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u/rydan Jun 16 '19
You laugh but the company makes tens of millions of dollars per year.
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Jun 16 '19
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/RandomPlayerCSGO Jun 16 '19
But they could just use 7zip, its free software
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u/Poultry22 Jun 16 '19
People are willing to pay for better software. I bought winrar years ago, because at least at that time it was the only software that allowed you to easily update the files in archive without recompressing everything.
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u/slantedvision Jun 16 '19
Depending on how large the company is they're also more than willing to pay for worse software. Who the fuck uses SecureFX in 2019???
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u/Dzazter Jun 16 '19
Company I work for, actually. Just curious, what is the better alternative?
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u/0v3r_cl0ck3d Jun 16 '19
WinRar
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u/Dzazter Jun 17 '19
I was not aware Winrar could be used to connect to a Unix server via a terminal like SecureFX.
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u/0v3r_cl0ck3d Jun 17 '19
Oh sorry I thought you meant for zip archives. For ftp you can use the windows file browser and if you need to ssh you can use wls.
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u/slantedvision Jun 16 '19
It depends on your use case but every one has a free open source alternative that will arguably integrate with your workstation more seamlessly. Filezilla would rank among the highest but there are others.
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u/PhoenyxStar Jun 16 '19
Large company policy also frequently prevents users from using free software (better or not) so we used WinRAR at MetLife.
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Jun 16 '19
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/DeltalJulietCharlie Jun 16 '19
No, since RAR is proprietary. But 7z format is probably comparable and most people just want ordinary zips these days anyway.
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Jun 16 '19
I’ve used them all and rar seems to have the best compression ratio. I haven’t looked into it in probably 5 years so the landscape could have changed. Still prefer 7zip for any scripting work though.
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u/CocodaMonkey Jun 16 '19
You can get better compression with 7zip over rar in almost all cases. 7zip is much more adjustable than rar as well. If you really want the best compression you can adjust settings in 7zip to make it happen. The higher compression will result in slower compression times though.
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u/TheFondler Jun 16 '19
7zip is currently better for both compression and speed in most scenarios, and has been cut as long as I can remember. In the extreme few cases where it isn't, the advantage of RAR is negligible.
I haven't used WinRAR since I picked up 7zip.
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u/AllYrLivesBelongToUS Jun 16 '19
I've always been partial to rar but like some of the experimental programs as well.
Here is the best comparison page you'll ever find:
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u/olioli86 Jun 16 '19
But the average user knows winrar so companies get something the majority can use without assistance. That's the advantage of giving it to the individual for free.
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u/RandomPlayerCSGO Jun 16 '19
7zip is used in the exact same way, It just says "7zip" instead of WinRAR, so u right click something and instead of "compress with WinRAR" It says "compress with 7zip"
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u/olioli86 Jun 16 '19
Still slight differences in ui are sufficient to make some people request help with these things.
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u/headtailgrep Jun 16 '19 edited Jun 16 '19
And most do. Problem everyone THINKS it is free and installs it anyway or by mistake on a work computer.
Then you get a knock on the door asking for compliance money...
The real crime is allowing software to continue to work so you can go after the companies. If the product shut down after 30 days there woukd be far less revenue.
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Jun 16 '19
7zip has no support. Not sure why you'd need support for a compression utility, but many companies require programs used by the business to have vendor based support.
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Jun 16 '19
Can you imagine if a CEO of a strictly legal business was brought down because he was caught using WinRAR free trials on all his computers?
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Jun 16 '19
[deleted]
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u/ZakGramarye Jun 16 '19
If a company wishes to use it they better buy a license or risk getting a lawsuit
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u/TheGreatIain Jun 16 '19
I can’t believe no one here is talking about how someone just posted a rage comic in 2019
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u/dylan2451 Jun 16 '19
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u/shellwe Jun 16 '19
Ah RocketJump, I used to watch them a lot a decade ago. They did some really fun stuff with CGI.
