The Corvette that Windows zip folders bought
Windows’ built‑in ZIP folder support traces back to a 1990s shareware shell extension that Microsoft bought from one of its own engineers, a move that still shapes how compressed files behave in Explorer today. Commenters reflect on how that code has aged poorly—being slow, single‑threaded, and confusing for users—prompting power users to rely on tools like 7‑Zip or WinRAR instead. The story also raises broader questions about employer ownership of side projects, how large companies handle “competing” employee software, and the trade‑offs people make when spending sudden windfalls versus investing for the long term.
Origin of Windows “ZIP folders” feature
- A developer built a ZIP-as-folder shell extension at home in the early 90s, turned it into shareware, and later sold it to Microsoft, using the proceeds to buy a sports car.
- Commenters see this as emblematic of 90s Microsoft: internal side projects could end up competing with Windows features, leading to quiet buyouts rather than internal rewrites.
Quality and limitations of built‑in ZIP support
- Many note that Windows’ ZIP integration has long been slow, single‑threaded, and brittle with large archives or corruption.
- Power users say they always install 7‑Zip/WinRAR and avoid the built‑in tool; some wish Explorer’s ZIP support were faster so they wouldn’t need third‑party tools.
- Others argue Microsoft is reluctant to touch “old code that works” for fear of regressions.
- There’s frustration that Explorer ZIPs are not fully integrated system‑wide and have odd UI/UX (non‑intuitive extraction, temp-folder behavior).
Temp-folder and user‑experience pitfalls
- The integration with downloads (especially “Open” from browsers) often leads to people editing documents inside temporary ZIP extraction folders and then losing changes.
- Some blame the original design; others say the deeper mistake was offering “Open without saving” for downloads.
Employment agreements and IP ownership
- Discussion explores how modern employment contracts often claim ownership of any side project related to the employer’s business, even done at home.
- Commenters debate legality and enforceability across jurisdictions (US, Canada, Europe).
- Several suggest negotiating explicit carve‑outs for side projects, though many say large companies rarely budge.
Windfalls, investing, and “financial literacy”
- One thread argues that spending a sudden payout on a car instead of index funds or employer stock forfeited massive long‑term gains; others counter that enjoying life now is reasonable, especially if one already has substantial wealth.
- There’s debate over what counts as “fuck you money” and whether a few million dollars qualifies.
Credibility and conflicting histories
- Some link to legal actions against a later company associated with the same developer, describing it as malware/scamware.
- A Microsoft blog post and leaked source code are cited as suggesting that core ZIP compression code in Windows came from a third‑party (Info-ZIP) rather than from the shareware product itself, raising questions about details of the popular anecdote.
- Commenters speculate the storyteller may be misremembering or simplifying events; others see this pattern in multiple stories attributed to the same person.