Delicious Bookmark this on Delicious    Recommend toStumbleUpon

Why Two Ways to Download?

You will find two ways to download some of my Windows freeware and shareware. When the choices exist, there will usually be a link to this page.

Each has its pros and cons, as I will explain shortly.

The two options are...
     a) Zip file
     b) Self extracting .exe file

You only need to download one of the two files.

Both options will give you a number of files. Those files can go in the folder of your choice. When you unzip the zip, or run the self extracting file....
     Your registry will NOT be altered.
     You will be able to choose where to put the files.
     No DLLs will be added outside of the folder you choose.

(In fact, it will be unusual for you to get from me any DLLs anywhere.)

The zip file and the self extracting .exe were both created using WinZip.

N.B. In a few cases, I have, due to customer demand, "packaged" a program with Install Shield, so you just click "Next, Next, Next" and hope that it does nothing awful to your system along the way. I believe that Install Shield makes registry entries, and maybe adds a DLL as part of preparing the way for un-installs. With my programs, to uninstall them you just delete the folder you put them in. The self extracting .exes that are the subject of this note will not themselves launch Install Shield sessions, though they may (unusual, and should be obvious) deliver to you an Install Shield package ready for launching.

So! Pros and Cons....

The zip file is good because your anti-virus software is probably able to look inside it more thoroughly. In at least eight years of selling software, I've have not been accused of delivering a virus... but I would still check anything you download if I were you!

The zip file is bad because you need an unzipper program to extract the files contained within it. This is not something that is hard to come by or use... I like WinZip... but you may not want to bother. It even lets you look at things within a zip file before you've unzipped it! (Which is why I tend to include a "ReadMe" text file. As far as I know... and please correct me if I am wrong... as of September 04, the malware writers had not yet found a way to make simple text files (or help files) dangerous.)

The self extracting file gives you the same files as the zip file, but without you needing an unzipper. However, if you prefer not to run other people's .exes on your machine, you would not be alone. Hence the zip file alternative.


Click here to see freeware, shareware from Sheepdog Software (tm)

Click here for how to contact this page's editor, Tom Boyd....
Click here to visit my homepage where you can explore other areas, such as education, programming, investing.


Valid HTML 4.01 Transitional Page tested for compliance with INDUSTRY (not MS-only) standards, using the free, publicly accessible validator at validator.w3.org