How to Download
by Ali Steinbergs
What is downloading?
It's when you copy something from a big computer to a small one.
For example, if you go to
a website, you have actually downloaded a copy of that web page from
the big computer (sometimes called a server) where that web page lives,
onto your own personal (small) computer.
When you want to install a freeware
application onto your computer, you need to download it to your
computer. This is how you do it:
How to download:
- click on the link/address of the site where the application is found
- search for the word Download, Downloads, or Download Page. You may need to scroll down to the bottom of the page to find it
- put your pointer on the word Download; the arrow should turn into a pointing hand
- click
- your download may
begin instantly; if so, the Downloads window will open, and you will
see a vertical bar which is gradually turning blue as the download
continues
What if your download doesn't start immediately?
- you may need to follow additional directions, which are provided on the webpage you have been sent to
- for example, you
may be given a choice of mirror sites to choose from; a mirror site is
a location where a copy (thus "mirror") of the desired application has
been stored. Make sure you pick one that is in Canada (it will end in
.ca) or the United States (will probably end in .edu or .org). Don't
pick one from Japan or Germany or someplace far away, because the
download will take much longer!
What do I do when the download is finished?
- when the download is finished, the vertical bar in the Downloads window disappears
- close the Download window (click on red button) and quit any other open applications (such as Safari).
- when the download
is complete it will leave a compressed copy of the application on your
desktop. All downloads are compressed, other wise they would take too
long to download.
- the compressed file will probably end in .dmg or .sit
- files ending in .sit
usually need Stuffit Expander to open; make sure you have a copy of the
Stuffit Expander application in your Applications folder; if you don't,
this is where you can get one: Stuffit Expander
How do I install the downloaded file?
- double-click on the compressed .dmg or .sit file. It will decompress/expand
- wait
- a .dmg file will create a "Disk Image" file. The icon of a disk image looks sort of like a white rectangle
- a .sit file will usually look like a brown file folder
- double-click on the Disk Image (i.e. white rectangle icon) or brown file folder icon (if necessary
- a window will open, showing the contents of the disk image or brown folder; usually there directions as to what to do next
- for example, if an
additional step is necessary, the decompressed/expanded file may be
labelled "Installer"; if you double-click on it and follow the
subsequent directions
How to finish installing a new application:
- if there are no directions, then copy the contents of the disk image or brown folder into your Applications folder
How to copy a new application into the Applications folder:
- hold down the Command (i.e. Apple) key and press the letter N on the keyboard; now release both keys
- this will create a new finder window
- click on Applications
- if necessary, create a folder (Command-Shift-N) and name it for the newly
decompressed/expanded application
- reposition the
Applications window so that you can drag the contents of the new
application into the new folder you have created
- the newly-downloaded application is ready to go
