why are zip file sizes different in finder compared to google or amazon drive?

lee_gomez

I noticed that when I compress a file into a zip file, the file size changes depending on where I look at it. In finder, the file size is different than when I look at it on google drive or amazon drive. Can someone explain this to me? I'm curious as to why the file size would be different in different places.

larry_schmidt

The most likely reason for this is that the zip file has been compressed using a different algorithm, or compression level, than the one used by the other programs.

The Finder uses the "data deflate" algorithm for zip files, while most other programs use "store" or "deflate". "Data deflate" is a variant of the "deflate" algorithm that includes a small bit of extra information in the compressed file. This extra information helps the Finder to uncompress the file faster, but it also makes the file a tiny bit larger.

So, if you compress a file using the Finder and then uncompress it using another program, the file will be slightly smaller. Conversely, if you compress a file using another program and then uncompress it using the Finder, the file will be slightly larger.

Herminia474

The size of a zip file in your finder will be different compared to Google or Amazon Drive for a few reasons.

First, the compression of the file could be different. Different file compression algorithms can be used, some of which compress better than others, which explains why the same zip file can appear smaller or larger on different platforms.

Second, the way files are stored can be different. The OS X filesystem can use additional metadata to store information about files, while Google or Amazon Drive may not use that data. That would cause the same file to appear larger on one platform than the other.

Finally, some programs may include hidden files that are not visible to users, but are included in the overall size of the file. This can also make the size of a zip file appear different in Finder compared to other cloud storage platforms.

In conclusion, the size of a zip file in Finder can differ from the size of the same zip file on other cloud storage platforms. This can be due to differences in file compression, metadata, as well as hidden files.