How do I allow .exe files to be downloaded from my site?

[don242]

I am trying to allow people to dowload .exe files from a site that will allow them to install a screensaver. I am not sure how to do this. If I zip the file I can use the standard <A HREF="file.zip"> command and it works, but if I use file.exe instead, it doesn't work.

Thanks for any help.

[WebJoel]

Why not just let the file be ZIP? I'd be a bit suspcious to download any executable as-is, and it isn't that big of a deal to un-zip the folder with the *exe in it.

Edit:

I was just reading about how this could be done and makes it easier for your clients to download from you, -through an anonomyous ftp. You could host the file on your site and have access to it provided via an anonomyous sign-in and the user can download the *exe directly. You'd have a hyperlink to the file, I guess that they'd sign-in through a 'generic, all-users' username (like "myFTP") and they are in and can view the folder's content, and can download from you.
You would most definately want to prevent users from being able to UPload to your ftp, though! They could upload porm, icopyright and/or other llegal stuff and share through your site, and you do not want that trouble. :(
I've never set-up an ftp for anonomyous users, but any ftp site probably has a how-to/FAQ section, explaining the details. Just an idea. :)

[don242]

Thanks. I will probably keep it as a zip file. However, the people who I am doing this for will comment on it as they want the least amount of steps involved in everything. Their comptuer knowledge is limited so they want things easy as their potential customers are generally the same. Howver as you say, I don't feel a zip file is unreasonable.

[WebJoel]

I wish that I knew more about making files hosted on an ftp be accessible to visitors. I was reading about this on a Linux forum last night when I jumped back here to add to my post. I'm sure that it is a common, fairly easy thing to set up and come to think of it, I have had to go to ftp sites and download *exe 'from the source' before and 'select file & click the very obvious "download file" button' and the file downloaded to my desktop, where I could double-click and install per-normal.
But yeah, -sometimes the business of ZIP and unZIP is a bit intimidating to some people whose expectation is that it should 'just work'. I resisted ftp myself until I got tired of uploading dozen(s) of client files piecemeal to hosts and decided to just wade right in and go ftp. Now of course, -I couldn't imagine doing it any other way. :cool: