Do You Use Free File Archive Programs? I.E. 7-Zip

Revisions:
12-30-12: Initial release.

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The other day I was watching a video tutorial my friend was using about how to install custom maps for Call of Duty: World at War. During the video, he was showing the user how to extract these map files from a .rar file, and I noticed that he was using an expired version of the WinRAR shareware version.

It was past the 30 days limit, and it had that annoying nagging screen that prompts you to register/buy the program, otherwise it keeps on nagging you forever.

After the video was done, I suggested he use 7-Zip as it was a freeware program, and he said that he just preferred WinRAR instead. I didn’t pester him to ask why, but I was surprised that he would be willing to deal with the hassle of a nag screen, instead of using a freeware alternative like 7-Zip, which has essentially all the same functionality that a typical user of WinRAR would appreciate: Creating and extracting archive files.

Thus, it made me ponder and pose the question to the general group here: Do you use a freeware program for archiving/extracting your programs, or do you have a purchased utility?

If it is a corporate setting, I would be hard pressed to find a company these days who would want to settle on a purchased solution, when you could either use: a) the built in Windows unzipping program, or b) 7-Zip.

Yes, I realize some programs says that their programs is meant only for personal or non-profit use, and not for corporate setting, but how are they really to know what type of setting you are using it for?

Anyway, I was just curious. Over the last decade, I’ve used all kinds of zipping programs like WinRAR, WinACE, 7-Zip, WinZIP, and more. By all means, I like 7-Zip for a variety of reasons, with the #1 reason being its free! How about you? What do you like to use? Let us know!