Downloading is a simple process.
When you download, you copy a file from another computer to your computer by way of a wire or even a wireless
connection. Compare downloading with the delivery of the morning newspaper. Your paper is delivered with a toss, and
it lands on your front step. (If the paper delivery person's aim is good.) When you download a program from the Internet,
it's delivered to your computer. The toss is performed when you click a link that starts the download process.
Visualize the newspaper flying through the air. Now visualize a stream of ones and zeros speeding over the wires from
the server computer to your home or office PC.
The newspaper is a bundle of stories. The program you download is a bundle of files. Each file makes up the entire
program you download. A program can be anything - software, an electronic book, or a game.
Compression saves time and space
Files are usually compressed to make them smaller, and to decrease the time it takes to download them. There are
different types of compression programs that create compressed files. One of the most popular is the zipped file, or "zip"
for short. You'll see a dot and three letters (".zip") after the name of the file; for example, "files.zip".
Learn more about zip files by using our video tutorials. They're on the main tutorials page.
Downloading links are easy to find
Download prompts come in all shapes and sizes. A download prompt can be a button such as this:  Or, it could be a text
link that appears like this: Download Now.
In any case, when you click a download prompt, the first thing your computer asks is, "What you want to do with the file?"
What do I do with the download?
Should it be opened from where it lies? Or should it be saved on your computer's hard drive? Let's use a few pictures to
help explain.
If you use the Internet Explorer browser, and click a download link, a dialog box appears with questions about what you
want done with the file:
DOWNLOADING FILES