Each new file extension reflects a new technology

I have an odd affection for file extensions. To me they are more than just those letters stuck at the end of file names: they are the nuts and bolts, the cogs and screws, of computer software. Each new file extension reflects a new technology and the hopes, dreams and ambitions of its creators to cut out their own niche in the crowded world of computer software. Some file extensions are obscure, some are only just extant, and some are extinct but they all have their own story. File extension DAT, BIN, TORRENT and are very popular in computer world. At the same time only small amount of users knows that are they used for. File extension DAT stands for DATA. This file extension is used by huge number of applications to store different helpful textual and binary information. Files with DAT extension usually tends to be quite huge.

File extension BIN stands for BINARY. Binary is a way of representing information in a way which computer could more easily understand. You probably heard that computer doesn’t count in a way we do from 1 to 10 but does it in a different way using binary systems where there only 2 digits – 0 and 1. So number 2 will be codes as 10, 7 as 111. So BIN files are usually used to store information coded in binary form which application could use during its work. The BIN file extension primarily refers to “binary file output” files generated by a large number of different applications. Although the content of the BIN file can be viewed with a text editor this, in turn, will probably give you little information, unless you are lucky to find some hints in the ASCII section of the file. Data, read from a CD or DVD, may be stored on a PC as a BIN disk image file. In some cases, if the .BIN file won’t open you can try changing .BIN to .ISO. The Linux operating system sometimes also creates executable files with .BIN file extensions.

Going from one type of “image” file to another type of “image” file we finish the file extension PPS. Although the file extension PPS is used by a number of different applications, the most common gnerator of .PPS files is by MS PowerPoint Slide Show. As created by this application PPS files have become the standard format for arranging presentation material, and have also become popular, as email attachments, for displaying a range of themed photographs and images. Alternatively the file extension PPS can be associated with image files generated by the Corel Paint Shop Pro graphics editor.

Even though file extension TORRENT is not used directly for multimedia files it is very often associated with multimedia content. It is because TORRENT software is very popular for transfering multimedia content over peer-to-peer networks.

Also I’d like to cover one bonus file extension since it became very popular in the age of internet. It is file extension XPI. This extension is used by Mozilla Firefox for installing Firefox extensions over the internet. This extension is pronounced “zippy” and the package contains instruction for Firefox on how to install the extension.

If you have problems with any of the format above try finding an application which corresponds to your format.