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Switcher Hangout (Windows to Mac)
Trouble installing some programs
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<blockquote data-quote="MacInWin" data-source="post: 1744635"><p>Welcome to the forum, and to Macs.</p><p></p><p>There are multiple ways to install software on a Mac. One is to simply drag the application to the Applications folder. Those apps come "pre installed," as it were, and don't need any more than that. Usually they are distributed in a disk image file that ends in .dmg and when you double click the dmg file, you see either just the app or the apple and a shortcut to your application folder so you can drag and drop right there.</p><p></p><p>Other applications come in a package, which needs to be installed. Typically the package will have an icon that looks like a wooden crate. You double click the crate and the installer runs. You are asked for permission to install, and the installer does what it needs to put things in place. In the end, the app is in the Applications folder.</p><p></p><p>The third way is that some applications come with an installer, similar to the package approach, but the icon looks like the application itself. You run the installer and it puts things where they need to be and you again end up with the application in the Applications folder. Again, you will need to provide a password to allow that to happen.</p><p></p><p>If you get apps from the app store, Apple "signs" them so you know they are safe to install (no malware). But if you get software from third party folks, a process called Gatekeeper jumps up. Initially Gatekeeper asks if you trust the source of the .dmg or .pkg. You have to say yes, and again give an admin password to install/open. If the app from third party has no installer, just goes into the Applications folder, the first time you try to run it Gatekeeper will block it. To get around that, right click on it, then click "Open" and you'll get the warning but can say to open it anyway. Password, done.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="MacInWin, post: 1744635"] Welcome to the forum, and to Macs. There are multiple ways to install software on a Mac. One is to simply drag the application to the Applications folder. Those apps come "pre installed," as it were, and don't need any more than that. Usually they are distributed in a disk image file that ends in .dmg and when you double click the dmg file, you see either just the app or the apple and a shortcut to your application folder so you can drag and drop right there. Other applications come in a package, which needs to be installed. Typically the package will have an icon that looks like a wooden crate. You double click the crate and the installer runs. You are asked for permission to install, and the installer does what it needs to put things in place. In the end, the app is in the Applications folder. The third way is that some applications come with an installer, similar to the package approach, but the icon looks like the application itself. You run the installer and it puts things where they need to be and you again end up with the application in the Applications folder. Again, you will need to provide a password to allow that to happen. If you get apps from the app store, Apple "signs" them so you know they are safe to install (no malware). But if you get software from third party folks, a process called Gatekeeper jumps up. Initially Gatekeeper asks if you trust the source of the .dmg or .pkg. You have to say yes, and again give an admin password to install/open. If the app from third party has no installer, just goes into the Applications folder, the first time you try to run it Gatekeeper will block it. To get around that, right click on it, then click "Open" and you'll get the warning but can say to open it anyway. Password, done. [/QUOTE]
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Trouble installing some programs
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