• @[email protected]
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    fedilink
    158 hours ago

    OP refers to the fact that you can rename some filetypes to .zip and unpack them.

    Notable examples microsoft office files (.docx) or android apps (.apk).

    Counterexample are media files (mp3, mp4, jpg).

    • @mumblerfish
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      18 hours ago

      OP refers to the fact that you can rename some filetypes to .zip and unpack them.

      So… you mean the zip program just rename them back? Why?

      • @[email protected]
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        fedilink
        118 hours ago

        I think it makes sense from a programming view. When you have a document, you can add all the media files and pack them together as one archive. Then the program sets the filename to .docx so everyone knows that they need an office program to open that file.

        For the users, all you need to know is what program can open which files. If every document would be named .zip, you would have no idea if it was a spreadsheet or slides for your presentation.

        • @mumblerfish
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          18 hours ago

          I got that from the other answers. I was just very confused why I’d have to rename them to “.zip”.

          I still don’t get why it is “most” files.

          • @[email protected]
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            fedilink
            68 hours ago

            I don’t think “most” applies here. Text-based files, pdf, media files and most executeable files are not .zip.