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Six Steps for Smart Downloading

1. Avoid rush hour. Visit the Internet Traffic Report site for a quick update on just how glacially the Web is moving at the moment. The slowest times are when everybody's online--typically from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. EST.

2. Try alternate routes. If the first download site you visit is down, use a search engine to look for others that offer the file you need. This trick is especially easy with HotBot. If a site offers multiple sources for downloads, begin with the one that's closest to you geographically. Also try selecting a server in a time zone that's in a light-traffic part of the day.

3. Keep current. Not all sites do a stellar job of keeping up-to-date, so it's a good idea to check out a shareware vendor's own site to determine the most current release version, even if you ultimately download the file elsewhere. For instance, visit www.winzip.com to find the current version of Nico Mak's WinZip.

4. Use a good zip utility. Here are two of the best. Download Butler from Lincoln Beach Software ($29.95) not only decompresses your downloaded files but also tracks them, so you'll never forget the directory where you saved a file, or the site you obtained it from. Mijenix's ZipMagic ($39.95) shows zipped files as folders, allowing you access to the individual files stored within the compressed set. Both are shareware, with 30-day free trials.

5. Stay organized. When downloading .zip files, don't just dump them into the default folder. Rather, you need to create a folder (or folders) specifically for compressed archives, so that they don't get lost among unrelated files.

6. Clear out all the clutter. The more free stuff you download, the quicker your hard disk will fill up with old .zip files and setup routines. Once you have unzipped a file and completed a program setup, make sure that you delete all of the files that you don't need; an uninstaller program such as Quarterdeck's CleanSweep can help.