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The ability to store and compress data is nothing new. Throughout time, humans have relied on compact solutions creative solutions to help preserve data. In the last few decades, .ZIP archives have become one of the most popular and widely-used ways to store and share files. From .ZIP archives on the internet to USB drives, .ZIP files remain an important part of the modern world.
But what exactly are .ZIP archives? What makes them so useful? In this article, we’ll explore the history of .ZIP archives and discover the hidden treasures they contain.
What is .ZIP?
.ZIP is a file format used for archiving. It is also known as a “Compressed Archive”, because when a file is ‘Zipped’, or compressed, it occupies much less storage space than its non-compressed counterpart. This makes it easier to store and download large files over the internet, as well as to create backups on USB drives or other media, without taking up too much space.
The history of .ZIP goes back to the days of Bulletin Board Systems (BBSs) in the late 80’s. As the number of files available on BBSs began to exceed the available storage space, the system administrators started to explore ways to compress files. Phil Katz, a computer programmer, was the first to develop a program to create archives from BBS files – PKZIP.
The first version of PKZIP was released on June 21, 1989, and it quickly became popular amongst the BBS users. As internet usage spread and storage requirements for installations and software downloads grew, the use of .ZIP files increased.
.ZIP files are still widely used to store and share data. They can be used to store files of any type or size, including images, videos, music, documents, etc. You can also create multiple .ZIP files for different purposes, such as creating a collection of all the music files you have in a folder, or all the documents in a project.
Discovering Hidden Treasures
When we think of .ZIP files, we often investigate them with the intent of extracting the files stored inside. But often times, the .ZIP file contains not only the files inside, but various “hidden” components and treasures.
For example, when making a software package, the .ZIP file may contain the installation executables, files for setting up preferences, additional drivers or applications, and more. In fact, unzipping a software package .ZIP file can reveal all the individual files and components comprising the entire product.
Other times, the .ZIP file may contain other hidden files, such as an Include file, which is used to add information about the file or to provide additional instructions. Additionally, .ZIP files may contain special metadata, which contains all the information the user needs to know about the file but isn’t actually a part of it. This includes details such as the file’s creator, its source, or even its size.
The Benefits of .ZIP Files
One of the major advantages of .ZIP files is that they are more secure than uncompressed files. This is because, when creating a .ZIP file, you have the option to encrypt the contents to prevent unauthorized access. Additionally, you can enhance the security of your .ZIP file by adding a password before compressing it.
A .ZIP file also has a smaller size than uncompressed files, making it easier to store and transport. This means that you can save time and money by creating a .ZIP file of large files instead of transferring them separately. It also ensures that data handling is quick, efficient, and reliable.
Finally, .ZIP files make it easy to break down large files into smaller sections. This is especially useful when dealing with files that are too large to be transmitted in one go. By compressing the files into smaller sections, you can ensure that the entire file is transferred without interruption.
Conclusion
.ZIP archives are an integral part of our lives, and we rely on them for our everyday needs. But, as this article has shown, they are not just for storing and sharing files. Although the contents of .ZIP files are hidden from the user, the archives can contain all kinds of important information about the file and its source. .ZIP files have also been used for a long time, so it is worth exploring its capabilities and discovering the hidden treasures within.