Downloading/Installing... there's a difference!

[Jeff7181]

It really gets to me when I hear someone say they downloaded a new game or piece of software, when what they actually mean is they installed it. Less computer savvy people use those two terms interchangeably, which makes it hard to help them download, and then install something.
They also say stuff like "if I download this document to a floppy disk can I use it at work?" Or download pictures from a digital camera to the computer, and to me, download is the wrong word to use for that situation... am I wrong?

 

[BigJ]

Originally posted by: Jeff7181
It really gets to me when I hear someone say they downloaded a new game or piece of software, when what they actually mean is they installed it. Less computer savvy people use those two terms interchangeably, which makes it hard to help them download, and then install something.
They also say stuff like "if I download this document to a floppy disk can I use it at work?" Or download pictures from a digital camera to the computer, and to me, download is the wrong word to use for that situation... am I wrong?

When I hear people say that I assume they downloaded it off of the internet(whether legally or pirated), and saying "and then installed it" is not necessary.

 

[fs5]

I think download from a digital camera is slightly correct. You should look up the old pet peeves thread... let me find it...

http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.cfm?catid=38&threadid=1105300&FTVAR_MSGDBTABLE=arc

 

[PanzerIV]

YES!!! I hate that too. I have been trying unsuccessfully to get my kids to stop saying that as well. I hear it allll of the time from adults and I just wanna smack 'em 😛

 

[mjquilly]

Originally posted by: Jeff7181
It really gets to me when I hear someone say they downloaded a new game or piece of software, when what they actually mean is they installed it. Less computer savvy people use those two terms interchangeably, which makes it hard to help them download, and then install something.
They also say stuff like "if I download this document to a floppy disk can I use it at work?" Or download pictures from a digital camera to the computer, and to me, download is the wrong word to use for that situation... am I wrong?

yes, actually, you are wrong. download does not neccisarily mean from the internet.

 

[ThisIsMatt]

From disc/disk = install or copy
From internet = download
From external device = copy, but I'd let download fly on something like a digital camera

 

[Jeff7181]

Maybe I'm a bit anal but it just sounds so stupid and noobish when I ask someone "where did you get the file?" and they respond "I downloaded it off a CD." Something about that just sounds wrong... I know download != internet... but come on... you "downloaded the file off a CD???"
I think the reason people substitute the word download for everything else is cause it's become trendy to "download" stuff. I never thought I'd see the day that computers became trendy... I was wrong about that, so maybe I'm wrong about this and just too anal.

 

[Jeff7181]

Originally posted by: BigJ

Originally posted by: Jeff7181
It really gets to me when I hear someone say they downloaded a new game or piece of software, when what they actually mean is they installed it. Less computer savvy people use those two terms interchangeably, which makes it hard to help them download, and then install something.
They also say stuff like "if I download this document to a floppy disk can I use it at work?" Or download pictures from a digital camera to the computer, and to me, download is the wrong word to use for that situation... am I wrong?

When I hear people say that I assume they downloaded it off of the internet(whether legally or pirated), and saying "and then installed it" is not necessary.

Right, but what they actually meant is they installed it from a CD or floppy disk or whatever... guess I left that part out =)