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Save yourself some time and effort! Read our FAQs before you
Contact Us. We receive lots of feedback from Etuo users. These are
some questions that our customers typically ask us.
- How do I find software that I'm looking for?
- Why do I always have to choose a country or
region?
- My download didn't work, what do I do?
- What does "box-less" software mean?
- Where is your software store?
- How do I detect and remove a computer virus?
- How can I tell how long it will take to
download software from Etuo?
- What is BSD?
- How can I find out what all those acronyms
and abbreviations mean? EXE, ZIP, HQX, SIT, DAT and XML for
instance.
- How do I open a ZIP, EXE, HQX, SIT, DAT or
XML file?
- I have files with extensions that I don't
recognize -- DXF, PS, PRN, PLT or others -- and cannot open or
view them. How do I find a freeware or shareware program on Etuo
to view these files?
- Who reviews your software?
- How do you rate the software that you accept?
- You have so many programs and other software,
how do I know which ones to download?
- If I get an error with software I've
downloaded from Etuo, who should I contact?
- I was trying to download a program and I got
a 404 link error. What should I do?
- I read some reviews of free, downloadable Etuo
software. Where can I find these on your Web site?
- What is the difference between shareware,
freeware, demoware, postcardware and so forth?
- Do I need to pay in advance to download your
software?
- Who do I notify if I find an error on the Etuo
Website?
- Does it matter which Etuo download site I
use? Specifically, is Etuo software particular to my geographical
location?
- How do I contact the author of software I've
downloaded from Etuo?
- What does "corrupt file" mean?
- I've tried downloading a program several
times and it gets stuck every time. What's going on?
- What is a "mirror" site?
- How can I mirror a Etuo site (Games, HTML,
Linux and so on)?
- How do I submit software to Etuo and what are
your criteria for accepting software?
- To which Etuo site should I submit my
software?
- How can I link my Website to a Etuo site?
- My software is already on a Etuo site. Do you
have a graphic that I can use to advertise my three-, four- or
five-cow rating?
The question we are most asked is, "Do you have any software
for...?"
Whether it's software for virus detection, picture viewing,
messaging, faxing, printing business cards or music making, the
answer is almost always "yes," and we can help you find
whatever you're looking for. Whether you know the software title or
just what it does -- what you want it do - you can find it on the Etuo
sites by searching. The main Etuo Super Search page is located at
http://www.Etuo.com/search.html.
This Super Search page helps you to broaden or narrow your search
by specific platforms (Windows, Macintosh and so forth) and your
search keywords. Etuo also has a search box on every page. If you're
new to Etuo or to searching in general, we suggest that you start by
reading our page on How to Find Stuff on Etuo, and then taking our
Search Tutorial.
In the best-case scenario, downloading software over the Internet
takes time. The larger the file size, the longer it will take. To
keep download times as short as possible, Etuo maintains over 1,000
mirror sites around the world. Since we don't know your physical
location, we ask that you to choose the download site closest to
you. You may find that at times your usual download site is
temporarily slow or unavailable. This is one huge advantage to
letting you choose a site for yourself each time you visit Etuo.
You may have difficulty running or installing downloading software
for a number of reasons:
- The download process was interrupted because you lost your
Internet connection. This can happen if someone picked up an
extension telephone or your Internet Service Provider (ISP)
disconnected.
- You didn't note where on your hard drive the downloaded file
was being saved and, as a consequence, can't find it or don't
know what to look for. Download files often have obscure file
names that aren't obviously related to the name of the product
you downloaded.
- You've downloaded a Macintosh file with a SIT, or HQX
extension and you can't open or install it. Macintosh program
files are prepared differently than Windows program files for
downloading over the Internet and usually require an
"unstuffing" program. Stuffit Expander is a useful
(and free) utility that will unstuff (decompress) most Macintosh
download files. Downloading Stuffit Expander can be problematic
if you do not already have it on your computer. You should be
able to find Stuffit Expander on the system disk that came with
your Macintosh computer.
We recommend that you take the Etuo Download Tutorial, which takes
you through the steps involved in the download experience. This
tutorial can help you identify the reasons that you're having
difficulty.
"Box-less" software means that there is no box included
or required. It describes our way of selling and delivering
software over the Internet directly to your computer. There are
two ways to buy software from Etuo:
- Purchase before you download it
- Purchase after you've downloaded it and tried it
When you buy software from Etuo, the software is delivered over
the Internet to your computer's hard drive. There is no software
box, no plastic wrap, no cardboard packaging, no multi-language
printed manual and no CD-ROM or diskette. The cost savings
otherwise associated with the production of packaging materials is
passed on to you. As a general rule, box-less software is less
expensive as a result.
You can buy software from Etuo directly from Etuo Store, or
from the Etuo download sites wherever you see a Buy Now! link.
The Etuo Store can be found at http://store.Etuo.com
If you have virus concerns, you've come to the right place! Etuo
has lots of anti-virus software to choose from for all platforms.
Click now to search Etuo for anti-virus software for your
computer.
You can be assured that Etuo software downloads are virus-free
before being added to our sites. If you want to learn about
computer viruses, e-mail and Internet software, here are some
places to start:
- www.symantec.com
- www.mcafee.com
- IBM's Antivirus news
- F-Secure
- Sympatico Virus Help
Download time depends on your Internet connection speed (impacted
by your modem speed and the time of day), your computer's speed
and other less-consistent factors.
