# Why do people use WinRAR? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 26, 2005, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-use-winrar/301229 "2005-04-26T19:52:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Roadfood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9fc348/32.png) [@Roadfood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roadfood)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-use-winrar/301229/41 "2005-04-28T17:39:08Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > I hate to say it, but…cite? And which jurisdiction is this working within? What examples can you give of cases where this has been upheld? Um, the entire body of copyright law? The owner of the WinZip program has clearly stated the terms of use, and that the program is not free. And that if you continue to use it beyond the evaluation period, you are required to purchase a license. Copyright law (at least in the United States) over the last, I don’t know, 50 years or more, has clearly supported this. Do some Google searches. How about these: From Harvard University: [http://www.techtransfer.harvard.edu/SoftwareTerms.html](http://www.techtransfer.harvard.edu/SoftwareTerms.html) > [@](#): > > Although it is posted on the Internet, shareware is still protected by copyright. In most cases, the source code is not available. So, while it offers distribution alternatives to programmers and purchase alternatives to consumers, it is still proprietary and not considered to be any more collaborative than software from companies like Microsoft. West Virginia University [http://oit.wvu.edu/oit/policy/oit-6.htm](http://oit.wvu.edu/oit/policy/oit-6.htm) > [@](#): > > Computer software known as “shareware” is under copyright protection. Individual users of this software are required to comply with all terms of any shareware license, including, where applicable, to register and pay for any software they retain and use [http://oit.osu.edu/infopages/copyright.html](http://oit.osu.edu/infopages/copyright.html) > [@](#): > > Shareware software is covered by copyright as well. When you acquire software under a shareware arrangement, you are actually acquiring a license to use it, not own it. University of Brighton (in England): [http://www.brighton.ac.uk/is/swcopy.html](http://www.brighton.ac.uk/is/swcopy.html) > [@](#): > > Shareware software is copyrighted and is not free. San Diego State University: [http://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/~mwssls/soft.html](http://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/~mwssls/soft.html) > [@](#): > > SHAREWARE software is covered by copyright, as well. When you acquire software under a shareware agreement, you are actually acquiring a license to use it, not own it. And finally, from the US copyright website: [http://www.copyright.gov/title17](http://www.copyright.gov/title17) > [@](#): > > Copyright, a form of intellectual property law, protects original works of authorship including literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic works, such as poetry, novels, movies, songs, **computer software** , and architecture. So there is clearly agreement that computer software has copyright protection. Now, the copyright holder of WinZip has clearly stipulated that using the program beyond the trial period requires payment. Therefore, to not do that is violating his copyright. Now it’s your turn: What makes you believe that I’m wrong? Do you have any cites that dispute what I’m saying? ---
**Author:** ![Roadfood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9fc348/32.png) [@Roadfood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roadfood)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-use-winrar/301229/42 "2005-04-28T17:48:37Z")
> [@Shalmanese](#): > > Well gee, they sure made it hard to violate copyright didn’t they? I don’t have Winzip installed but, as I understood, the only limitation of going over the trial was that a nag screen would appear. It was still perfectly legal to use as long as you clicked the “No thanks” button every time you used it. No, that’s not true. There is no requirement in copyright law that the copyright holder must make it impossible or even difficult to violate his copyright. The copyright holder of WinZip states quite clearly in the license agreement that is a part of the documentation that comes with the software: > [@](#): > > This is not free software. Subject to the terms below, you are hereby licensed by WinZip Computing, Inc. (“WCI”) to use one copy of WinZip, on one (1) computer or workstation, for evaluation purposes without charge for a period of 21 days. If you use this software after the 21-day evaluation period a registration fee of $29 is required. Payments must be in US dollars drawn on a US bank, and should be sent to WinZip Computing, Inc., P.O. Box 540, Mansfield, CT 06268, USA. See the WinZip web site at [http://www.winzip.com](http://www.winzip.com) for information about online ordering and quantity discounts. > > Unregistered use of WinZip after the 21-day evaluation period is in violation of U.S. and international copyright laws. That’s all he needs to do, state clearly the terms of the license. You are required to pay the registration fee if you use it beyond 21 days. Using it for more than 21 days without paying the fee violates copyright law. How can anyone dispute that? Anyone have any cites to back up a claim that the WinZip license is not legal or valid? ---
**Author:** ![Ms2001](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ms2001/32/18463_2.png) [@Ms2001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms2001)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-use-winrar/301229/43 "2005-04-28T23:31:29Z")
> [@Roadfood](#): > > That’s all he needs to do, state clearly the terms of the license. You are required to pay the registration fee if you use it beyond 21 days. Using it for more than 21 days without paying the fee violates copyright law. I don’t know about that. Copyright is a monopoly on making copies; you aren’t making a copy of WinZip simply by using it, and IIRC, copyright law specifically exempts the temporary copies in memory that your computer may make as part of running a program. It’s easy to imagine situations where you could use a shareware program without ever making a copy of it yourself - for example, you might find a CD-ROM with the program files already extracted on it, and then run the program directly off the CD. However, if you agree to a license agreement when you install WinZip, then you will be violating that contract if you continue to use it past the evaluation period. I don’t know if they could retroactively sue you for copyright infringement for the copy you made when you installed WinZip… I’ve never heard of that being done. ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-use-winrar/301229/44 "2005-04-28T23:57:42Z")
