File Compression Utilities

Most downloadable software is compressed. To exchange programs and data efficiently, particularly over the Internet, file compression utilities can reduce the size of a file by as much as 80 percent without harming the data. Most file compression utilities work by searching the file for frequently repeated but the lengthy data patterns and then substituting short codes for these patterns. Compression enables faster downloads, but you must decompress a file after downloading it. When the file is decompressed, the utility restores the lengthier pattern where each code is encountered. After decompressing the downloaded software you can install it on your computer. Some compressed files are designed to decompress automatically when you launch them; others require you to run compression utility software.