dg1261 :
Just to jump in here, my own requirements are for a zip
program that can run from the command-line (meaning it can
be scripted) and collect files with the archive bit set.
WinZip and PKZip will do that. All of the freeware
alternatives I've seen mentioned seem to have very limited
or no command-line functionality.
in the time "before" WinZip there was a small utility (in
fact, there were three ones) named "PKZip", "PKUnzip" and
"PKZipfix". These were DOS programs running in the DOS
shell. I liked them very much until the long filenames
became introduced in Windows 95. There was a workaround or
even newer versions with long filename support, but I
switched to WinZip and didn't follow the progress. Maybe
you can find something with these searchwords.
[re-reading your post I saw you suggested exactly this tool
too - sorry, I haven't been paying enough attention...
Maybe it's useful for others, though]
Another great DOS packer in that time was "ARJ". Also very
small but powerful. And it had long filenames too.
Viele Grüße,
Sascha