Open .bin files wihtout Stuffit Expander?

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Level 1

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Open .bin files wihtout Stuffit Expander?

Hi,

I need to install the Windows Media Player 9 because of some streaming movies that currently have troubles with the latest Flip4Mac. So I downloaded WMP9 from the Microsoft site, which is a .bin file.

Unfortunately I am unable to open this .bin file. I know there is an application called Stuffit Expander. But before I can download this application I have to fill in my e-mail address to get an e-mail with the download link. This is definitely not something I enjoy doing. 🙂 It seems pretty weird to me that even Apple is suggestion software from this vendor.

Is there any alternative?

PowerBook G4 15", Mac OS X (10.4.7)

Posted on Dec 8, 2006 5:00 AM

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Answer 1

Dec 8, 2006 6:01 AM in response to prupert

I don't understand where your problem is. Stuffit Expander is fine and no harm will come to you by following the procedure to download it.

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Answer 2

prupert Author

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Dec 8, 2006 6:10 AM in response to Stanley Horwitz

So why are they not just offering the download with a link on their website, as most software vendors do?

I'm just asking wether there is an alternative, as I'd rather not install Stuffit Expander.

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Answer 3

Dec 8, 2006 6:14 AM in response to prupert

I have no idea why they request email info, but its their software so that's their right. Since StuffIt Expander meets my needs, I have not had a reason to search for alternatives, but you can try searching for an alternative at sites such as http://www.versiontracker.com and http://www.macupdate.com

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Answer 4

prupert Author

Level 1

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Dec 8, 2006 6:26 AM in response to Stanley Horwitz

Yes, it is their right. But it isn't exactly helping them in creating trust for their software. There is absolutely no need to gather my e-mail address. Above that: there is also absolutely no need to ask for my admin password when I want to install their software.

These are two reasons for me to not trust this software, that is why I am looking for an alternative.

I am asking this question here because it would be really helpful if someone with the same experience could tell me their solution. I know sites like Version Tracker have a nice index of software, but an index is less helpful to me.

Thanks for your responses. Maybe someone else has had the same experience and has a useful suggestion for me.

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Answer 5

Dec 8, 2006 6:59 AM in response to prupert

Stuffit Expander has been around for a very long time and Apple previously included and pre-installed this software on all new Macs. I'm not sure why Apple no longer includes/pre-installs Stuffit Expander but that by itself is no reason to mistrust the software.

Get a free Hotmail or Yahoo email address with webmail access only and provide that address instead which I do for all online purchases and for downloading free software that requires providing an email address which most do.

If an installer is required to install software, the prompt for your admin password is by and for OS X security.

I'm not aware of an alternative and I've used Stuffit Expander for years. There is no security concern with the vendor or this software that I've seen reported or aware of.

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Answer 6

Dr. Smoke

Level 9

56,586 points

Dec 8, 2006 7:06 AM in response to prupert

Hi, prupert.

You wrote:

"So why are they not just offering the download with a link on their website, as most software vendors do?"

You'll have to ask Smith Micro, as they now own Allume (nee Aladdin), the developers of StuffIt.

You can easily opt-out of their marketing e-mails with the first one you receive per the instructions below the Submit button on the page page in question.

The file you downloaded — which I suspect is

WindowsMediaInstaller.bin

from this page — is not a proper MacBinary ( .bin) file. It is actually a StuffIt X archive and can only be opened in StuffIt Expander. This can be seen by opening the file in either TextEdit or a hexadecimal editor, like HexEdit, where you will see the following at the start of the file:

Windows Media.sitx

If it were a true MacBinary file, then if you downloaded it with Safari, it would be expanded without need for StuffIt. However, if I download it in Safari, the download is assigned the .sitx extension, not bin.

So, you need StuffIt Expander to decompress the download.

Good luck!

😉 Dr. Smoke
Author: Troubleshooting Mac® OS X

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Answer 7

Dec 8, 2006 7:34 AM in response to prupert

Oh for God's sakes....

Here... Download Stuffit Expander 11.0.1 without having to enter an email address and be done with it:

http://macupdate.com/download.php/20954/StuffItExpander11.0.1.dmg

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