Ultra noob question

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EightmanVT

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This is so simple I'm almost embarassed to ask it but I will anyway... Why do certain..."volumes"? show up on the desktop when I install certain applications? For instance - I installed Chrome and Evernote - and both left these disk icons on the desktop. When I right click on them - it actually has eject as an option. Can someone help me understand this? I intend to keep the desktop clean so I want to remove these - but would like to understand why they show up in the first place.
 
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These are installers.
Once you have moved the applications to your applications folder, you can eject them, or just drag them to the trash along with the disk images that you double clicked to open them, and empty the trash.
 
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I’ve always though of these as “virtual” flash drives. It’s where you downloaded the item from. It’s as if the volume you’ve just installed from is actually a flash drive, but it’s not, just a virtual one. It’s more complicated than that but that’s pretty well how it works. Once you’re done installing, just eject it, and it will be gone.
 
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When you double click on a disk image without an installer, the application saves itself to your desktop.

When there is an installer, it has not been saved to your computer until you open that installer and drag it to the location you want it (applications).

When you open an installer, it opens a finder window, usually asking you to drag the application to the applications folder.
If you double click the application in that window (open the application), and then quit the application and eject the installer and delete it, you are also deleting the application.

Here's some extra information for you.
http://guides.macrumors.com/Installing_Applications_in_Mac_OS_X
 
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EightmanVT

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Ahhhh...ok...Thanks! Typically...I either drag an app the applications folder - or have been double clicking directly from the downloads folder
 
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EightmanVT

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I owe you some reps 6string - it tells me I have to spread the love before repping you again...you must be answering a lot of my questions. :)
 
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I owe you some reps 6string - it tells me I have to spread the love before repping you again...you must be answering a lot of my questions. :)

LOL... all good, but yep, spread the love.
There are countless amounts of people here helping others, or even just trying to help which I believe is still worth the good reps :)

Typically...I either drag an app the applications folder - or have been double clicking directly from the downloads folder
Best to stay organised, and keep your applications, and everything else where they are supposed to be.
Saves you from ending up with a Windows like system, and keeps you on top of things.
I have my browser preferences when downloading to save files to my desktop by default.
From there I move anything to the relevant locations, and delete the rubbish off the desktop straight away.
Takes all of 2 seconds each time, and keeps me having the most organised Mac possible.

Settings for firefox:


Settings for safari:

From there, I
 
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EightmanVT

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Yes - I definitely believe in an organized file structure - although still getting used to moving things around on the Mac. Right now I've just been letting everything go to the downloads folder and then moving it from there. That's one of the reasons I was surprised to see the 3 items on my desktop.
 

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