Do I empty my bursting download folder?

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Hello - I don't like the word 'newbie' but I guess I am one right now.
Please excuse the non-mac speak - used them for years but never had to speak about them - that's how good they are.

On my Finder window where there's a little house symbol with my name next to it. In this 'house' file is my 'download' folder where I guess everything I download goes:D. Question is - there's loads of stuff in there - seems like everything I've ever downloaded - do I need to empty it all or will it cock up my system if I do?

Many thanks,

Horatio
 
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I should not see it doing any harm all it is doing is just showing your download history (I Think)
If it was to get to full I am sure your Mac should warn you!
 
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If you've put all the downloaded things where they should be, i.e: installed all the apps etc., then yes empty it, it won't affect anything.
You should empty it every time really.
 

CrimsonRequiem


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You can leave it if you want. It's just taking up space on your HDD.

My policy is if I don't need it anymore then I get rid of it. Either by backing it up to a CD, external HDD or the trash bin.
 
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Trash the things you will never need to download again. For example, you have version 3.4 of Application and version 3.5 in your downloads folder. Delete 3.4 - you'll never need it again. Keep 3.5 in case you have to reinstall, which will save you the trouble of finding it and downloading it again.

Images, files, etc. - it's your call.
 
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Thanks for your speedy responses guys! Time to spring clean and do some serious binning then.
 
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As a suggestion, go through the list and if you need to keep anything, such as downloaded applications, drag to the desktop, pop in a DVD+RW disc and burn to that with any burning program. That way the DVD+RW can be updated with downloads you need to keep.

The rest simply select Delete.
 

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