You can minimize download time by choosing the closest download
location.
| Guide to
approximate download times |
| Filesize |
28.8/33.6 Kbps |
56 Kbps |
T1 or LAN |
| 10 MB |
55.5 minutes |
27.7 minutes |
1.12 minutes |
| 1 MB |
5.5 minutes |
2.7 minutes |
6.6 seconds |
| 100 KB |
33 seconds |
17 seconds |
0.6 seconds |
BSD stands for "Berkeley Systems Development" and is the
name of a UNIX-based computer operating system. Etuo has a site
dedicated to BSD and BSD downloads at http://bsd.Etuo.com.
Interestingly, Macintosh OS X is based on BSD.
The world of technology has spawned thousands of such acronyms,
abbreviations and file extensions. In fact, there are so many that
we couldn't possibly attempt to explain them all here. Here's a
list of Web sites that strive to explain all these terms. You
should be aware that some acronyms and abbreviations have several
different meanings.
- Acronymfinder.com
- The World Wide Web Acronym and Abbreviation Server
- O'Reilly & Associates online dictionary of terms
- One Look List of Dictionaries and Glossaries
- Whatis.com
For both Windows and Macintosh, start by double clicking the file
icon. Generally, Windows files with an EXE extension -- EXE means
executable -- will open automatically without the aid of special
programs. If your computer alerts you that it cannot open the file
because you don't have the associated program, you need to find an
application that will open a file with that specific extension.
Find out first to which program the file extension belongs, and
then search Etuo for that program.
First, identify what kind of file you have (see help with acronyms
and file extensions, above). Try searching this Extension Search
database. There's also a handy list of Macintosh file extensions
in the Apple Tech Info Library. Next, search Etuo for a matching
viewer or program with which to open or use the file you have. You
can either browse the Etuo categories that correspond with the
type of file you have or use the file extension as a search term
in the Etuo search box. Read the software descriptions to find a
compatible match with your file extension.
Software in the Etuo libraries is submitted by authors or
publishers, and is in turn reviewed by the Etuo staff. The
description that appears on a Etuo listing page is written by Etuo'
own professional review staff rather than simply reproduced from
the software publisher's documentation.
Software available for download is rated using a one- to five-cow
rating system. Software submitted to Etuo is rated according to
the following criteria:
- Interface and documentation (help files, graphics/sound)
- Functionality of the program
- Ease of install and uninstall
- How it runs (system resources)
- Innovation
- Reviewer's opinion
You do need to know what you're looking for; either the software
name or what it does. Ask others you know for recommendations. If
you're unsure whether certain software will suit your needs, read
the description on the listing page or get more help on how to
find software on Etuo.
This depends on whether the error you encounter is during the
download, installation or use of the software. If you have trouble
downloading, try using a different mirror site, read our download
tutorial, then contact us. Etuo staff tests all software posted on
Etuo.
If you encounter errors using the software after downloading,
you should contact the author or publisher. Most software has a
Help or About menu item (usually in the upper left of the menus).
Click Help or About and you'll find out how to contact the
software publisher.
A "404 Not Found" error means that the link you just
clicked has expired. If you receive this error when you click a
link to download Etuo-hosted software, it's likely as a result of
a temporary unavailability. Try again later, or try choosing a
different mirror site.
Etuo is often praised in the press, but it's not easy to provide a
direct reference to specific software on Etuo. To find software on
Etuo you can browse our categories or search for a specific title
or part of a title. Read more about finding and searching for Etuo
software.
These terms refer to different kinds of downloadable software.
Their definitions can be found in the Etuo Glossary.
Not necessarily. Most Etuo software is downloadable for free and
works for a limited time. Once this "trial period" has
expired, you must pay to continue using the software. Some Etuo
software can be purchased in advance of trial. See our tutorials
on How to buy software with Etuo.
We appreciate being notified of any errors on our Web sites. You
can notify us on our Contact Us page.
Generally, the answer is no. Since Etuo software is mirrored
internationally, the software is the same on all Etuo mirror
sites. There may be some software, that was designed to work with
local technology standards (like PAL or NTSC video software, fax
software, answering machine software, and so forth), but it still
doesn't matter which Etuo download mirror you use.
Most software has a Help or About menu item in the upper left of
the menus. Click Help or About and you'll see information about
how to contact the software publisher. Some software also has a
Read Me file that is easily opened and generally well worth
reading.
Computer files sometimes break. When they do, they are considered
corrupt. This is the classic reason to backup your program and
data files so that in the event of a corrupt file you can
reinstall from a backup.
Despite thousands of downloads occurring every day from Etuo,
several things can go wrong with the process. Don't despair! Help
is close by. It could be a problem with your computer or with your
Internet Service Provider (ISP) disconnecting you unexpectedly.
You might not have enough disk space to complete the download or
perhaps you can't find where on your hard drive you the downloaded
file is stored. For more help, read and our Download Tutorial
A mirror site is a term used for a Web site that duplicates the
contents of another Web site. Etuo mirror sites are our way of
offering software downloads on servers located around the world. Etuo
Content Partners maintain the mirror sites of Etuo software.
To mirror some or all of the Etuo software libraries, apply at the
Etuo content site located at http://content.Etuo.com/. At the very
least you must manage your own DNS server and meet other technical
requirements.
To start the process of getting your software added to the Etuo
software libraries, visit the Etuo Author Resource Center. Prior
to acceptance and posting, all programs are reviewed by Etuo
professional review staff. The review and acceptance criteria is
listed on our ratings page. Read more about this at the Author
Resource Center.
Submit your software to the Etuo site that matches the operating
system your software requires. 0Read our tutorial for submitting
software to Etuo.
You can link to us from your site. But we ask that you use
specific HTML and Etuo images to do so. Read the instructions for
linking to Etuo.
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