Winzip a pay now site?

[Mr.Shadow]

I have not used winzip for some time now.I have noticed they are asking for you to pay for this.What gives i really could use something like this to open zip files.Due to the cost which really isnt much i just hate how everything cost when i remember it being free.Are there any other compressed file openers that will open winzip files if so what are they.Thank you all.

[streaker69]

Re: Winzip a pay now site?

I have not used winzip for some time now.I have noticed they are asking for you to pay for this.What gives i really could use something like this to open zip files.Due to the cost which really isnt much i just hate how everything cost when i remember it being free.Are there any other compressed file openers that will open winzip files if so what are they.Thank you all.

Winzip has always been a Shareware product. But several years ago there was a very popular crack floating around that they've probably finally eliminated.

I stopped using Winzip quite sometime ago after it became so bloated, that it is effectively useless. Windows itself will unzip files, if you're looking for something with more features look into 7-Zip, or a simple google search of open source compression utilities will probably reveal more results.

[shrdlu]

Re: Winzip a pay now site?

Winzip has always been a Shareware product. But several years ago there was a very popular crack floating around that they've probably finally eliminated.

Truthfully, I'm always disappointed when someone objects to paying for something that's shareware. Unzip and Zip (on good honest UNIX machines) have always worked just fine for me, but I've got a legal (purchased) copy of Winzip on two windows machines.

I stopped using Winzip quite sometime ago after it became so bloated, that it is effectively useless. Windows itself will unzip files, if you're looking for something with more features look into 7-Zip, or a simple google search of open source compression utilities will probably reveal more results.

I guess I don't find it to be that bloated, although I'd always recommend 7zip as a superior product. I like winzip; I like that it will handle my tar archives properly, for those rare occasions where I need to look inside a tar file on a windows machine. On the other hand, it's amusing to talk about bloated software when it runs on the original bloated OS...

[streaker69]

Re: Winzip a pay now site?

Truthfully, I'm always disappointed when someone objects to paying for something that's shareware. Unzip and Zip (on good honest UNIX machines) have always worked just fine for me, but I've got a legal (purchased) copy of Winzip on two windows machines.

I never said that I objected to paying for it. I had previously purchased it many years ago when it was the only option for unzipping files in Windows. I just happen to know that the crack was floating around and I'm quite certain that has Winzip grew in popularity they were looking for ways around the crack being effective. I don't use it now because I've found 7-zip to be more effective and lighter weight.

As for bloat, I despise products that feel the need to always put something in the system tray for no good reason. Winzip does that by default if you don't do a custom install. It used to be a nice quickly loading program, now it's not.

[shrdlu]

Re: Winzip a pay now site?

I never said that I objected to paying for it. I had previously purchased it many years ago when it was the only option for unzipping files in Windows. I just happen to know that the crack was floating around and I'm quite certain that has Winzip grew in popularity they were looking for ways around the crack being effective. I don't use it now because I've found 7-zip to be more effective and lighter weight.

Dammit, it wasn't *you* that I meant when I said that. I was speaking indirectly to the OP, and should have been more clear in what I said. Now I feel bad.

As for bloat, I despise products that feel the need to always put something in the system tray for no good reason. Winzip does that by default if you don't do a custom install. It used to be a nice quickly loading program, now it's not.

Ah. Good point. I use windows for very few things, and it doesn't really show up on my radar when something sucks, unless it manages to become a nightmare of loathesomeness, in the way that Roxio and Nero managed to do. Those two actually forced me into installing Ubuntu, just to have a place where I could burn CDs without wanting to stab my eyes out.

[streaker69]

Re: Winzip a pay now site?

Dammit, it wasn't *you* that I meant when I said that. I was speaking indirectly to the OP, and should have been more clear in what I said. Now I feel bad.

Don't feel bad, I'm not upset. I just wasn't sure to whom you were addressing. I do agree with your sentiments though. Who give's a fsck if winzip charges, it isn't a recent occurrence by any stretch of the imagination. My guess is, the OP originally had the cracked copy, got a new machine and now found out he has to pay for it.

Ah. Good point. I use windows for very few things, and it doesn't really show up on my radar when something sucks, unless it manages to become a nightmare of loathesomeness, in the way that Roxio and Nero managed to do. Those two actually forced me into installing Ubuntu, just to have a place where I could burn CDs without wanting to stab my eyes out.

There's been a surge of true freeware for windows applications that are well written and do what ya need in the least amount of time. I used to really like Roxio myself until it became bloated to the point of uselessness. Of course, I blame the bloat on the influx of completely clueless computer users. They complain that they don't understand how to use an application, the company responds by filling the application up with Wizards. Then the program progresses to the point where it's nothing but wizards, with no "professional" mode where you don't use the wizards. I've come to dread any time I see the term wizard, because it's pretty much become synonymous with idiocy.