Info-Zip

[Pliskin]

What about adding Zip 2.3 to your compression tests?

www.info-zip.org/

It has a GUI front end for Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2000/XP.

www.info-zip.org/WiZ.html


As a quick test, I compressed the 8.82MB Scribble.wav with 7-Zip, WinZip v9.0, and the Windows version of Zip 2.3. The results were as follows.

7-Zip (Zip) Ultra Deflate, compressed size 138K

WinZip Max Portable, Compressed size 74K

Zip 2.3 -9, Compressed size 62K


The test file I used is available for download from here.

www.geocities.com/netstore101/

[-={DOGG}=-]

Hmm. not sure about this one. It says that the main difference between it and the real zip is:

• creating zipfiles in a pipe or on a device
• VMS and OS/2 extended file attributes
• conversion between Unix, MS-DOS and Macintosh text file formats
• the ability to run on most of your favorite operating systems.

It says it's "highly compatible" with the normal zip, so i assume the same compression algorithms are used. In the future i will probably test out other zip compression modes with 7-zip to see how they do.

[Pliskin]

In my tests, 7-zip did not do well even against Winzip. Using Deflate64, Max Compression, Winzip compressed the test file to 33K, while the best 7-zip could do was 143K. 7-Zip does not seem to be the best choice to use for testing Zip compression.

[-={DOGG}=-]

i might look into the whole zip thing. but it would be in the distant future

[Pliskin]

I decided to do some more testing with some of the most popular programs that are capable of Zip compression. I used Scribble.wav for the single file test and all 10 test files from Maximumcompression.com for the multiple file test. All programs were set to use Zip (Deflate) compression with Maximum possible compression. Winzip was the fastest in the tests, while WinRK and KZIp were by far the slowest.


All 10 Files from www.maximumcompression.com/
-----------------------------------------------------
Uncompressed #### 50.6 MB (53,134,726 bytes)

KZip Jul 6 2003 ### 13.6 MB (14,303,394 bytes)

WinRK v2.0 ###### 13.7 MB (14,418,109 bytes)

7-Zip v3.13 ###### 13.7 MB (14,443,144 bytes)

PKZip v2.50 (DOS) # 14.1 MB (14,870,193 bytes)

WinZip v9.0 SR-1 ### 14.2 MB (14,940,890 bytes)

WinRAR v3.42 ##### 14.2 MB (14,942,941 bytes)

Info Zip v2.3 ###### 14.2 MB (14,950,591 bytes)


Scribble.wav from www.geocities.com/netstore101/
--------------------------------------------------------
Uncompressed ##### 8.82 MB (9,249,480 bytes)

PKZip v2.50 (DOS) ### 59.7 KB (61,214 bytes)

KZip Jul 6 2003 ##### 60.5 KB (61,967 bytes)

WinRAR v3.42 ###### 62.0 KB (63,529 bytes)

Info Zip v2.3 ####### 62.0 KB (63,555 bytes)

WinZip v9.0 SR-1 #### 74.0 KB (75,827 bytes)

WinRK v2.0 ######## 83.0 KB (85,067 bytes)

7-Zip v3.13 ######## 138 KB (142,135 bytes)

[-={DOGG}=-]

Cool thanx for the info. I may have to start using another program for my zip tests. But like i said, it will be later rather than sooner.

[Pliskin]

I've tested a few more zippers and added them to the list.


All 10 Files from www.maximumcompression.com/
-----------------------------------------------------
Uncompressed ############### 50.6 MB (53,134,726 bytes)

ZipMax + KZip ############## 13.6 MB (14,303,346 bytes)

KZip Jul 6 2003 ############ 13.6 MB (14,303,394 bytes)

WinRK v2.0 ################# 13.7 MB (14,418,109 bytes)

7-Zip v3.13 ################ 13.7 MB (14,443,144 bytes)

BJWFlate v1.54 (-s120) ##### 14.1 MB (14,785,809 bytes)

PKZip v2.50 (DOS) ########## 14.1 MB (14,870,193 bytes)

PKZip for Windows v8.0 ##### 14.1 MB (14,889,574 bytes)

PKZip v2.50 (Win32) ######## 14.2 MB (14,893,472 bytes)

PowerArchiver v9.2 ######### 14.2 MB (14,930,406 bytes)

WinZip v9.0 SR-1 ########### 14.2 MB (14,940,890 bytes)

WinRAR v3.42 ############### 14.2 MB (14,942,941 bytes)

