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agreenster

macrumors 68000
Dec 6, 2001
1,896
11
I'm going to assume you are new to the Macintosh:

A .exe file is an "executable" file for Windows (kind of like an Application in Mac OS, or Program in Windows) You can't open them on a Mac, period. If you are using a Windows emulator (Virtual PC) you can, since it is emulating (or running) Windows simulataneously with Mac OS. This is a seperate piece of software, and it slows the computer down significantly.

What exactly are you trying to do? There may be a Mac alternative.
 

lkinsler

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 8, 2003
2
0
yes, I am a new mac user.
My friend made a copy of a program related to a class I am taking and the install document is a .exe file.
thanks
 

Giaguara

macrumors 6502a
Nov 22, 2002
902
0
Use it on virtual pc, or hope that there is a version of it for os x (or freebsd).
 

dukemeiser

macrumors 6502a
Dec 17, 2002
529
0
Iowa
Originally posted by lkinsler
yes, I am a new mac user.
My friend made a copy of a program related to a class I am taking and the install document is a .exe file.
thanks

Or if you don't want to buy/use VPC, then their might be a Mac alternative. What specific software is it?
 

Sun Baked

macrumors G5
May 19, 2002
14,937
157
Originally posted by lkinsler
yes, I am a new mac user.
My friend made a copy of a program related to a class I am taking and the install document is a .exe file.
thanks
If it's a PC program, then you need a PC to run it on or a program like Virtal PC -- since the Mac OS can't run PC programs.

If they send you the data files, like a Word document -- you'd be able to run open it on the Mac using Word for Mac.

However some documents, like WordPerfect files may need to be translated/converted using products like MacLink Plus.

But not being able to run a .exe file is a good thing since they may be hidden viruses inside documents and e-mails.

---

Though we can still plagued by the Word Macro virus, but those are easy -- just make sure Macros are off in Microsoft Office.
 
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