# Free software to open .zip files

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-software-to-open-zip-files/633607>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 4, 2012, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-software-to-open-zip-files/633607 "2012-09-04T02:35:19Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Flander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8c91f0/32.png) [@Flander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flander)\
**Post date:** [September 4, 2012, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-software-to-open-zip-files/633607/21 "2012-09-04T23:45:49Z")

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Another vote for 7-zip. It is fast, free and easy plus there are no nag screens.

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**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\
**Post date:** [September 4, 2012, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-software-to-open-zip-files/633607/22 "2012-09-04T23:49:24Z")

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> [@Revtim](#):
>
> I’m not trying to be argumentative, sorry if it’s coming off that way. But what OSes could one reasonably call Info\_Zip “the standard” for compression?

I too am scratching my head over this - I’ve never heard of it either - it looks archaic, and not especially cross-platform. The site mentions a port of it for Mac, but the link doesn’t work (and I suspect they might be talking about pre-OSX)

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**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\
**Post date:** [September 4, 2012, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-software-to-open-zip-files/633607/23 "2012-09-04T23:52:52Z")

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> [@Revtim](#):
>
> I’m not trying to be argumentative, sorry if it’s coming off that way. But what OSes could one reasonably call Info\_Zip “the standard” for compression?

OK, maybe I was unclear: It’s the most common across the widest array of different operating systems. That’s what I meant.

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**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\
**Post date:** [September 5, 2012, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-software-to-open-zip-files/633607/24 "2012-09-05T02:04:21Z")

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> [@ZipperJJ](#):
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> I’m with **Keeve**. What? Compression/decompression is native in XP.

Well, you would know, I suppose.

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