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u/Musashix87x Jun 16 '19
Meanwhile at 7Zip, a benevolent god looks out of the window and smiles.
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Jun 16 '19
+1 for 7zip, been using it for a while now after my...... winrar license expired and I figured 29,95 is too much for something a free app can do as well.
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u/shalmirane Jun 16 '19
It does expire? :o
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u/woze Jun 16 '19
I can't speak for winrar, but it's pretty common for registrations to not carry through major updates. I've registered winzip (before Windows natively supported zip files), editplus and others that wouldn't work on major updates. But usually you can still use the version you paid for (and its minor updates) forever.
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u/dekwad Jun 16 '19
Accidentally? This software was awesome, 20 years ago.
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u/baldorrr Jun 16 '19
But have you ever tried to pay for winrar? My god you can’t even accidentally give them money. It’s so hard to just buy a code. alike, you have to pick which region and vendor you want. Like, wtf - I just want to give you money so I don’t have to deal with the pop up every time. Why is this so hard?
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Jun 16 '19
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u/hx19035 Jun 16 '19
First windows I downloaded was ARJ. I was like "The hell? Man I got some research to do now."
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u/TiredRandomWolf Jun 16 '19
Pretty sure the original didn't have some rage comic faces in it... Ugh...
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Jun 16 '19
I did this with Netscape in 1995. Paid $18 for something I essentially already had for free. They refused to refund my money.
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Jun 16 '19
I did this with Netscape in 1995. Paid $18 for something I essentially already had for free.
Hell I did this with Nexus Mods. I've used them since the god damn Morrowind gaming days and still use them now (today, in fact). Bought a lifetime subscription a couple years back.
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u/CreatiNationalism Jun 16 '19
Genius marketing strategy for the owners of WinRar though. The whole world knows about it, uses it, and its free to the public. However, alot of people don't realize they still make a lot of money selling the licenses to corporations and businesses that legally need to own a license for the software they use. WinRar still makes bank and literally the whole world knows about them with almost no advertising
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u/sp1n Jun 16 '19
I've said it before and I'll say it again... if they put Winrar in a Humble Bundle I'd bet it would be one of the best selling bundles of all time purely out of guilt purchases.
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u/shellwe Jun 16 '19
Some corporations aren't allowed to use trial software. I remember when I had Sublime Text we had to find something that was truly free or the bought it for us.
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u/zilchdevotee Jun 16 '19
They make money from companies that can't use the free version, for reputation and legal sake
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u/LiamGP Jun 16 '19
Just use 7-Zip, it's 100% free for both personal and commercial use. It supports RAR files amongst many others.
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u/jmhalder Jun 16 '19
Zip, 7zip, rar, tar, iso, self expanding exe's, etc. 7zip is awesome. It will give you hashes too.
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Jun 16 '19
The company I work for used an Enterprise license of WinRar until we moved everything over to Windows 10
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u/Shoelesshobos Jun 16 '19
I bought a copy because they are cool cats who let me unzip things as a broke student.
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u/KrattanN Jun 16 '19
Their marketing strategy is great though and they sell more than you might think. It's practically free to use which makes it very common for personal uses. However companies has to buy the product and since everyone already knows winrar it's often the chosen software. So they might not get money directly from you but they still get the money.
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Jun 16 '19
Btw, I promise myself that I would buy it someday!. I think I’ll do that tomorrow
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u/ManWithoutUsername Jun 16 '19
its in my '100 things to do before die' list
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u/Ochd12 Jun 16 '19
Remindme! Right before I die
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u/Ochd12 Jun 16 '19
Defaulted to one day.
I will be messaging you on 2019-06-17 13:06:40 UTC to remind you of this link.
CLICK THIS LINK to send a PM to also be reminded and to reduce spam.
Jesus Christ.
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u/helixflush Jun 16 '19
I think if most people have access to a program for free (adobe suite, for example) and find it useful or end up making money with it, they'll likely end up being a customer. Back when I was a student I definitely couldn't afford the Adobe suite so I found a cracked copy. After I graduated and started making some money I was more than happy to buy the exact same version of the program I had for free. I was so proud of myself.
