File Compression 101

"It seems like every other file you download nowadays is in a different compression format, especially if you use multiple operating systems. First, we'll provide a very brief overview of how these compression formats work and the features that matter. Then, we'll note a few of the most popular formats and how they compare to one another."

If you have ever wondered what the difference is between the different types of compressed files, this is the article for you.  For simplicity sake, I usually stick with the plain old zip file since I know I'll be able to open it most anywhere without downloading or installing any other software.