03 Jan 09 Opening archived files

Storage space has always been a concern for computer users. This has been such a big issue for those who were into computers in its early years since storage space was sparse and came at a premium. Though storage media for computers has steadily become larger in recent years, the need to transfer files over a network or through the internet still meant that making files smaller is still something that is desirable in today’s computing world.

Making files smaller is usually called file compression or archiving while opening them is called decompression or extracting. Separate software are usually needed to create these file archives and to open them later on. Some file compression software also allow for secure archiving by adding password protection and encryption to the file. Some software also allows to span or to divide a file archive into several smaller pieces so that they may be copied or transmitted in smaller chunks.

Over the years, several archive formats have been created and some of them have become more popular than others. Currently, the most popular file archive formats are ZIP, RAR, and 7z.

The ZIP format is one of the most popular if not the most popular formats for file compression. As proof of its popularity, Windows XP and Mac OS X 10.3 and above have zip compression and decompression included in the OS. The term “zipping” a file to refer to compression of a file was coined from the zip format as well. Among the popular file formats mentioned earlier, the zip format can be considered the least capable in creating the most compressed format, however it is sufficient for general file archive use. Zip files generally have a file extension of .zip.

The RAR format comes in close as the most popular archive format next to ZIP. However, unlike the zip format that has several available software that allow you to create zip archives, RAR files can only be created with the use of WinRAR. WinRAR is a commercial shareware product that can be downloaded for free at: http://www.rarlab.com/. Being shareware though, it pops up a nag screen every time you open it until you purchase the full license. The RAR format is much better than the ZIP format when it comes to compression so it may be a good choice for those looking for better compression of their files. RAR files have the file extension .rar, .r00, .r01, r02, and so on.

The 7z format is an open-source compression archive format that is under the GNU Lesser General Public License. The use of the 7-zip file archive software is generally the preferred software for creating and opening 7z files. The 7-zip software can be downloaded for free at: http://www.7-zip.org/. Like the RAR format, the 7z file format offers better compression than ZIP.

If you are in need of a program that is able to open all three of the archive formats, your best bet would be to download 7-zip or another program called PeaZip. Both are free and are able to open the said formats. However, if you wish to create RAR archives, your only option is to use WinRAR. Generally, you won’t need anything extra to create zip files, however, if you want better control or if you want to create zip files that span into several files, you can also get third party software like WinZip to do the job. Take note that Winzip like WinRAR is a shareware product, you will have to purchase the full license if you want to use it without being bothered by a nag screen while opening the program.

Tags: 7-zip, 7z format, Archive Format, Archive Formats, Archived Files, Available Software, Commercial Shareware, Compression And Decompression, extracting files, File Archive, File Archives, file compression, File Compression Software, Mac Os X, peazip, Rar Files, Rar Format, Shareware Product, Smaller Pieces, Storage Media, Storage Space, unzipping, Winrar, winzip, Zip Archives, Zip Files, Zip Format

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02 Jan 09 Virtualization for everyone

As computer processor vendors start to move from single processing to multi processing, one technology is also starting to gain popularity. Virtualization technology is now starting to be used widely not only in the technology niche but in the mainstream computing public as well.

Virtualization allows multiple operating systems to co-exist and run at the same time on one host computer. These operating systems are usually called guest operating systems and the platform where they are installed are called virtual machines. For the guest operating systems to be able to access the actual hardware installed on the computer, virtual devices are created to represent these actual devices to the guest operating system.

Though this technology has been available since the 60’s, only with the advent of the Intel VT or AMD-V technologies did it become available to consumer hardware platforms. Previously, support for virtualization on the PC was limited to software implementations which only allowed the guest operating systems to see virtual devices in the created virtual machine. With virtualization now being available through hardware, it is now possible to create virtual machines that can provide performance similar to running the operating system directly on the hardware.

Some of the striking results of virtualization that is available in the market now is that of Mac OS X 10.5. Now, it is possible to have both Mac OS X and Windows installed on a Mac computer. So if you are a Mac user but you really have no choice but to use a Windows application, you no longer had to have two machines. You can have the best of both worlds with your Mac computer. Another good example is that of Ubuntu Linux allowing the user to install Ubuntu as a virtual machine instead of creating separate partitions for it on your hard drive before installation. Ubuntu can now be installed just like a common Windows application all thanks to the new Wubi installer included with Ubuntu 8.04 and above. Now, there is no risk to find out what Linux is all about while still having the ease of mind knowing that you can always go back to Windows if you need to.

Hardware OEMs are also starting to get into virtualization. Asus recently implemented Splashtop features in some of its laptop and PC machines. Splashtop, created by DeviceVM, allows the user to quickly boot up the computer in 4 to 5 seconds and immediately connect to the Internet while waiting for Windows to load in the background. It is no longer required that the user wait for Windows to finish loading before they can enjoy going online. It is really fast because the software needed for that feature is installed directly on the motherboard of the computer.

No doubt, power users of virtualization technology would still purchase separate software to allow them to create multiple virtual machines at will. But for most consumers, the added ability to run a whole separate operating system in their current machine or one that just allows them to use the computer quickly while waiting for their main operating system to boot up is already a great boon, and all that is possible thanks to virtualization.

Tags: Array, Best Of Both Worlds, Computer Processor, Consumer Hardware, Hardware Platforms, Host Computer, Mac Computer, Mac Os X, Mac User, Multiple Operating Systems, Partitions, Processor Vendors, Software Implementations, Striking Results, Technology Niche, Virtual Devices, Virtual Machine, Virtual Machines, Virtualization, Windows Application, Wubi

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03 Jan 09 Opening archived files

02 Jan 09 Virtualization for everyone

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