am I installing my apps right?

[Sossity]

When I copy an app I downloaded onto my thumb drive, I move everything into the dowloads folder on the dock, then I click on the item, sometimes its a zip file, others it is a hard drive icon, & it opens up. I then go to the apps folder, & move all items from the download back to the downloads in the dock, & just have the actual app in the apps folder. I notice when I open vlc player, the hard drive icon that came with it as a download gets placed on the desktop. When I shut down vlc player, I have to eject the hard drive icon off the desktop.

 

[Hellhammer]

http://guides.macrumors.com/Installing_Applications_in_Mac_OS_X

You must open the disk image and then drag the app to the Applications folder, otherwise it'll be opened from the disk image

 

[spinnerlys]

Uninstalling Applications
Installing Applications.



Also have a look at the following links, as the information presented there might be helpful in your future endeavours into Mac OS X and could clear up initial confusion and may even prevent harm to your system or your files.

Mac OS X Basics

Switch 101 - guide with articles made by Apple on how to accustom yourself, after you switched to Mac OS X from Windows​

Mac 101 - How to get started with Mac OS X​

Find out how - tutorial videos made by Apple on how to do certain thing in Mac OS X​

Pro tips - tips made available by Apple for easier ways of doing certain tasks​

Mac OS X Keyboard Shortcuts - Learn about common Mac OS X keyboard shortcuts.​

Mac OS X Beginner's Guide by MacRumors - learn about software, media players, shortcuts and some useful tips, tricks and hints​

Mac Guides - tutorials, product guides and more​

Mac Guides - Finding Mac Software​

MRoogle - a very effective tool to search these fora using Google and made available by edesignuk, introductory threads: 1, 2 and 3​

"How to maximise your MacRumors troubleshooting experience" created by mad jew in 2006​