What is a tar file and how do I open a tar file?
This stands for Tape Archive File and is commonly used on servers as a precursor to ZIP files. It is also often used when downloading scripts from the Internet due to the ease at which one can decompress it on a Linux based server. It is commonly used for collecting a large selection of files (ranging from videos to images) and placing them in one single easily distributed archive file. One important aspect of using TAR files is that file system information such as user permissions, modification dates and directory structures are maintained. Each file contains a 512 byte file header which contains metadata concerning the file. TAR files were originally used on tape drives however are now used for a wide variety of purposes and the general organization of files. There are some limitations with this file type including but not limited to file size and time stamps.
Recommended tar file download:
WinZip
7-Zip
Smith Micro StuffIt Deluxe 2010
Smith Micro StuffIt Deluxe 2011
The Unarchiver
Dare to be Creative Archiver
GNU Tar
Detail tar file extension information:
File Format: Consolidated Unix File Archive
Primary Association: Archive Files
Mime Type: application/tar, application/x-compress, application/x-compressed, application/x-tar, applicaton/x-gtar, multipart/x-tar
Relevant tar file links:
How to open tar file on YoutubeHow to open tar file on Wikipedia
How to open tar file on Microsoft.com