What is a .Zip file?

.Zip files may very easily be thought as a type of suitcase for files. Just like their travel counterparts, .ZIP files can contain multiple items that have been compressed to occupy as little space as possible in preparation for a journey. .Zip files have become the standard for moving files between users when space is an issue. The popularity of the internet and intranets has focused the need on conserving transmission times and data storage. These are two tasks at which .ZIP files excel.

To create a .ZIP file, a file or group of files are selected for "zipping" or inclusion into the .ZIP suitcase using a program utility such as eZip Wizard. The .ZIP utility compresses the files so they use as little space as possible. A single file, a .ZIP file, is created that contains all the files in their compressed format. This .ZIP file may now be handled just like other files on the computer. It may be copied, moved, deleted or mailed just like any other computer file. To work with the contents of a .ZIP file, the process is reversed. A .ZIP file is opened with a program utility an the files are "unzipped" or extracted to their full size.

Why use .ZIP files?
.ZIP files provide a number of conveniences that outweigh the difficulty of creating and using them. These advantages include:

• Smaller file sizes
  Less space can quickly translate into faster file download times and lower network traffic.
  
• Single file wrapper
  When working with many files, the convenience of wrapping them into a single file can simplify many common tasks such as transferring them to another user.
  
• Password protection
  The contents of a .ZIP file can be protected by a password that ensures only the right people see the contents of the .ZIP file.

In short, .ZIP files save time, storage and provide a convenient and secure way of working with multiple files.

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