★ WinZip Free - main page of the free winzip tool
Igor Pavlov developed WinZip Free as an open source project in order to compete with the other formats in the industry. The program features the 7Z format which places it in direct competition with Zip and RAR. Compression programs, both free and paid, are plentiful out there, so it wasn't easy creating one that stands up with the big dogs. Igor has managed to produce some excellent results under the pressure.
About Igor
Igor is a Russian Freelance Programmer. His claim to fame in WinZip Free and the 7z archive format, but he has also created other programs like 7-max, 7-benchmark, UFA, 777 and BIX.
What WinZip Is
WinZip Free enables you to compress files into small packages for easy storage and transport. It runs on Windows and incorporates both a GUI interface and command interface. Linux and Mac support the command interface for the program. This program even supports Zip and RAR formats. If you are using Mac and Linux, you have the ability to create TAR and GZ archives, which other major programs don't support. You get the ability to set a security password and set the level of compression on the files.
Summary
You can't write off this program simply because it is free. Especially within this economy, people are seeking out products that cost little to nothing while maintaining the level of quality they feel they should get. WinZip Free offers both the quality and the cost that you can trust with a compression program.