Downloads(Down=Runter, loads=laden) und auch Uploads(Up=Hoch) sind ein wesentlicher, wenn nicht sogar der wesentliche Vorgang im Internet. Jeder der schon Mal eine Internet-Seite besucht hat, hat dabei die Webseite auf den eigenen Computer “runtergeladen” um sie anzeigen zu können.
But just because this process happens so simply in the background does not mean that it is directly understood. That is why I will try to explain the whole thing here and then also show how to deliberately download a certain file from the Internet.
Networking on the Internet:
Um das Ganze zu erklären muss man ein bisschen was zu der Vernetzung der einzelnen Computer im Internet erklären. Im Internet sind alle PC’s miteinander verbunden. Viele dabei zwar über Umwege aber letztlich ist es möglich mit jedem an das Internet angeschlossenen Computer jeden anderen ans Internet angeschlossenen Computer auf der Welt zu “erreichen”, sprich mit ihm zu kommunizieren.
Diese Computer kann man dabei grob in zwei Gruppen einteilen: Auf der einen Seite gibt es die Server(Server=”Diener”/”Bieter”) und auf der anderen Seite gibt es die Clients(Client=”Nutzer”/”Kunde”). An den Begriffen der beiden Gruppen erkennt man es schon: Die Server bieten etwas an und die Klienten nutzen etwas.
Server vs. client
For example, the computer you are sitting at is most likely a client. You use it to visit websites and use content from the Internet. But where does this content come from?
Und da kommen die Server ins Spiel. Ein Server ist im vereinfachten Sinne ein Computer der den ganzen Tag darauf wartet, dass er von irgendwo aus dem Internet von einem Klienten eine Anfrage erhält. Wenn ihr zum Beispiel in eurem Browser eine Internetadresse eintippt und dann auf “Enter” drückt so ist dies eine Anfrage an den Server der sich hinter dieser Internetadresse verbirgt.
Diese Anfrage könnte ins Deutsche Übersetzt ungefähr so klingen: “Hey lieber Server, ich würde gerne die Webseite besuchen die auf deinem Server gespeichert ist.”.
Der Server wird dann in den meisten Fällen Antworten: “Hey lieber Client, kein Problem. Mach dich bereit dann kommt hier die Webseite…”.
Download
Und hier beginnt nun ein Download! Der Server wird nun einen Kopiervorgang der Webseite auf euren Computer starten. Ihr kopiert euch dabei die Dateien vom Server herunter. Deswegen heißt dieser Vorgang “Download”.
Only after you have downloaded this website it will be displayed in your browser. Therefore, after entering the Internet address and pressing the Enter key, you usually have a short delay until the website is displayed.
Especially the users of slow internet connections will know this. This delay is the time it takes to copy the web page to your computer.
Der Unterschied zu einem “bewussten” Download einer ganz bestimmten Datei ist beim Besuch von Webseiten allerdings, dass diese Webseiten (normalerweise) nicht dauerhaft auf eurem Computer gespeichert werden. Diese Dateien der entsprechenden Webseite werden meistens nur temporär in einem Zwischenspeicher gespeichert, bis der Browser entweder von alleine oder ihr diesen Zwischenspeicher wieder leert.
“Bewusste” Downloads starten
But to download a certain file "consciously" you would have to proceed a bit differently. Again, this is most easily explained with an example:
Nehmen wir an ihr seid daran interessiert euch den Browser “Firefox” runterzuladen. Nach kurzer Google Suche werdet ihr dazu auf folgenden Link stoßen: https://www.mozilla.org/de/firefox/
So you click on the link and you will be redirected to the actual download page.
This window looks a little different depending on which browser you use. That's why I added an example of each of the most popular browsers "Firefox", "Opera", "Chrome" and "Microsoft Edge".
The dialog windows differ in appearance, but in principle they all have the same purpose.
You as the user should now decide whether you want to download the file, and if so, where you want to download it. The only exception: The browser "Chrome" downloads the files without a dialog box and then only informs you in the lower area that a new file has been downloaded.
Since you will want to find the files after the download is complete, you will need to remember where you saved the file on your computer.
Windows now also provides a standard folder for this purpose. If the settings have not been changed, all downloads are therefore automatically saved in the "Downloads" folder.
To save the file you want to download in the default folder Downloads you have to proceed differently but similarly in the respective browsers. The following photos show (by a red marked area) what you have to click on.
Depending on the size of the file and the speed of your Internet connection or the connection between your computer and the server, the download will take a while. With small files, however, it is usually over so quickly that you don't actually see much of the download process.
When the download is complete, you can then access the downloaded file from the browser.
Safety warning
In many cases, before the file is executed, there is a security warning. This is not a cause for alarm. It is a reminder that the file to be executed is a file from the Internet and that you should only execute it if you know "where it comes from". In addition, in the dialog window of the security warning, you are also shown once again where the file is stored exactly and from which "manufacturer" (in this case the "Mozilla Corporation") it comes. However, since you have just knowingly downloaded this file from a trusted source, you can execute it without remorse. Click "Run" once again and your file or, in this case, program should start.
And that was it. You have just successfully downloaded and executed a file 🙂 .
Okay, but what are uploads? Uploads are basically the same as downloads but the other way around. Instead of downloading files from the server to the client (your computer), you copy data from your computer to the server.
You can find such an upload option for example in your web email client when it comes to uploading a Send email with attachment
In order to send an e-mail with an attachment, the attachment is first uploaded from your computer to the server. As soon as you send the e-mail, the e-mail is sent from the server with the attachment already loaded on the server.
Im Prinzip steuert ihr über den Web-Email-Client den Server und sagt ihm “Hier ist eine E-Mail mit diesem Text und dem Anhang. Versendet sie bitte an diese E-Mail Adresse.”
Again, this is best explained with an example. As mentioned above, you need uploads when sending an email with an attachment. I have explained this here: Send emails with attachment via Web.de
Of course, there are other places on the Internet where you may encounter an upload.
With this basic knowledge about downloads and uploads, you will now notice more and more situations on the Internet where you perform a download or upload.
Have fun with the project
I hope everything worked as described for you. If not or you have questions or suggestions please let me know in the comments. I will then add this to the article if necessary.
Ideas for new projects are always welcome. 🙂
PS Many of these projects - especially the hardware projects - cost a lot of time and money. Of course I do this because I enjoy it, but if you think it's cool that I share the information with you, I would be happy about a small donation to the coffee fund. 🙂
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