Warning to Users of PKZIP Explorer and Microsoft Outlook 2000

28 February 2002

[PatrioticAmerican]

A warning to anyone who has the PKZIP Explorer product installed and uses Microsoft Outlook 2000 for e-mail.

The PKZIP Explorer application may attach itself to Microsoft Outlook 2000 and compress any files that are attached to e-mail messages into a ZIP file format. Unless the receiving person of the e-mail has PKZIP installed on their computer, they will not be able to read the attached ZIP files. PKZIP transforms attached files into the ZIP file format, and attached files are not transmitted in the original file format intended to be sent. PKZIP does not notify users when an attached file is being compressed or that PKZIP is working within Outlook.

The installation program of PKZIP Explorer automatically installs the “PKZIP Attachments”. It is this installation process that attaches PKZIP to Outlook 2000 and allows PKZIP to modify attached files. Most users simply accept default settings with application installations, and with PKZIP Explorer, this causes all attachments to e-mail files within Outlook 2000 to be converted to ZIP files. Most users would not understand the installation process or that it was installing this attachment process to Outlook even if they studied what was being installed. User must be careful when installing PKZIP Explorer to not allow this to happen unless they desire all their e-mail file attachments to be converted to ZIP files.

Once the PKZIP Explorer Attachments have been installed, there is no apparent method to prevent PKZIP from modifying file attachments within Outlook. Users may uninstall PKZIP Explorer in order to prevent attached files from being compressed into ZIP files. This can be accomplished by clicking on the Start menu, then Settings, then Control Panel. Within the Control Panel, select the “Add or Remove Programs” icon. Once the Add or Remove Program application is shown, select the “PKZIP Explorer” program and then select Remove. There may be other PKZIP applications listed, but they do not modify e-mail attachments.

PKZIP is an application that compresses a file into a smaller file of a different format, and usually results in a filename ending with “.zip”. It has been useful for many years to compress large files into much smaller ones, especially for transmitting files via the Internet.

PKZIP is a popular program, but is becoming less common, such that not many people will be able to read a ZIP file attached to an e-mail. Many corporations do not allow PKZIP to be installed, as PKWare, the producers of PKZIP, require a corporate license that corporations are not willing to pay. Many systems administrators of computer networks do not want the overhead of another application to manage or the management of the PKZIP licenses. So, many corporations simply do not allow PKZIP to be installed and your attachments cannot be read.

User can determine if they have received a ZIP file, and need PKZIP to read it, if a file is received attached to an e-mail and has a filename ending in “.zip”. Users will need PKZIP to un-ZIP the file to view its contents. A ZIP file may contain one or more files. PKWare, at www.pkware.com, allows users to download a shareware version of PKZIP. Of course, the PKZIP Explorer application may attach itself to Outlook 2000 and compress and modify files attached to e-mail messages.

Users can test if PKZIP is installed and compressing attached files to e-mails sent by Outlook by sending themselves an attached file and then checking if the received file is in the ZIP file format. ZIP files end with the “.zip” file extension in the filename.

This problem is symptomatic of the “automatic feature” frenzy that is plaguing the computer software industry. It seems that if a program can do something, whether a user wants it to or not, some kid will program the software to do it, because he found that he can and thinks that it is “cool”. More adult supervision is needed for software companies to help prevent “cool” features from being a serious problem to software users.

In the “old days”, software would warn users, or ask, before modifying a file format or the file’s contents. It seems that such courtesy and necessity is not understood by today’s software companies or developers.

When software continues to perform functions that users do not know is happening, the results can be very adverse. Another “nagging” problem is software that continues to ask a user if they want to do something each time the user performs a function within the application. An example would be when a user pastes text into an application and application asks “Would you like to keep the current formatting?”, and the application does this each and every time text is pasted into the application. “Nagware” was something previously only seen in Shareware products, but is now a common trait in too many software applications.

Software companies should stop nagging their customers to use features of their software. They should stop popping up windows that continue to ask, “Would you like to...”. If the software is so complex that the user needs reminders that a particular feature is present, maybe the software should be redesigned to make the feature more accessible and understood.

Software Development: Adult supervision required.

[PatrioticAmerican]

FYI...

