Reducing file sizes for email

Sometimes you need to send files other than images, such as CAD. To reduce the file size of these you can "ZIP" them or "SIT" them. Both are a method of compressing any kind of data. Some types of data compressed better then others. For example, CAD files often compress to less than half their original size, but JPEGs are hardly reduced at all due to their already highly optimized file format. It is simply not worthwhile trying to ZIP or SIT JPEG images, but almost mandatory for CAD files.

You can get Stuffit from Allume, which will allow you to create SIT and ZIP files as well as decompress them. There is a free trial however if you are often sending and receiving data you may wish to buy the standard version. There are also many products available for making ZIP files.

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