Fair enough, I actually wen’t and read the license agreement. I was under the mistaken assumption that Winzip was distributed as any other shareware program wirh a nag screen in that the only restriction to using it over 21 days was that the nag screen would pop up. ---
**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2005, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-use-winrar/301229/45 "2005-04-29T08:25:50Z")
> [@Flander](#): > > **DWMarch** , just ctrl select the files you want to extract, right-click and select “Extract to…” and choose the destination folder. I’ll be damned… that easy. Many thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Flander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8c91f0/32.png) [@Flander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flander)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2005, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-use-winrar/301229/46 "2005-04-29T15:08:33Z")
No worries. ---
**Author:** ![Roadfood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9fc348/32.png) [@Roadfood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roadfood)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2005, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-use-winrar/301229/47 "2005-04-29T18:04:21Z")
> [@Shalmanese](#): > > Fair enough, I actually wen’t and read the license agreement. I was under the mistaken assumption that Winzip was distributed as any other shareware program wirh a nag screen in that the only restriction to using it over 21 days was that the nag screen would pop up. Wow, “as any other shareware program”? That seems to imply that you are under the impression that if a program is labeled “shareware” it means that paying for it is optional. That is **totally** wrong. Shareware is a distribution method, nothing more. Something that is called “shareware” has **all** of the legal copyright protections afforded to something that is called “commercial”. The WinZip program is no different than the Microsoft Word program. If you use MS Word without paying for it, you are breaking the law. If you use WinZip beyond the expressed 21 day evaluation period, you are breaking the law. Heck, I can give you any number of examples of programs that are labeled “commercial” and that their copyright holders have allowed a time-limited, free, evaluation period. There’s no difference. ---
**Author:** ![Ms2001](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ms2001/32/18463_2.png) [@Ms2001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms2001)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2005, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-use-winrar/301229/48 "2005-04-29T23:55:41Z")
> [@Roadfood](#): > > The WinZip program is no different than the Microsoft Word program. If you use MS Word without paying for it, you are breaking the law. If you use WinZip beyond the expressed 21 day evaluation period, you are breaking the law. Again, copyright says nothing about your rights to legally _use_ any software program, only to _copy_ it. You can even use Microsoft Word without paying a dime, as long as you can do so without making any copies or agreeing to any licenses. ---
**Author:** ![Roadfood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9fc348/32.png) [@Roadfood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roadfood)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2005, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-use-winrar/301229/49 "2005-04-30T00:48:09Z")
> [@Mr2001](#): > > I don’t know about that. Copyright is a monopoly on making copies; you aren’t making a copy of WinZip simply by using it, and IIRC, copyright law specifically exempts the temporary copies in memory that your computer may make as part of running a program. It’s easy to imagine situations where you could use a shareware program without ever making a copy of it yourself - for example, you might find a CD-ROM with the program files already extracted on it, and then run the program directly off the CD. But that same logic can be applied to **any** software program, regardless of whether its distribution method is labeled “shareware” or “commercial”, regardless of whether it was written and distributed by Joe in his garage or by the Microsoft Corporation. Try applying that logic to MS Word and see how far you get. It may be argued that you are not explicitly “copying” it during the act of running, but you had to copy it onto your system’s hard drive in order to run it. And if I put an unlocked copy of MS Word on a CD and give it to you and you use it from the CD, you really think that Microsoft is going to accept the argument that you haven’t copied anything? You really believe that using MS Word directly off of a CD would make you legally entitled to use it? Send an email to Microsoft’s legal department and ask them how they’d feel about that… > [@Mr2001](#): > > However, if you agree to a license agreement when you install WinZip, then you will be violating that contract if you continue to use it past the evaluation period. I don’t know if they could retroactively sue you for copyright infringement for the copy you made when you installed WinZip… I’ve never heard of that being done. Well, yeah, you do in fact agree to a license when you install WinZip. There’s nothing retroactive about it. The license states that you can use it for 21 days, and that to use it after that period of time requires payment. That’s what you agree to when you install it, so do use it after 21 days without purchase is violating what you agreed to. ---