[isthisnickcool]

A recent version of the shareware 32 bit PKZIP from PKWare has an ad server built in. Installing it installs software on your system that downloads advertisements to your workstation and uploads click counts back to Conducent.

Those with packet sniffers will see the outbound connects on TCP port 17027. PKWare is a sneaky bunch:)

[Publius6961]

PKZIP is a popular program, but is becoming less common, such that not many people

Wrong!
PKZip has become more popular since worms and viruses became universal.
Many web sites routinely reject any file with the .doc extension; making it a zip file is the only way Word documents can be sent in that case.

[Lokibob]

Does this apply to outlook express? Anytime I receive a file from an AOL user that is over 1 meg, it is zipped. I have wondered about it.

[Mr170IQ]

My suggestion; use PowerArchiver 6.1. It's better than PKZIP and freeware to boot. Don't bother with version 7, they messed it up.

BTW, does anyone else here remember reading of the death of the founder of PKWARE in the news a couple of years ago? It sounded like a trashier remake of "Leaving Las Vegas"

[SoothingDave]

Real men unzip from a command line.

SD

[Voltage]

Power Archiver isn't freeware anymore. Used to be however.

[Mr170IQ]

Power Archiver isn't freeware anymore

That's why I said find version 6.1, the last totally free release. You can still find it in many online download spots. Like here

[PatrioticAmerican]

web sites might reject docs, but they are onto the zip thing now as well, refusing any attachment.

[PatrioticAmerican]

ooooh, ya make me tingle all over! (just kidding!)

[PatrioticAmerican]

I don't know about AOL as I try to stay away from them, and so do my fiends, because they are so anti-American and anti-gun. AOL may be zipping anything over 1 meg. You might be able to check their FAQ or simply ask them about that.

[PatrioticAmerican]

Hey, Harr! Here's a freebie for ya!

[Redcloak]

Does anyone know if PKZIP still comes with the embedded Timesink spyware?

[rohry]

web sites might reject docs, but they are onto the zip thing now as well, refusing any attachment.

I delete all e-mails with zip attachments...

[SeeRushToldU_So]

Winzip is a better zip program, and Ad-aware will find spyware on your computer. And finally Zone Alarm will stop unauthorized access to and from your computer.

All of these are free to download and use. Winzip is shareware, and yes I did buy a License. The other two are freeware.

[KC Burke]

You know, it took only a few years for the free-form internet to develope it widespread ability and it appears that MS, Software Greedmongers and the government will kill its functionality in approximately the same amount of time. Will we even surf in any form of free manner in four years time or will only the really computer junkies be able to do so while the rest of the public is driven away by costs, subsciptions and problems built-in?

[Dominic Harr]

Here's a freebie for ya!

I rarely post in to a thread where I agree with everyone. Usually I just lurk.

For what it's worth, I do think this is a hideous software practice.

I like the functionality, but would insist on more user information be put up front. This is going to be a great problem as time goes on, with software being able to change subtle things under the covers that 90% of the computer users don't even know exist.

[PatrioticAmerican]

I agree. Software, especially MS software, seems to do things without asking or being told to. My biggest pet peeve is when I try to open the My Computer so I can move to my Development directory and Windows wants to try every FReeping device to ensure that it is available when it presents the list of devices. This means that the CD has to spin up, the network has to respond, and the Zip drive is tested for a disc, etc. All I wanted to do was open up My 'C' drive! Yes, I also have a shortcut to 'c', but I don't always use it. I guess developers don't want to write excellent code, but, instead, just think of newer "cool" features to add without thinking if they provide any benefit.

[PatrioticAmerican]

Bill Gates made a speech several years ago, in 2000, I think, on that very subject. He said that Windows was far too difficult to use for the average person and that the Internet was following the same path. Windows XP was a step in the right direction, but Microsoft still has its "feature junkies" at the helm as Program Managers.

I do not support Linux for my own use, but I very much welcome it and any other program that can give MS a run for its money. MS needs competition to show that people want software that works and is easy to use all of its feastures. I don't want to have to get a PhD in order to use a shrink wrap product. I have a 2.0Ghz machine with 512MB RAM. It runs like a pig compared to my "old" Pentium Pro-200 Mhz running older software. This machine is ten times as fast in many respects, and, yet, it runs today's bloated, "feature junky" software half as fast.