LESSON 13
Downloading Internet Files
All of us are tempted to take advantage of the hundreds of offers of
free or nearly free software available on the Internet. We can come
across a hyperlink to another file, such as a Microsoft Word document,
that you can download instead of opening. Now we need to know how to
handle downloads.
If Internet Explorer or any web browser you are using fails to
recognize a particular file type, or if the file is an actual program,
you will see a warning before the file is downloaded to your computer.
What would you like to do with this file?
Open it
Save it to disk
OK and Cancel or choices after your selection.
To download a file or program
1. Click the hyperlink for the file or program you want to download
2. In the Internet Explorer dialog box:
· Click Open It to view a document or
run a program.
· Click Save It To Disk to save the file
or program with out opening it. By saving a file to your computer, you
can work with it later.
Note: Computer viruses are fairly rare on the Internet, but they can
damage your computer or files. If you are concerned about a particular
download, you should click Save It To Disk and them run the file
through a virus-scanning program before opening it.
Most of the computer programs now have a Files setting and transfer
Wizard. In Windows XP this wizard is found under Start, Programs,
Accessories, System Tools. If you do not have this program to upload
your downloads automatically for you, then you can activate the program
yourself, by going to your documents and looking for the downloaded
program. Usually a folder containing your downloads will be at this
site, or on your desktop, depending on where the download is placed.
You can right click on the folder; and click on OPEN for the file to be
installed.
Files at TTP sites are stored in different directories. Directories
organize information at an FTP site, just as folders organize documents
in a filing cabinet. Most well established FTP sites include files that
describe the rest of the files offered at the site. Look for the files
names “read me” or “index”
Many large files stored at FTP sites are compressed, or squeezed to
make them smaller. Compressed files transfer more quickly over the
Internet.
Most of the windows XP, Vista and Window 7, have this program included
in them to decompress these files.
File names: Every file stored at an FTP site has a name and an
extension, separated by a period(.). The name describes the contents of
a file. The extension usually identifies the type of file. Some common
extensions are GIF (Graphic interchange format) and JPEG ( Joint
Photographic Experts Group) MP3 (Motion Picture Experts Group Audio
Layer 3) and pdf ( Portable Document Format)
The following URL(Uniform Resource Locator) sites may be of interest
NETPETS Find products, services and general information about birds,
dogs, cats, horses and fish. http://www.netpets.com/
National Museum of American Art View almost 1,000 works of art from
across the United States. http://www.nmaa.si.edu/
NASA presents pictures, information and links to all major NASA
research locations in the US http://www.nasa.gov/
Planetary Society explore the solar system and search for life in the
universe with this amazing site. http://www.planetary.org/
Medical Breakthroughs. Be informed with the up-to-date medical news at
this site. http://www.ivanhoe.com/