**Author:** ![Roadfood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9fc348/32.png) [@Roadfood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roadfood)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2005, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-use-winrar/301229/50 "2005-04-30T00:54:19Z")
> [@Mr2001](#): > > Again, copyright says nothing about your rights to legally _use_ any software program, only to _copy_ it. You can even use Microsoft Word without paying a dime, as long as you can do so without making any copies or agreeing to any licenses. In that oft-used word: Cite? Show me a law or a precedent that says that when a friend gives me an unlocked copy of MS Word on a CD, I’m not breaking any law by using it directly from the CD (my friend, though, is obviously another question). ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2005, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-use-winrar/301229/51 "2005-04-30T01:11:23Z")
> [@Roadfood](#): > > Wow, “as any other shareware program”? That seems to imply that you are under the impression that if a program is labeled “shareware” it means that paying for it is optional. That is **totally** wrong. > > Shareware is a distribution method, nothing more. Something that is called “shareware” has **all** of the legal copyright protections afforded to something that is called “commercial”. The WinZip program is no different than the Microsoft Word program. If you use MS Word without paying for it, you are breaking the law. If you use WinZip beyond the expressed 21 day evaluation period, you are breaking the law. Heck, I can give you any number of examples of programs that are labeled “commercial” and that their copyright holders have allowed a time-limited, free, evaluation period. There’s no difference. I was of the understanding that most shareware, like applications that functionally restrict you after a certain time or pop up nag screens explicitly say that it is legal to use it after that period of time. ---
**Author:** ![Ms2001](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ms2001/32/18463_2.png) [@Ms2001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms2001)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2005, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-use-winrar/301229/52 "2005-04-30T03:05:23Z")
> [@Roadfood](#): > > Try applying that logic to MS Word and see how far you get. It may be argued that you are not explicitly “copying” it during the act of running, but you had to copy it onto your system’s hard drive in order to run it. Correct. Installing the program on your hard drive is making a copy. > [@](#): > > And if I put an unlocked copy of MS Word on a CD and give it to you and you use it from the CD, you really think that Microsoft is going to accept the argument that you haven’t copied anything? It doesn’t matter whether they “accept” it or not; they’d have no leg to stand on. You can’t violate copyright if you aren’t making any copies. > [@](#): > > You really believe that using MS Word directly off of a CD would make you legally entitled to use it? You don’t need any special legal entitlement to run a program on your computer. Do you really think there’s a law against running programs that you haven’t paid for? > [@](#): > > Well, yeah, you do in fact agree to a license when you install WinZip. There’s nothing retroactive about it. The license states that you can use it for 21 days, and that to use it after that period of time requires payment. That’s what you agree to when you install it, so do use it after 21 days without purchase is violating what you agreed to. Yes, you would be violating the contract you entered into with the makers of WinZip, not copyright law. > [@Roadfood](#): > > In that oft-used word: Cite? Show me a law or a precedent that says that when a friend gives me an unlocked copy of MS Word on a CD, I’m not breaking any law by using it directly from the CD (my friend, though, is obviously another question). If it isn’t specifically outlawed, it’s legal. You have not pointed to any law that makes it illegal to use a program without copying it. Unless you can show that there is such a law, the only possible conclusion is that it isn’t illegal. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_H](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a5b964/32.png) [@Bill\_H](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_H)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2005, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-use-winrar/301229/53 "2005-05-02T03:50:46Z")
**Balthisar** wrote > [@](#): > > Instead of letting you do what you want simply and easily, you get a fsck’ing wizard. I don’t know if this was a typo, but either way, I think it’s pretty cool. On the subject at hand, I feel the world would be so much happier if we could just crush all the underdogs in areas where wide-spread compatibility is important. Die, Apple! Die, Real! Die, WinRAR! Die a happy death or a most horrible one; it really doesn’t matter. Just die quickly, so we all can communicate without silly technical hinderances. ---
**Author:** ![guinnog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7993a0/32.png) [@guinnog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guinnog)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2005, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-use-winrar/301229/54 "2005-05-02T10:43:13Z")
> [@Bill H.](#): > > **Balthisar** wrote > > I don’t know if this was a typo, but either way, I think it’s pretty cool. > > On the subject at hand, I feel the world would be so much happier if we could just crush all the underdogs in areas where wide-spread compatibility is important. Die, Apple! Die, Real! Die, WinRAR! Die a happy death or a most horrible one; it really doesn’t matter. Just die quickly, so we all can communicate without silly technical hinderances. As XP has a perfectly decent ZIP interface (and no, as has already been pointed out, you don’t have to use a wizard), I fail to see why anyone would be using Winzip. Why pay for something you already have? I sometimes use WinRar if I need to. Its features are a little more advanced than either XP’s native support or WinZip. I agree with the overall thrust of your post. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-use-winrar/301229.md?page=2)