Info Zip v2.3 ############## 14.2 MB (14,950,591 bytes)


Scribble.wav from www.geocities.com/netstore101/
--------------------------------------------------------
Uncompressed ############### 8.82 MB (9,249,480 bytes)

PKZip v2.50 (DOS) ########## 59.7 KB (61,214 bytes)

ZipMax + PKZip v2.50 (DOS) # 59.7 KB (61,214 bytes)

PKZip v2.50 (Win32) ######## 60.2 KB (61,653 bytes)

Pkzip for Windows v8.0 ##### 60.2 KB (61,653 bytes)

BJWFlate v1.54 (-s8192) #### 60.2 KB (61,675 bytes)

KZip Jul 6 2003 ############ 60.5 KB (61,967 bytes)

PowerArchiver v9.2 ######### 61.2 KB (62,711 bytes)

WinRAR v3.42 ############### 62.0 KB (63,529 bytes)

Info Zip v2.3 ############## 62.0 KB (63,555 bytes)

WinZip v9.0 SR-1 ########### 74.0 KB (75,827 bytes)

WinRK v2.0 ################# 83.0 KB (85,067 bytes)

7-Zip v3.13 ################ 138 KB (142,135 bytes)

[Pliskin]

These results show 7-Zip v4.15 beta at maximum (Deflate, Ultra) zip compression. This was achieved by increasing the Word size from the default 64 to its maximum of setting of 255. This increases the memory needed to compress from 12 MB to 36 MB. 7-Zip v3.13 and v4.15 beta have exactly the same zip compression.

All 10 Files from www.maximumcompression.com/
-----------------------------------------------------
Uncompressed ##################### 50.6 MB (53,134,726 bytes)

ZipMax + KZip #################### 13.6 MB (14,303,346 bytes)

KZip Sep 30 2004 ################# 13.6 MB (14,303,394 bytes)

7-Zip v4.15 beta (Word size 255) # 13.7 MB (14,378,182 bytes)

WinRK v2.0 ####################### 13.7 MB (14,418,109 bytes)

7-Zip v4.15 beta (Word size 64) ## 13.7 MB (14,443,144 bytes)

BJWFlate v1.54 (-s120) ########### 14.1 MB (14,785,809 bytes)

PKZip v2.50 (DOS) ################ 14.1 MB (14,870,193 bytes)

PKZip for Windows v8.0 ########### 14.1 MB (14,889,574 bytes)

PKZip v2.50 (Win32) ############## 14.2 MB (14,893,472 bytes)

PowerArchiver v9.2 ############### 14.2 MB (14,930,406 bytes)

WinZip v9.0 SR-1 ################# 14.2 MB (14,940,890 bytes)

WinRAR v3.42 ##################### 14.2 MB (14,942,941 bytes)

Info Zip v2.3 #################### 14.2 MB (14,950,591 bytes)


Scribble.wav from www.geocities.com/netstore101/
--------------------------------------------------------
Uncompressed ##################### 8.82 MB (9,249,480 bytes)

PKZip v2.50 (DOS) ################ 59.7 KB (61,214 bytes)

ZipMax + PKZip v2.50 (DOS) ####### 59.7 KB (61,214 bytes)

PKZip v2.50 (Win32) ############## 60.2 KB (61,653 bytes)

Pkzip for Windows v8.0 ########### 60.2 KB (61,653 bytes)

BJWFlate v1.54 (-s8192) ########## 60.2 KB (61,675 bytes)

KZip Sep 30 2004 ################# 60.5 KB (61,967 bytes)

PowerArchiver v9.2 ############### 61.2 KB (62,711 bytes)

WinRAR v3.42 ##################### 62.0 KB (63,529 bytes)

Info Zip v2.3 #################### 62.0 KB (63,555 bytes)

7-Zip v4.15 beta (Word size 255) # 64.3 KB (65,846 bytes)

WinZip v9.0 SR-1 ################# 74.0 KB (75,827 bytes)

WinRK v2.0 ####################### 83.0 KB (85,067 bytes)

7-Zip v4.15 beta (Word size 64) ## 138 KB (142,135 bytes)

[guest485748574]

SORRY: The "SCRIBBLE.WAV" test is almost
nonsense, since this a a VERY special / unusual
file.

[Pliskin]

That's why I did TWO tests. One with multiple standard files, and one with a slightly unusual file.

I think this makes for a fair (quick) test.