.7z version of Orbiter 2010 archive?

[2552]

I just downloaded the Orbiter 2010 zip file from OrbitHangar, which is 111.21 mb. I then unzipped it, and compressed it using 7-zip (current version 4.65), and the .7z archive was 91.4 mb, almost 20 mb less. Wouldn't it save bandwidth to also offer a .7z version of the file?

 

[Lucy]

While it's true that using something like 7zip or rar format to compress and distribute Orbiter would be more efficient, those file formats are nowhere near as universal as zip is. Zip files are handled natively by Windows since XP, and this saves headaches answering questions left right and centre about "I downloaded Orbiter but how do I open the file?".

 

[T.Neo]

Perhaps a .rar package(s) can be included alongside the .zip, perhaps for those with weaker connections. When I tried to download the XR vessels for the first time, the download would cut out before it completed, leading to a corrupt file- downloading the .rar fragments worked a charm.

Though to prevent the aformentioned "HAO DO I OPEN TEH FILEZ" questions, perhaps a clear explanation should be given about the benefits of downloading the .zip.

 

[dbeachy1]

The Orbiter torrents would be the best choice for users with spotty Internet connectivity. XRs, on the other hand, don't have torrents and never will, so RAR is the next best thing for them.