[gorotdi]

Okay, I know there's a search function, and I know that if I spent the time I could likely find this answer elsewhere in the forum, but only because I was told to ask away, I'm asking the one dumb question I've been able to formulate so far. I promise to search and keep on topic hereafter.

I installed Firefox, which was remarkably simple. When asked if I wanted to install the downloaded file, I answered yes. After the installed did its thing, each time I opened Firefox a disk image icon would appear on the desktop, which I'd need to eject if I didn't want it anymore. I copied the .app to my applications folder and deleted the .dmg, which elminated the icon popping to the desktop, and now it's in the applications folder which is where I'd expect it. The questions in all of this are: how does app installation work in OS X, what are disk image files, and is what I did an appropriate way to manage my applications?

[Steve]

You did it exactly right.

The file you download is typically a .dmg file, which will auto-mount into a disc image. You then take the application within the disc image and drag it to your Applications folder (or whatever folder you want to use). Then you can move the application to your dock or just leave it be.

After the application is in your folder, you can just eject the disc image and delete the .dmg file and you're set.

This makes it really easy to remove an application as well. Typically, all you have to do is take that one application and drag it to the Trash. There isn't an "Install/Remove" that you have to run or anything.

[freudling]

Steve:

That last bit is a tad Office Space. "It isn't a half day or anything like that."

[Kenneth]

Originally Posted by freudling

Office Space