Allow us to download the VM files in a compressed format like ZIP, 7Z, GZIP Etc

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Looking at download.whonix.org for version 16.0.5.3…

  • Whonix KVM qcow2.libvirt.xz Xfce image

    • 1393332016 bytes

    • 1.39 GB

  • Whonix VirtualBox .ova Xfce image

    • 2235339264 bytes

    • 2.23 GB

In conclusion, in theory since Whonix VirtualBox Xfce .ova image is much bigger than Whonix KVM qcow2.libvirt.xz Xfce image there is potential to improve compression .ova images.

derivative-maker (build script for Kicksecure and Whonix) is already using:

  • zerofree, and
  • VBoxManage modifymedium --compact

If compression of the existing .ovas can be improved depends on whether VirtualBox allows to increase the compression level somehow or at least allows to pass through some parameter, configuration options and/or environment variable to the compression tools internally used during VBoxManage export. This is unspecific to Whonix.

Perhaps using the TAR_OPTIONS with --xz / --use-compress-program and/or environment variable XZ_OPT set to -9 (compression level) would help?

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