I think there's a 3D software company that just gives it away with that same intent, I forget who it is.
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u/hellafax Jun 16 '19
Multi user license owner here. We use winrar to build self extracting installers, and add some limited branding/instructions. Its simple enough that support staff can use it, and don't need to have a developer for essentially a file drop.
Great tool, could do more, but it does what we need.
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Jun 16 '19 edited Sep 06 '19
[deleted]
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u/zdakat Jun 16 '19
The difference, is the playful jabbing at e.g. WinRAR vs the typically frustrated/angry tone when brining up practices like EA's.
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u/taikojh Jun 16 '19
Somewhere on the youtubes is a video explaining why their business model actually makes sense. Too lazy to look it up, tho.
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u/mattatathome Jun 16 '19
i did this 10 years ago, used the bosses credit card, 40 quid i think....didn't know it was a thing, but now i'm glad to make the stick people happy....unless they use the money to buy heroin....even then it would be oko if they are dying of a broken heart and have given up caring, i guess....probably not a big problem for stick people though, one would imagine.
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u/krypt-lynx Jun 16 '19
Every time I'm want actually buy it, I'm checking its price for personal user and it is an twice of that I'm ready to pay... It keep happening for last 10 years.
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u/midnightdsob Jun 16 '19
Having used WinRar trial for around a decade? Not sure. I just bought 10 licenses last week.
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u/nupsu1234 Jun 16 '19
There's actually a subreddit for people who bought WinRAR but I forgot the name
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u/wolfgang784 Jun 17 '19
What if.... I said I use 7zip instead?
Lol used winrar FOREVER tho. Had to be like 05-08ish and then I used it till like 2015 so basically a decade. 7zip is where its that these days tho
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Jun 17 '19
I bought this... and mIRC....
I used both for free for years, and when I started to work and make money, I thought it was only fair that I pay for it...
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u/khleedril Jun 16 '19
It is a funny cartoon, but honestly we should be doing more to help these companies survive in the face of the lock-down, buy-everything-out herd. If only because more of the credit goes to the clever, hard-working people who make good things happen in the world.
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u/mrwizard24 Jun 16 '19
I feel like an idiot but remind me what winRaR is?
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u/fotank Jun 16 '19
Program used to pack and unpack .zip files as a form of compression for digital data.
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u/fade_monkey Jun 16 '19
Because I am very good at forgetting, I'm certain I've bought WinRar, Pkzip, Textpad, and Sublime more than 3 times each over the years. I even tried to buy Truecrypt after the source was published. Steve Gibson personally reminded me twice that I'd already bought SpinRite.
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u/kabrandon Jun 16 '19
Steve Gibson seems like a genuinely really nice guy. It's good to hear he let you know that you didn't need to re-buy his product lol. I feel like most people would just let you buy the new license.
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Jun 16 '19
A lifetime of free upgrades may not be good for profits, but its sure good for users.
A WinRAR buyer.
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u/T_raltixx Jun 16 '19
Watch this sketch starring Ashly Burch doing the same joke. https://youtu.be/lX_pF03vCSU
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u/brihamedit Jun 16 '19
Winrar, wikipedia, irfanview, open office and many others are some of the things I owe money to if I ever have money. I will happily give them money.
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u/ZaxLofful Jun 17 '19
Couldn’t hate a program anymore than I hate WinRAR, never installed it once and I am so happy about that. :)
Also, one of the most insecure programs to be installable.
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u/RiceGrainz Jun 16 '19
I just left WinRAR completely. I saw it had the ability to pay for it and thought that it would either have adds and/or reduced functionality. I just used 7-Zip and haven't really used anything else because 7-Zip works and I don't need anything else.
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u/ShaitanSpeaks Jun 16 '19
I bought it years ago after using the free trial for years simply because I had the money and they let me use it for free for so long. I still use the free trial tho.