dmg\'s, what to do with them?

[hingyfan]

On OSx, im getting these dmg files, which i realize are disk images, but i dont know what to with them. I thought they part of the unstuffing process but when i trashed one, the application went with it. So what to do with them  and where?
In general. im trying to keep OSx a little neat compared to my old stuffed desktop but  i need some ideas (maybe visit bed, bath and beyond?).  When an application is downloaded to the desktop, where should it go next? Should i select a different download destination othe than the desktop?

[Paddy]

I don't think Bath, Bed and Beyond would be much help here!  

After you have unstuffed the .dmg files, you will have one of two options - there will either be an installer to run (which will install your application in the OS X applications folder, unless you specify otherwise) or there will be an application, which you simply drag and drop into your applications folder. After you've done either of those two things, what you choose to do with the .dmg file is up to you - you could save it somewhere on your hard drive in case you need it again, or you can simply drag it to the trash.

[swhitset]

Just to expand a little on what Paddy has already told you, It sounds to me like you have been running certain applicationbs directly from the disk image.  This is usually OK, but just like a real physical disk, if it is removed from the computer, the application goes with it.  The best way is to follow Paddy's advive and save the application to your hard drive, and run it from there.  After, you have done that, you can then delete the .dmg if you want.

Steve

[hingyfan]

I think what i was doing was running the applications on the desktop. Since they were not copied to a folder, they went in to the garbage with the disk image, just like a floppy that has it items "out" (i never really understood that concept).