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Entered CNET Catalog: 04/14/2004
SKU: WSD85BX
Manufacturer: IMSI Inc.
Manufacturer description
Zip, access, backup, and send! StuffIt Deluxe 8.5 makes using the Internet fast, safe, and secure! Whether you store data securely in space-saving archives or safely send it to friends and co-workers, StuffIt makes it easier than ever to backup, upload files, and more, automatically!CNET editors' review
- Editors' Choice: No
- Reviewed on: 07/06/2004
StuffIt's easy-to-use drag-and-drop screen eliminates the need for menu-driven commands.
StuffIt Deluxe's start page, however, is not well designed. Brightly colored icons for wizards in one column and tools in another create the sense you are using a suite of unrelated apps, with duplicate access provided by the toolbar and the drop-down menus. We prefer the no-nonsense, holistic approach found in the WinZip and PKZip interfaces, where toolbars and drop-down menus suffice.
StuffIt Deluxe also comes with StuffIt SEA builder, which creates a file that automatically decompresses a compressed file when clicked, and StuffIt Express, a powerful scripting tool. StuffIt Express lets you create folders; copy, move, and rename files; and e-mail and FTP from within StuffIt Deluxe. The easy-to-use StuffIt Express interface makes it child's play to automate common file-transfer and compression tasks. These tools can all be accessed from the start page. StuffIt Deluxe 8.5 for Windows includes all the features a complete archiving solution should have and then some. New in version 8.5 is the ability to schedule automatic backups using StuffIt compression. StuffIt also integrates with Microsoft Office 2003 and can create a searchable index of files saved to CD or DVD media.
The new StuffIt X (SITX) format supports many options, such as encryption.
The StuffIt-specific SITX compression format can compress files much smaller than can zip programs. In our tests, we logged file savings of approximately 20 percent on 50MB files and nearly 35 percent on much larger 1GB compressions. This means that if you regularly compress large amounts of data, you'll see some real savings in storage or file-transfer costs and times.
SITX also offers support for a unique redundancy option, a powerful error-correction setting that repairs corrupted or incomplete archives. Of course, you'll sacrifice some of the file-size savings of SITX to get this peace of mind. Also, like most competing archiving programs, StuffIt now includes several strong security options, including Blowfish, AES, DES, and 512-bit RC4 encryption, for compressed files.
The StuffIt Express automation tool is powerful scripting tool.
And like other compression apps, StuffIt Deluxe integrates tightly with e-mail programs, providing one-click access to a Compress And Mail command from within the Windows right-click menu. StuffIt also has built-in FTP capability, making it very easy to move your compressed files around the Internet.
A handy catalog feature automatically scans your system, as well as any connected network drives, for compressed files and creates a single listing of them. This eliminates the time wasted searching for where you stuck that missing ZIP file you downloaded the other day.
StuffIt Express provides a way to automate all of the standard archiving and file-transfer functions, and it can be used to create detailed and complex backup schemes. Plus, power users can access StuffIt from external batch scripts or the Windows command line using StuffIt's command-line utilities. StuffIt's integrated help system does a good job of explaining how to use the program. Aladdin also provides an online FAQ, which is helpful for troubleshooting.
The StuffIt Deluxe for Windows help system includes tutorials and a useful reference guide.
If your question isn't answered by the in-system help file or the online FAQ, you can e-mail technical support directly. Although you'll have to navigate through many pages on the support site to find the e-mail form, the tech team at StuffIt was quick to respond once we submitted a question.
