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Aladdin Updates StuffIt Expander and DropStuff


Along with StuffIt Deluxe 5.5, Aladdin Systems has released updates to its popular freeware expansion utility StuffIt Expander and $30 shareware compression utility DropStuff. StuffIt Expander 5.5 adds various refinements, including faster file expansion, leaner memory usage, support for Internet Config helper applications for uncommon file formats, and elimination of the need for additional extensions. DropStuff 5.5, which is a free upgrade for users of DropStuff 4.5 or later, offers faster compression (Aladdin claims 20 percent faster) and enhances StuffIt Expander so it can expand Bzip and DiskDoubler files. Aladdin shipped StuffIt Expander 5.1.4 and DropStuff 5.1.2 on the Mac OS 9 CD-ROM to provide immediate compatibility with Mac OS 9 (see "Mac OS 9 Installation & Compatibility" in TidBITS 503 and Aladdin’s Mac OS 9 Compatibility FAQ). StuffIt Expander 5.5 and DropStuff 5.5 also offer the Mac OS 9 compatibility of the limited-distribution versions shipped on the Mac OS 9 CD-ROM, along with the features mentioned previously. Both utilities require at least a 68030 CPU; StuffIt Expander needs System 7.1.1 or later and DropStuff requires System 7.5.3 or later. StuffIt Expander is a 1 MB download; DropStuff’s download weighs in at 1.9 MB.

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