Welcome to the Frequently Asked Questions area for PCWorld.com's downloads library. Here you'll find answers to the questions we get most often about using the file library, and, we hope, the answer to your question. We've arranged the questions into sections by topic. If your question isn't covered, drop a note to the Webmaster. Please let us know whether this FAQ is useful and what we can do to improve it. --The Editors

If you are reading this, you probably have everything you need. The primary requirements are Internet access, sufficient hard drive space to store the files, and a browser that lets you download files. Your modem should be able to transfer at least 28.8 kilobits per second, but 56 kbps or faster is best. We recommend using either Netscape Navigator 4.0 or later, or Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 or later; if you are using another browser, it should be able to store incoming files to disk.

You may need to create a directory for all your downloads. The name of the directory is up to you, although most people use something like /Download. Using that directory for all your downloads lets you easily maintain control of the files and helps you remember to delete the installation files when they're no longer needed.

PCWorld.com's downloads library is organized into the following main categories: Business, Desktop, Fun and Games, Home, Internet, Multimedia, and Utilities.

On the main page you'll find Hot Files, Newest Downloads, and highlighted stories, as well as a highlighted file every day.

To browse the file categories, go to the PCWorld.com Downloads home page and click the top-level category name (such as Business or Multimedia) to see a menu of files in that category.

To search for individual files, use the Search tool at the top of the page and enter a keyword that describes the type of file you are seeking, such as driverorgolf. You can also enter the title of the program you're interested in.

Once you have a list of files, whether from browsing or searching, you can click any program name to see its complete description and to download the file.

When PC World stories are posted on PCWorld.com, any mentioned files are hotlinked. Click the "Check Out This Month's Issue" link (found on the right side of any page), find the story in the listings, and look for the name of the file in the story. The file's name will be located in the same place in the online story as in the printed version. The link goes to a page that describes the file, and from there you can choose to download it. Or, if you remember the name of the file, simply search for it directly, as described above.

Once you have a list of files (be it a search results list or a category list), click on a file name to get to that file's description page. On the description page, click the linked file name in the left side of the Download box; the file's size is shown on the right. You'll then have the option to download the file.

To download the file, click Download File Now. If you are using Microsoft Internet Explorer, a prompt will appear, asking you if you want to "Run this program from its current location" or『Save this program to disk.』Direct your browser to save the file, and specify the directory you've set up to handle downloads.

If you are using Netscape Navigator, a prompt will ask you how you wish to handle the file. Again, direct your browser to save or store the file, and specify the directory you've set up to handle downloads.

It's a good idea to save all your downloads in the same directory, such as one that you've created yourself and named appropriately (something like \Download). That way you'll always know where to look for them.

Most data, program, text, and graphics files available for download on the Internet are in archives that end in a .zip extension. An archive is a type of binary file that contains one or more files in a compressed format. Archive files created by the most commonly used archiving software have file names that end in .arc, .arj, or .zip. Files of any type--programs, text, graphics, or binary data--may be found in such archives.

An archive is much smaller than the actual size of the file or files it contains. When archived, a file can be reduced in size by as much as 60 percent, depending on the type of data it contains. A few file types, including .gif graphics files, can be stored--but not compressed--in an archive. A given archive may contain one, two, or even dozens of files. This means that in one download you can get all the files for a game, a spreadsheet, or any other sort of program.

A particular kind of utility is required to put files into an archive. The same program or a similar program is required to remove, or "unpack," those files.

Most of the archives in PCWorld.com's downloads library can be unpacked with an unzipping utility. You can download PKZip from our library. WinZip, published by Nico Mak Computing, is also available in our library. And if you're looking for an unzipping utility that's free, you might give Free Zipper a try.

Most .exe files that you download are self-extracting archives that do not require you to use another program to unpack their files. As its name suggests, a self-extracting archive unpacks its own files when you run it. Unpacking such a file in a directory set aside for that purpose, such as \Download, is a good idea. A self-extracting archive may contain installation files that will be left on your hard drive after you install the program; you'll want to have those files in one place so you can easily delete them later.

Installing downloaded programs differs little from installing other kinds of software.

Most Windows programs--whether commercial, freeware, or shareware--include an installation element. The few programs that require manual installation almost always come with detailed instructions. The readme file (named read.me, readme.txt, or something similar) that comes with most shareware programs usually contains all the information you need to install the program and get started.

If you do have problems, first consult the readme file. If it does not provide the information you need, contact the program's author. You can find contact information in the readme file or on the file's description page, where the author's name is located to the right of the file's download link. As a last resort, you can try contacting PCWorld.com's download library staff by clicking the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of any page of PCWorld.com.

Some types of utilities are so commonplace that their authors don't include installation instructions in the packages. Here are the four most common types. Consult your system manual or help file for information on selecting/activating them:

1. Screen Savers: These files usually have the extension .scr. Just put them in the Windows directory.
   
   
2. Desktop Themes: If you're using Windows Me, Windows 98, or the Plus add-on to Windows 95, extract these files to the Themes directory, which is located in C:\Program Files\Plus.
   
