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Installation - software basic information series

Many people confuse 'downloading software' with 'installing software'. 'Downloading' is the transfer of software from a computer on the internet 'down' to your computer. It's like taking lumber to a building site, it's just been moved there, it's not yet assembled.

Once software is downloaded to your computer, only then is it time to 'install' it. The installation is like the construction of a house, the lumber is assembled and comes together as a useful whole.

Installation typically consists of clicking to open the downloaded file, receiving instruction to carry out the installation, and a few more clicks of 'yes' and 'accept' as you are prompted to do so. If this sounds simple, it is.

Occasionally, a piece of software makes this step very complex indeed, with confusing or even illiterate instructions, or by asking for decisions no user new to that software could understand - a bewildered user being left to guess at what to do.

Other problems include installations that won't start, or start and freeze-up, or generate error messages. Most software delvelopers have taken great effort to make the installation of their product a breeze - if a software or freeware product is problematic in this regard, well that's the difference between a quality product and an also-ran.

Quality software should install smoothly and easily with instructions a user can understand. See also Software Configuration.

 Helpful: Simplified Computer and Internet Glossary