Downloading applictions for Macs

[MortimerJazz]

Hi there,

You'll have to bare with me as I'm playing around with my first Mac.

I've downloaded a few applications such as Firefox, Messenger and a demo of Bento.

I've noticed that every time I download something, it seems to appear as a "hard drive" icon down the right hand side of the screen. Am I able to delete these once the application has installed or do they have to stay there permanently?

I'm only asking as I'd like to keep the desktop nice and clean

Also, are there some applications that I can't remove from the dock bar at the bottom of the screen? I downloaded VLC Player, but when I try to drag it off the dockbar and into the Application folder it keeps sliding back on to the dock bar again.

Thanks alot for your help (and your patience!!)

 

[Sky Blue]

Yes, you can eject these disk images from the Finder or dragging them to the trash.

 

[Eraserhead]

Drag and drop the application to your applications directory when the disk appears, its best to get applications from VersionTracker, MacUpdate or Apple Downloads as well.

Running Applications can't be removed from the dock but they will go when they are closed.

 

[MortimerJazz]

Great - I'm just slightly concerned as I dragged the Firefox "Hard Disc" into the trash, but the icon on the dock bar was then replaced with a big question mark.

Also, if I wanted to go about uninstalling any of these applications, is it just a case of dragging it out of the Applications folder and into the bin?

 

[patrick0brien]

-MortimerJazz

That blank white disk icon is the result of opening a Disk Image file, denoted by the .dmg extension on the actual file you downloaded.

In addition to the afore-mentioned trashing, it is important to know it will go away on its own after a restart - so get your apps out of there before doing so.

Otherwise, you'll have to find the .dmg file that spawned it (they usually self-trash upon download), and run it again. If it is typical and it is indeed in the trash, the trash is a protected area where you cannot run anything out of, move the .dmg to the desktop and run it there to get the Disk Image back.

 

[Neil321]

Or get cleanapp,then you wont have to worry about leaving files behind and then delete
from trash

http://www.synium.de/products/cleanapp/index.html

 

[Frisco]

Here's a nice guide for you. Guide

 

[tjevans]

Great - I'm just slightly concerned as I dragged the Firefox "Hard Disc" into the trash, but the icon on the dock bar was then replaced with a big question mark.

Also, if I wanted to go about uninstalling any of these applications, is it just a case of dragging it out of the Applications folder and into the bin?

It sounds like you ejected the disk image and had the dock icon for firefox pointing to the app in the disk image, not to the app in you applications folder.

As far as your earlier question about VLC, it sounds like you closed the window but did not quit the application. Not to open a can of worms (Lord knows this topic has been discussed enough around here), but if you simply click on the red button at the upper-left of a window, you will not quit the app (generally speaking), but only close the window.

You cannot drag the icon of an open app off the dock. Try right-clicking the icon and selecting "quit."

BTW, the quickest way to quit an app is to hit cmd-q. Another way to do it is to select quit from the application's menu. I.e., in VLC, it would be under "VLC" in the menu bar.

 

[CanadaRAM]

It sounds like you ejected the disk image and had the dock icon for firefox pointing to the app in the disk image, not to the app in you applications folder.

which means you hadn't installed Firefox properly.

You need to drag the package from the Disk Image window, into the Applications folder on your hard drive, then launch Firefox from there.