   
3. Wallpapers: These files must have the extension .bmp, and they must reside in the Windows directory.
   
   
4. TrueType Fonts: Files with the extension .ttf should be placed in the folder C:\Windows\Fonts.
   
   

There is no charge for browsing or downloading files. Each file is either freeware, shareware, or a demonstration version of a commercial products.

All .zip or self-extracting .exe files posted to PCWorld.com's downloads library are virus-checked with at least two agents before being made available to the public. Also, all formatted text within archives is checked for macro viruses.

Many vendors and contributors are switching from .zip and other compression archives to self-installing Windows executables, which cannot be checked for viruses at this time. We add a disclaimer to the description for any files in such a format, warning that the file cannot be virus-checked. We have asked all vendors who distribute archives in a self-installing format to accompany their submissions with a statement that the program files were virus-checked before they were compiled. PCWorld.com's downloads library cannot assume responsibility for any file posted in a self-installing format: It is the users' responsibility to ensure the integrity of their own machines.

We are always adding new files to our library. Old files are updated as necessary--when new versions are released or when the old files become obsolete.

Download the newer version and install it over the old one. Your data files should remain intact. However, backing up your data files is a good idea, just in case the new program does overwrite your old files, and because regular backups are a good practice in any case.

We are always on the lookout for innovative, new files. If you have a file that you think deserves to be reviewed, please send an e-mail message to us that provides the following information:

• Program name
  
  
• Program type (shareware/trial, freeware, beta/prerelease, demo or public domain)
  
  
• Version and date
  
  
• Platform your product requires (Windows 9x, Windows Me, Windows NT 3.5 or 4.0, Windows 3.x, DOS, UNIX, Linux, or OS/2)
  
  
• Your e-mail address
  
  
• Your home page
  
  
• The Web site from which the program can be downloaded
  
  
• The type of program, such as antivirus, desktop icon, browser, or driver
  
  
• A description of the program (less than 100 words, please)
  
  
• Additional system requirements for successfully using the program, such as DirectX or Visual Basic runtime files
  
  

First, make sure you've followed the download instructions. You may also want to test your system; the simplest way to do that is to download a small file from another site.

At certain times--mainly during the early evening hours and on weekends--there are more people trying to download files than the system can handle. At other times, network connections may be slow or even fail. Such conditions translate to long waits and occasional file-transfer interrupts. If you are having difficulty transferring a file, you might want to try downloading the file at another time. You could also restart the file transfer; doing so will sometimes give you a better network connection.

Make sure you have followed the download instructions and that your system is working properly. You may need to try again when the system is less busy.

That version of IE sometimes requires that you issue a download command more than once. If you try to initiate a download and nothing happens, right-click the file link, select Save Target As..., and follow the prompts to save the file. You may have to do that several times.

Earlier versions of Navigator and Internet Explorer are generally considered too outdated to work well with many current Web pages, including PCWorld.com's download library. This site was designed to look best on Internet Explorer 4.0 or later and on Navigator 4.0 or later. We encourage you to upgrade to a current version of the browser of your choice.

A helper application is a program that adds to a browser's function. Navigator may ask for a helper application when you begin to download a .zip file. You can rectify the problem by specifying what Navigator is to do with .zip files. Look at your browser's Help file to find out how to install the appropriate helper application.

To find drivers, check the Add-Ins and Patches links in the product categories Business and Office, Fun and Games, Graphics and Multimedia, Internet, and Sound Cards (within Graphics and Multimedia/Audio). For a program you have downloaded, look in the same product category from which you downloaded the original program.

If you have a complaint about a file, please send an e-mail message to our Webmaster.

We can provide technical assistance with all downloading problems. If your problem concerns installing or running a file, contacting the file's author is best (you can find contact information in the readme file or on the file's description page). In referring you to the file's author, we are not trying to pass the buck; we have thousands of files in our library, and we cannot be experts on how every file may run on every possible PC configuration.

Note: We have tried to minimize potential problems by adding files to our library only after we successfully install and evaluate them on an appropriate device (usually a desktop PC).

The term shareware refers to software that you can try before you buy it. Anyone who has the program is encouraged to "share" it with others, which, along with the software's being available for download, ensures the largest possible distribution. Shareware developers request some kind of payment from people who continue to use their programs; usually the fee amount and how to pay it are detailed in the readme file. Shareware fees allow developers to continue to support and update their programs, and people who pay the fee and register are often entitled to documentation and updates.

Most files in PCWorld.com's download library are shareware. A few are freeware files, which are completely free of charge. Still other files are demonstration versions of commercial programs; such demos may either expire after a trial period or lack some of the full package's features. Every file in PCWorld.com's download library is identified as shareware, freeware, or a demo.

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