Topic: Simple (?) question: How to download MP3 from a URL (both Windows and Mac)

[illconditioned]

I want to send a URL to a file for people to download.

If you have a mac or PC, how do you download the file?
Sometimes it just starts streaming (eg., Windows machine with Quicktime installed).  Is there a simple way to just download the file?  What about on a mac?

I've been sending people links (including TS.com), but some people write back asking how to "save" the file.

Thanks,
  Richard

[itook2much]

In Firefox, right click, "Save link as..."

[easy jim]

On a mac, hold down the 'option' key when clicking on it to download the file.

[illconditioned]

On a mac, hold down the 'option' key when clicking on it to download the file.

Thanks.

Can you please clarify?  Note that I've just sent the URL by Email.  I'm not sure what Email reader a person has used, but suppose they cut and paste the URL into their browser.  Do macs use Safari by default?  If so, do they hold the option key down while and hit return in the browser window?

  Richard

[easy jim]

On a mac, hold down the 'option' key when clicking on it to download the file.

Thanks.

Can you please clarify?  Note that I've just sent the URL by Email.  I'm not sure what Email reader a person has used, but suppose they cut and paste the URL into their browser.  Do macs use Safari by default?  If so, do they hold the option key down while and hit return in the browser window?

  Richard

The browser should not really matter in this case as far as I know - Safari and FireFox should both act the same.  If simply clicking on the URL happens to open a new browser window for them and just start streaming the file, they should be able to go to the file menu in their browser and "save as" to download the file vs. streaming it. 

Basically, however, holding down the 'option' key on a mac when clicking on something is the same as right-clicking on a windows box, and that would be the way to do if you just want to DL the file without opening a streaming browser window.

[RRobar]

if on a mac do your self a favor and get a 2 button mouse. Right click and in firefox "save link as" in Safari "Save File as". Pretty much no reason at all to still be using a one button mouse (unless you prefer it I guess).

[morst]

if on a mac do your self a favor and get a 2 button mouse

They are pretty damn cheap anymore, and I have gotten used to it on the PC at work to the point where it didn't take me hardly ANY time to get used to having the two-button jobbie on the mac. I got a MacAlly Ecomouse bundled with the iKeySlim keyboard for about $30 at newegg.com a couple weeks ago and I like both to the point where I don't even notice them.