New to Mac...how to install software

dj420118dj420118
Posted:
in Genius Bar edited January 2014
hello,



im new to the mac and im not sure how to install certain software i was given. i heard there are several ways to isntall software on a mac depending on what kinda of file extension the program icon has.



for example i have the following extensions ".sit" and ".dmg"



if there are any other methods or extensions i should know about please let me know.



thanks,



Danny

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 7
    cakecake Posts: 1,010member
    Just double click on it.

    With .sit, Stuffit Expander will open and decompress it. With a .dmg (which means Disk Image) it'll open a icon on your desktop that you will need to double click on to install.

    Usually with disk images, you can just drag the application to your applications folder to use it.
  • Reply 2 of 7
    johnqjohnq Posts: 2,763member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Cake

    Just double click on it.

    With .sit, Stuffit Expander will open and decompress it. With a .dmg (which means Disk Image) it'll open a icon on your desktop that you will need to double click on to install.



    More descriptive than the above but not actually any more complicated:



    .dmg:



    - Double click file icon

    (it gets busy)

    - Usually a white disk icon will show up on your desktop (that is a virtual disk ... the files you want are on it). And usually a window will automatically open up showing you the files you want, often in big icons with some descriptive text as to what to do next.

    - Depending on the situation, you will either just drag the application's icon to the desktop or anyplace you want to keep it. Otherwise you will double click an installer and follow the prompts.

    - When done, close the window. You will then want to "unmount" the new icon that is on the desktop (should be a white icon with the same name as your .dmg file). This can be dragged to the trash icon to "eject"/"unmount" it (virtually).



    Since using the Trash to eject a disk makes PC users nervous, an easier way to unmount is control-Click ("cntrl" key) on the virtual disk icon adn choose "Eject <name>".



    (control-Click is the Mac's version of right mouse click, and is good for many things.)
  • Reply 3 of 7
    cakecake Posts: 1,010member
    Sorry about that. I was a bit to simplistic.



    Thanks John for the clarification.
  • Reply 4 of 7
    johnqjohnq Posts: 2,763member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Cake

    Sorry about that. I was a bit to simplistic.



    Thanks John for the clarification.



    Oh, no, I had started my reply anyway. I like your version, covered everything nicely. I think dj might prefer yours to mine anyway



    Mine was more "if you are interested in more info"...
  • Reply 5 of 7
    dj420118dj420118 Posts: 2member
    both of your versions were very help thank you!
  • Reply 6 of 7
    mlnjrmlnjr Posts: 230member
    Command-E also unmounts disk images. It's a universal key command good for getting rid of disk images, properly disconnecting FireWire drives and ejecting audio CDs, CD-ROMs and DVDs. And it's faster than control-clicking on the icon and then selecting the function you want.
  • Reply 7 of 7
    neutrino23neutrino23 Posts: 1,562member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by johnq

    ...

    Since using the Trash to eject a disk makes PC users nervous, an easier way to unmount is control-Click ("cntrl" key) on the virtual disk icon adn choose "Eject <name>".





    Small point. With OS X things changed. Now when you drag a volume towards the dock the trash icon changes to an eject icon. You no longer dismount a volume by dragging it to the trash. Just one of the little thousand and one touches made over the years.
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