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1. Downloading files
What is downloading?
It's the way you transfer information from someone else's computer to your computer so you can use it later. And when we say information, we're talking about anything from words to pictures to sound to computer programs. It's easy and it's free. Usually.
Text
Say you come across a Web page that includes information you'd like to use later, when you've logged off the Internet. What do you do? Well, lucky for you, most browsers let you download that information as pure text -- no graphics or pictures -- and store it on your computer's hard drive. The process you have to go through differs from browser to browser. If you want detailed instructions, just click on the name of the browser you use.Netscape Navigator
Microsoft Internet Explorer
TIP! A fast and easy way to save text is to simply highlight it with your mouse, copy it, and then paste it into a word processor.Images
What's true for words is true for pictures. Most Web pages contain some kind of images. Sometimes they're pictures. Sometimes they're graphics. And if you want to gaze upon them later you can download them. For instructions, follow the links below.Netscape Navigator
Microsoft Internet Explorer
Sound
Many Web pages contain links that let you download sound clips. All you need to do is click. But you won't be able to listen to sounds unless you have the proper helper application or plug-in. Many browsers come equipped with everything you'll need to listen to the sounds you download, but some don't. If you think you might need some help in this regard, check out our help section on Plug-ins.Video
Like sound, like video. Many Web pages make downloading video clips as easy as clicking on a link. But again, you can't watch the pictures move without the proper helper application or plug-in. If you're having trouble playing back the video you've downloaded, you may want to read our help section on Plug-ins.Software
You can download all sorts of applications and plug-ins that'll help you enjoy everything the Web has to offer. We've provided links to some of them in our Plug-ins section. Be prepared, though. Most software files are compressed so they can be downloaded more quickly. That means you need to make sure you have an application that can decompress those other applications. This depends on your operating system:
- Macintosh
Almost any software file that's available for downloading to your Macintosh has taken two steps to reach its current form. First, the file was almost certainly compressed. That means it was downsized, so to speak, to reduce downloading time. Second, it was probably BinHexed, which is usually shown by the suffix ".hqx". And all you really need to know about that is that BinHex is a code format unique to Macintosh files. If you want to use one of these files after you've downloaded it, you'll need two utility programs: one to un-BinHex the file and another to decompress it.
Decompression Utilities
Chances are, any compressed files you try to download to your Macintosh has been shrunk into what's called the StuffIt format. Netscape 3.0+ and Internet Explorer 3.0+ both come equipped with Stuffit Expander from Aladdin Systems, which can decode BinHex, MacBinary, CompactPro, and StuffIt formats.- Windows
Almost any software that's available for downloading to your Windows machine is going to be compressed. That means the file containing the software information has been downsized, so to speak, to reduce downloading time. And chances are, any compressed file you try to download has been shrunk into what's called the ZIP format. (You'll know you have a ZIP file when its file name ends with the suffix ".zip"). If you want to use these files after you've downloaded them, you'll have to "un-zip" them. And that takes a special program. Here are a couple un-zipping applications that are available for downloading:
- Stuffit Expander for Windows (Freeware)
- WinZip (Shareware)
Is all of this stuff really free for the taking?
Most of it is, but not all of it. You can probably download all the text, images, sound and video that you want, free of charge (unless the owner of the site charges an access fee). Software is another story. The computer programs that you download from the Internet come in two forms: freeware and shareware. Freeware, as you no doubt guessed, is free. With shareware, you have to pay the author if you use the program. You can be confident that the people who make the software available will let you know if any money is expected to change hands.
Can I download anything I want?
Yes. But what you do with it after you've downloaded it is another question. Governments around the world are wrestling with a host of legal issues involving the Internet and the World Wide Web. Say you download a photograph from someone else's Web page. What can you legally do with it? Chances are it's protected by copyright law. And that means you might want to be very careful. If you're looking for guidance on your rights and the rights of others on the Internet, you might want to check out the UCLA Cyberspace Law and Policy site. Disclaimer: Neither that page nor this one constitute legal advice.
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