Installing software on a Mac

How to install applications on a Mac

Install applications on a Mac is different from installing programs on Windows. Not only is there a way to install software on a Mac, there are several different ways depending on the program you want to install. New Mac users are likely to ask a series of questions: Why aren't all of the programs on the Mac App Store? What is a DMG file, and why do I need to drag and drop your app's icon after opening the?

The Mac App Store

New versions of OS X includes Mac App Store, inspired by iPhone and iPad App Store. Just open the App Store application that comes with the Mac and you can search for and install software. Apps refreshed automatically here, just as they do on the iPhone and iPad. For example, Apple's iWork software and even new versions of OS X will arrive via Mac App Store. All the apps you buy from here are also tied to your Apple ID, so you can install them on your other Macs.
Mac App Store sounds good, and can be very convenient, but all the programs are not available on the Mac App Store. This may be for a variety of reasons. For example,, Mac App Store apps are distributed in Sandboxes that have restrictions similar to those that have been introduced in iOS. This helps protect users, but make certain types of software impossible. For example, the Twitter app is available through the Mac App Store – it doesn't have to do anything too special but should any program that needs access to the entire file system then it is not allowed in the Mac App Store. In view of these limitations,, deploy many developers still their software outside of the Mac App Store.

DMG files

Visit a Mac software website to directly download the program from the developer and you will probably get a DMG file. This is how Mac applications have traditionally been distributed. A DMG file is a disk image, that's kind of like an archive file. When you download a, You can double click it to "mount" it so you can extract the program from within.
For example,, Let's say that you wanted to install Google Chrome on Mac. You would visit the Google Chrome download page and download the file – it would be a DMG file. You should then double-click the DMG file, and a window should appear with the program and a link to the Program Files folder.
If you look closely, you see that the DMG file mounted in Drives in the Finder. Window with icon is basically just a Finder (File Manager) a link to the application folder on your computer and any kind of background image that tells you can drag and drop icon.

Here, you simply drag the application icon to your applications folder. This copies the folder from within the DMG file to the application folder on your computer. This does not happen automatically as the DMG file is just a disk image; It does not have permission to install an app on your computer. You must choose to do it yourself as a user.

After the program is drawn to the applications folder, You can run it normally – from the Finder, Launchpad, Spotlight, Doll, or something else. The first time you open a downloaded program, you receive a warning message. Agreed to open the file and you will not see this warning again.

After the program is installed, you do not need DMG file anymore. You can "feed" the disk image by clicking on the eject button under devices in Finder, or Command-click on its icon on the desktop and select eject. You can then remove the DMG file, move it to the Recycle Bin.

Program files

Some developers may not use DMG files. You can stop downloading a program file. In this case,, You can drag and drop application file from your downloads folder to the applications folder. It will then be installed as an app that was distributed in a DMG file.
You really do not need to install the program to your applications folder. In fact, you can just place an app in any folder and double click on the program to start the. Applications traditionally stored in the applications folder so that they are organized and located in one place.

Archive

Some apps are distributed in archive files with file extensions such as UR.tar.gz or .tbz. To extract the archive file, simply double click on the. Archive Utility automatically extract the contents of the file to the current folder. You will then get a program file you can drag and drop to your applications folder.

Installers

Some programs, including Microsoft Office, have Windows-like installers. For example,, If you want to install the Google Voice and Video Plug-in so you can make calls from Gmail and participate in Google Hangouts, you must first open a DMG file, and then double-click the installer, that is a PKG file.
The installer can do more things which cannot be achieved just by dragging and dropping, as to install system services and place the files elsewhere on your system.

Gatekeeper

When you download an app from outside the Mac App Store app must be signed by an "identified developers" before it will run – at least by default. This helps to protect the average users from running a potentially malicious program . This signing feature is called Gatekeeper. You can run a downloaded program and see a warning that the program "is corrupted and should not be opened." Your Mac will say "you're going to move it to the trash." This is likely due to the fact that the program was not signed by its developers, but can also be due to the fact that a signed file been tampered with or corrupted during a download.
If you are a regular Mac user and am not sure why you see this warning, you will probably want to stop this. However, if you know what you're doing and need to run a program that you trust — but the developer hasn't signed — you can turn this protection off. Disabling Gatekeeper, open the System Preferences window - click the Apple icon at the top left of the screen or click the System Preferences icon on your dock - and click Security & Privacy icon. Click on the padlock, Enter your password and set "allow apps downloaded from" option "Anywhere." This will reduce your security because it allows unsigned apps to run, so you know what you are doing if you use this option.
These different ways to install software that has been built up over time. The Mac App Store is new, and its limitations prevents it from being used for any Mac software. Gatekeeper has only been around for a few years, also. DMG files are a traditional way of application deployment, but not a requirement.

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Article written by: Chris Hoffman
Source: http://www.howtogeek.com/177619/how-to-install-applications-on-a-mac-everything-you-need-to-know/