS ***