Question

File Compression - Student should submit a one-page paper summarizing the student’s research into compression programs associated with the filename extensions .zip, .sit, .sitx, and .exe, as well as whether those files would be self-extracting and which formats are associated with Windows and which with OS X. Also included should be a summary of at least two compression programs compatible with the computer the student uses most often, including their costs and capabilities

Answer 1

File Compression: The file compression program is a facility for the computer users to save the data files in a small size and save the space on the disk. This is mainly used to send the larger files on internet in a better speed. File compression is also known as 'File Zipping'. There is no exact measurement that up to which extend the file size is reduced, but it reduces between 50% to 90% size of original size. Complete data can be recovered again from the compressed files using various utilities.

Extraction of compressed files: The process of extracting the compressed files into the original size of the files is called extraction of files. The files compressed using different programs require different utilities for extraction. Different software tools are available to extract the files whereas few compressed files can be used without manual extraction

Different Compressed File extension and usage:

1. .zip : This extension is an archived file format which can contain single compressed file OR multiple files, folder under different directories compressed in single .zip. It is lossless compression format where the complete data can be recovered after extracting the files/folders. There are freeware software e.g. WinRar to zip or extract the files and folders and widely used format of compressed files. There are onlinw free websites which provides the facility to unzip the files. A Zip file can be small up to 22 bytes and large up to 4 GB.

Supported OS: Windows OS, OS X, MAC OS

Extraction of file: WinZip is required to extract the zipped files.

2. .sit : This extension stands for ‘Stuff I T’. The files are created using ‘Stufflt’ , a computer software utility to compress and achieve the files. It can contain the media files as well as plain text documents. The data compressed in these files is more secure as the encryption standards are used to compress the data. The compressed files are used using Smith Micro Stuff-IT expander compression/decompression utility.

Supported OS: Originally these were used only on Mac OS, Mac OS X but the files can be used cross-platform i.e. these can be used on windows OS as well.

Extraction of file: Special kind of utility is required to extract the file. Stuffit Expander is one of the widely used freeware tool to extract the files. This is a Smith Micro product.

3. .sitx : This compression is a modified and improved version of .sit file. It is associated with Smith Micro Stuffit and uses ATOM technology which provides higher compression of files than the older .sit format. It supports the password protection and transmission errors which helps removing the transmission errors

Supported OS: It is a cross platform extension which can be used on windows as well as OS X

Extraction of file: It requires Stuffit Expander v7.0 or later or Stuffit Deluxe v7.0 (MAC)/v 8.0 (WIN) or later versions to open/create files.

4. .exe: These are the executable files which can be used on Windows operating system. EXE stands as the short form of ‘executable’. These files can be created using 7-Zip or IExpress wizard. It is a form of compressed files

Supported OS: Windows OS

Extraction of file: Self extraction, once we run this file, the compressed files are automatically executed.