Install.exe coming up as text document

I've been trying to install powerpoint from a school website. When I download the install.exe and I double click it, it comes up as a text document. I thought this might of just been a problem with the File but others had no problems. And now I've been getting other programs from friends to put on my new Macbook and they are doing the same thing. Anyone have any idea why my Macbook is recognizing all these install.exe as texts?

These are Windows applications and will therefore not run natively in OSX. You either need the Mac versions or install Windows through Bootcamp or Parallels etc.

Like the other poster said, OSX and a Mac is not Windows and does not run Windows Executables which is what an .EXE is. You need software that runs on OSX. Otherwise you would need to install Windows along side of OSX.

I hope the applications your friends are giving you are legal as we do not allow any discussion here of any pirated software.

Sol02 said:

I've been trying to install powerpoint from a school website. When I download the install.exe and I double click it, it comes up as a text document.

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PowerPoint is not a "free" program that you can just download from a school website and install on your computer (unless you or someone else paid for it). If you want to install PowerPoint, you'll need to purchase the Mac version of Office. Or you can install OpenOffice, which is open source and free.

Juan Largo said:

PowerPoint is not a "free" program that you can just download from a school website and install on your computer (unless you or someone else paid for it).

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If it's a school-run server and the school has a volume license then yes, it's perfectly legal. Universities do this all the time.

It could also be the Powerpoint viewer, which is free as well.

You can also try to run it in darwine, but it looks like powerpoint has at best silver compatibility (several things don't work right)