Understanding Downloading
The Internet is a huge repository for computer files of all shapes and sizes, from utilities that help you better manage your disk drive to full-featured email and newsgroup programs. There are thousands of these programs available somewhere on the Internet; if you can find them, you can copy them to your computer.
The act of copying a file from an Internet site to your computer is called downloading; conversely, the act of copying a file from your computer to an Internet site, such as when you publish your own Web pages, is called uploading. (Just remember down to your computer and up to the Internet.)
Normally you use your Web browser to download files. You find a site with files to download, and you follow the instructions on that site (generally just clicking a link) to begin the download process. Since many files are relatively large, they can sometimes take a long time to download. And, if your computing session happens to get interrupted-if your ISP accidentally terminates your call, for example-your in-process download is lost, and you have to start over after you reconnect.
