We are going to go with ‘Compress…’

The rationale: all users, regardless of how computer savvy they are, are able to anticipate what this will do. It is the most inclusive solution.

Thank you all for your input.

More contributions were made here: http://www.designintheopen.org/profiles/blogs/zip-archive-package-or and I included the question in usability sessions.

Yann – I would like to address your re-order of the right click menu. I agree that it needs to be done and I will open a blueprint for it and post the link.

If zip increases discoverability, without impacting usability in another way, it should be used.

I guess the only problem is the file format confusion. “I have already told it to make a zip, why is it asking me again!” or, if .zip isn’t selected by default, then “Why can’t my friend open the file I send him??”

Are there any suggestions how we can avoid this confusion?

She looked at me, and said ‘uh, no idea’. I kept looking at her, she then said ‘uh, to make smaller?’

I then proceeded to say, it creates a zipfile, at which point she had a flash of recognition and said ‘well it’s a tortology cuz zipfiles compress’. Point being, I think it should include the word ‘Zip’ in there somewhere. i.e.
“Archive (Zip)..”

Using ‘Compress’ with ‘Archive’ reduces the risk that the user will interpret the action as reducing file system space – as Rick Spencer points out might happen.

Prepending “Create a” further makes the point that this is going to be bundled separately, and not reduce general disk space.

Actually, “Bundle” is a great word! The association with packaging into a single file, I believe, would be explicit to any user. What do you think?

Zip _is_ often used as a verb.

‘Compress’ is a verb that obviously means to reduce the size.

‘Archive’ as a noun works, but as a verb sounds to me like hiding it somewhere dusty, away from sight (this is how Gmail uses the term).

I suggest “Create a Compressed Archive”