O.T.-Download .exe or .zip?

Maybe one of you can educate me or point me to a site that
can.

I run across sites that give me an option of downloading an
..exe file or a .zip file (i.e.
http://www.faststone.org/FSCaptureDetail.htm). I know I can
use either in my system but I'm confused as to why/when I
would want to choose one before the other? Are there
advantages I should be aware of?

In addition, what is a Portable (no installation needed)
type of download?

Thank you.

ZIP files are archives and depending on the content can often be
considerably smaller in size than the sum of their content. Those with
dial-up connections tend to prefer smaller downloads.
--
Mike Maltby



Job wrote:

Maybe one of you can educate me or point me to a site that
can.

I run across sites that give me an option of downloading an
.exe file or a .zip file (i.e.
http://www.faststone.org/FSCaptureDetail.htm). I know I can
use either in my system but I'm confused as to why/when I
would want to choose one before the other? Are there
advantages I should be aware of?

In addition, what is a Portable (no installation needed)
type of download?

Thank you.

Thanks Mike. So no technical reason, just personal
perference.

I'm sure grateful you and some others of the "brain trust"
are still sharing your knowledge with these ME Newsgroups.
"Mike M" wrote in message
...
ZIP files are archives and depending on the content can
often be
considerably smaller in size than the sum of their
content. Those with
dial-up connections tend to prefer smaller downloads.
--
Mike Maltby



Job wrote:

Maybe one of you can educate me or point me to a site
that
can.

I run across sites that give me an option of downloading
an
.exe file or a .zip file (i.e.
http://www.faststone.org/FSCaptureDetail.htm). I know I
can
use either in my system but I'm confused as to why/when
I
would want to choose one before the other? Are there
advantages I should be aware of?

In addition, what is a Portable (no installation needed)
type of download?

Thank you.

In the case of the FastStone Screen Capture program,
the Zip file just contains the Exe file zipped up.
The size reduction is small (only 1%)
If you download the Zip file, you then have to unzip it
to get the Exe file, to install the software.

Sometimes Zip files unzip to several files, including
a Setup.exe which you then run to install the program.

The Portable version is a zip file containing the 4 files
you actually need to run the program. It doesn't contain
an installer, uninstaller or create a Start menu shortcut, etc.
It's for people who don't want all of their software
to appear on the Start menu.

Dave Hart

"Job" wrote in message
...
Thanks Mike. So no technical reason, just personal
perference.

I'm sure grateful you and some others of the "brain trust"
are still sharing your knowledge with these ME Newsgroups.
"Mike M" wrote in message
...
ZIP files are archives and depending on the content can
often be
considerably smaller in size than the sum of their
content. Those with
dial-up connections tend to prefer smaller downloads.
--
Mike Maltby



Job wrote:

Maybe one of you can educate me or point me to a site
that
can.

I run across sites that give me an option of downloading
an
.exe file or a .zip file (i.e.
http://www.faststone.org/FSCaptureDetail.htm). I know I
can
use either in my system but I'm confused as to why/when
I
would want to choose one before the other? Are there
advantages I should be aware of?

In addition, what is a Portable (no installation needed)
type of download?

Thank you.

Thanks for the info Dave. I've got enough disk space that
I'll stick with downloading .exe file when there is an
option.
"Dave Hart" wrote in message
...
In the case of the FastStone Screen Capture program,
the Zip file just contains the Exe file zipped up.
The size reduction is small (only 1%)
If you download the Zip file, you then have to unzip it
to get the Exe file, to install the software.

Sometimes Zip files unzip to several files, including
a Setup.exe which you then run to install the program.

The Portable version is a zip file containing the 4 files
you actually need to run the program. It doesn't contain
an installer, uninstaller or create a Start menu shortcut,
etc.
It's for people who don't want all of their software
to appear on the Start menu.

Dave Hart

"Job" wrote in message
...
Thanks Mike. So no technical reason, just personal
perference.

I'm sure grateful you and some others of the "brain
trust"
are still sharing your knowledge with these ME
Newsgroups.
"Mike M" wrote in message
...
ZIP files are archives and depending on the content
can
often be
considerably smaller in size than the sum of their
content. Those with
dial-up connections tend to prefer smaller downloads.
--
Mike Maltby



Job wrote:

Maybe one of you can educate me or point me to a
site
that
can.

I run across sites that give me an option of
downloading
an
.exe file or a .zip file (i.e.
http://www.faststone.org/FSCaptureDetail.htm). I
know I
can
use either in my system but I'm confused as to
why/when
I
would want to choose one before the other? Are
there
advantages I should be aware of?

In addition, what is a Portable (no installation
needed)
type of download?

Thank you.