[OpenAmazing]

I did almost exactly the same thing on one of my websites (screenshots showing the user what to click on to complete the download).

I started getting customer support requests complaining that the "Download window could not be clicked on and was stuck to the web page".

Turns out users thought that the explanatory screenshots were the ACTUAL download dialogs and they were trying to click the images in the web page. Oops.

Turns out I needed to resize the screenshots and discolor them slightly so it was obvious they were the REAL buttons to click.

Lesson learned.

[patio11]

There used to be a screenshot on my front page. I was totally mystified by the following comment until I installed CrazyEgg and saw the hot spot: "I clicked on the New button and nothing happened."

FWIW, some savvy folks I know suggest rotating them such that the screenshot appears to me at an angle to the monitor (hold your right hand up such that it is parallel to your screen, now rotate your writst back an inch -- like that), which apparently cuts down on this misconception quite a bit.

[shanselman]

Ya, I think grayscale or false-colored images would help.

[ComputerGuru]

Wow. That's really something.

I guess Dropbox users are probably on average a little bit more knowledgeable about how browsers work than that... I hope.

[OpenAmazing]

You would be surprised.

If you distribute software to non-programmers, check your stats for # of downloads started vs. # of applications started (or new users). My guess is that they are way off:

Most computer users do not know what a "Downloads" folder is.

[kogir]

On Windows the solution for this is ClickOnce[1]. It's actually really well done, but I've only ever seen one program use it - Chrome[2].

[1] http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/t71a733d(v=VS.100).a... [2] https://www.google.com/chrome

[motowilliams]

I don't think Google Chromium (Chrome) uses the .NET ClickOnce installer but Google's own Omaha software installer

[ComputerGuru]

He's referring to a special launcher for the installer that's used on Windows.

[ComputerGuru]

The only problem is that ClickOnce has a .NET dependency, but if you can get around that, you're home free.

[Peaker]

Incidentally, I think downloading or saving any kind of file, and then having to "find" it from the entire set of accessible files is one of the worst UI offenses still remaining in modern machines.

I just downloaded/saved something, why do I have to spend time "re-finding it" if I want to access it in another context?

[outworlder]

OSX makes this process less painful, as it has the downloads folder in the dock by default, and the icon changes to match the most recent addition.

It is still not optimal, but at least my mom is able to do it now...

[rabidsnail]

Has nobody written an installer for windows apps that runs from java web start?

[OpenAmazing]

Adobe Air.

[robmcm]

Yes AIR has a fantastic install process, even installing AIR it's self.

With the install badge you could also detect if it was already installed, and launch rather than download.

It would shock you how many people would download and install an app every time they wanted to run it.

There is no wonder why something like the app store on iOS is used by so many non techy people and so popular. Especially when you think you could install apps on phones before this...