1. Reduce the size. This makes storage of floppy disk more likely.
2. Combine  many files/folders into a single file.
3. Make Internet tranport more efficient.

1. Return one or more files to their original state.

When a user downloads a ZIP file from the Internet, he/she must use some type of software decompresssion program to return the ZIP file to it's original state. There are many progams available at computer stores and on the Internet which will compress and/or decompress ZIP files.

Some of these are freeware; some are shareware. I have chosen the WinZip shareware application to describe because

1. the shareware fee is reasonable
2. it is the most popular package on the market
3. it is one of the easiest for users
4. it helps to remove many  of  those unnecessary files created by application programs; this saves disk space

The most popular package to decompress Macintosh files is a freeware package called StuffIt Expander. It is not the purpose of this handout to demonstrate MacIntosh compression strategies, but all Internet users should at least recognize the common compression formats.

The creator of the Jokers Wild  Video Poker game has created a custom install program that will help the user walk through the installation process. Those applications that contain a custom installation interface shall hereafter be said to demonstrate a "Formal Install" or an "Formal Installation".

The creator of the Network Checkers game has did not create a custom install program to  help the user walk through the installation process. Those applications without a custom installation interface shall hereafter be said to demonstrate an "Informal Install" or an "Informal Installation".

http://tucows.myriad.net/board95.html

1. the name for the download file will remain checkers.zip
2. the file transfer location will be C:\Temp
3. using the mouse, push/select  the Save button! (See Below!)

Since there is no Install button at the top of the WinZip screen below,  checkers.zip is an example of an "Informal Install"; the designer of the NetCheckers game did not  implement a formal install for this application.

 It is not until this time that we are able to tell that checkers.zip   contains only a single file. Although an informal install may have only one file to expand; it is more likely to have many files to expand!  (See Below!)

The Extract Option must be used to decompress all informal installations. Using the mouse, push/select  the Extract button! (See Below!)

When the decompression  is complete, you will no longer need WinZip. Close WinZip! (See Below!)

All IBM executable applications have an .exe extension.  In order to start the application, you need only double-click on the icon with your mouse!  (See Below!)

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Informal Installation Summary

• Download the ZIP file to be compressed (if necessary)
• Double-click on the ZIP file to launch the WinZip decompression software application
1. Select Extract
2. Select the desired location in which to place the decompressed file(s)
3. Exit the WinZip application

Informal install applications,  in which the user has not taken the time to design a custom installation interface tend to be less sophisticated than  formal install applications; they  sometimes customize the Windows configuration. Informal install applications can sometimes  be decompressed and executed from floppy disks.

Since informal installations can sometimes be installed on and run from a floppy disk (if space permits!), we could try using one computer to install NetCheckers on a floppy disk and then place that disk in a second computer to see if NetCheckers will indeed execute properly. If NetCheckers does not run on the second computer, we can conclude that it must be installed individually on each machine. If NetCheckers does run on the second computer, we can only conclude that it might not need to be  installed individually on each machine; since many applications use the same device drivers,  it is possible that a previous installation did that customization necessary to enable  NetCheckers to run on that second computer.

Floppy disks are cheap. Downloading can be a hassle. I encourage my student to (1) always have a floppy disk with containing their legal version of winzip.exe and (2) save a copy of all of their ZIP files on floppy (if space permits).

 Using the mouse, push/select that  link for JokersWild!

1. the name for the download file will remain jwild11.zip
2. the file transfer location will be C:\Temp
3. using the mouse, push/select  the Save button! (See Below!)

Since there is an Install button at the top of the WinZip screen below, jwild11.zip is an example of an "Formal Install"; the designer of the Jokers Wild Video Poker game did  implement a rather crude  install for this application.

It is not until this time that we are able to tell that jwild11.zip   contains a collection of 11  files. A formal install may have one file to expand; it may also have many files to expand!  (See Below!)

The Install Option must be used to decompress all formal installations. Using the mouse, push/select  the Install button! (See Below!)

The custom install will almost  always  enable you to select where you would like to expand/decompress  the application.  In the example below, I have chosen to install Jokers Wild  in C:\Games\JWSlots.    Drive C already has a folder called Games.   The folder called JWSlots will be created during the installation.  Enter the desired location in which to extract your compressed file  in the box in the middle box. Using the mouse, push/select  the Install button! (See Below!)

Note that many of the applications written for Windows 3.1 can  be used with Windows 95 and Windows NT. Windows 3.1 did not allow any file/directory/folder name to have more than 8 characters (no blanks) with an 3 character extension; if installing one of these in Windows 95/NT, you will not be able to have a directory called C:\Program Files or a directory called C:\Games\Jokers Wild Video Game\.

If the install program objects to your choice of file names, you might try a combination that would be legal in Windows 3.1; this is demonstrated above.

All  IBM executable applications have an .exe extension.  In order to start the application, you need only double-click on the icon with your mouse!  (See Below!)

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 Formal Installation Summary

• Download the ZIP file to be compressed (if necessary)
• Double-click on the ZIP file to launch the WinZip decompression software application
1. Select Install
2. Walk through the custom installation process.
3. Exit the WinZip application

Formal install applications,  in which the user has  taken the time to design a custom installation interface tend to be more sophisticated than  informal install applications; they  often customize the Windows configuration.  Informal install applications can sometimes  be decompressed and executed from floppy disks.

Since formal installations can sometimes be installed on and run from a floppy disk (if space permits!), we could try using one computer to install Jokers Wild on a floppy disk and then place that disk in a second computer to see if Jokers Wild will indeed execute properly. If Jokers Wild does not run on the second computer, we can conclude that it must be installed individually on each machine. If Jokers Wild does run on the second computer, we can only conclude that it might not need to be  installed individually on each machine; since many applications use the same device drivers,  it is possible that a previous installation did that customization necessary to enable  Jokers Wild to run on that second computer.

Floppy disks are cheap. Downloading can be a hassle. I encourage my student to (1) always have a floppy disk with containing their legal version of winzip.exe and (2) save a copy of all of their ZIP files on floppy (if space permits).

Let us assume that Joe downloads and installs a Chess game on the hard drive of Computer B. Let us also assume that Chess does customization the Windows configuration. During the installation of the Chess game, all eleven files related to the game are systematically stored in a folder called Chess; this folder is 840 KB. Since the Windows configuration was altered during the install, there is a very low probability that Joe will be able to copy the Chess folder to a floppy disk and use it in computer A without formally installing it on that machine.

Applications that do customize the Windows configuration  generally must be individually  installed on each and every computer that is to use that

When installing many applications, the user has no way of knowing if the application customizes the Windows configuration. I recommend my students  install a good anti-virus program prior to installing applications and games from the Internet.

	Dr. Thomas E. Hicks       Computer Science Department  Trinity University "Dr. Web"