Plugins and Helper Applications

Occasionally, you may find it necessary to use special add-on programs in addition to the software on your computer; these are known as plugins (or plug-ins) and helper applications. A plugin is a computer program that can interact with a major software package to enhance its capability. This plugin usually operates within a main program (such as a Web browser) and relies on the main program's user interface. Plugins are added to web browsers to enable them to support new types of content such as audio and video. An example of a commonly used plug in would be Macromedia Shockwave.

In comparison, a helper application is an external program launched to display content retrieved using a web browser. Some common examples include Windows Media Player and QuickTime for playing streaming content. Some plug ins are also helper applications, such as Adobe Acrobat. The downloaded file may be opened within the web browser or as a stand alone application without being connected to the Internet.

Although the latest versions of most browsers have the capability to deal with the majority of multimedia formats on the Web, there are some files that won't work unless the appropriate plug-in or helper application has been installed. If you do not have the appropriate plug-in or helper application, you will receive a message letting you know that you need to install the tool or software before you can run the program.

The browser will then display a box asking if you want to install the plug in (you will simply need to select the "Install", "Save" or "Run" option) or alternatively, it may direct you to the web page of the program you need to download. Just follow the links until you reach the download option, click on download and save it to your computer.