Renee,
I'm going to assume that you are asking the most basic advice on how to download the files you find in the section devoted to the language of your choice. If my advice is too basic, please ignore it, and rephrase your question so somebody else can try to help.
Once you have followed Daristani's advice, and gone to the page that lists the files for the language of your choice, you will see a list of files named by lesson or chapter, etc., depending on the language you have chosen. There will be two types of files available for most, though not all courses. One type of file will be pdf files containing computer readable, and printable, copies of the textbook for your chosen language. The second type of file will be sound files (mp3 files) that you can play on your computer, or that you can transfer to and play on any number of small audio devices from tape cassettes or Walkmen/women to iPod style audio players. The method to be used to download both files is the same, so it is a bit easier on the beginner. I'm going to explain how to download one file at a time. There are other ways to download large numbers of files at one time, but I'll leave that advice to somebody else.
In any case, I recommend that you start your download operation by first creating a folder on your computer to hold all the audio and text files you want to download from this site. This will keep everything in one place, and will make the actual download task simpler. It will also help you find the files more quickly after you have finished downloading what you want.
After you have made your folder(s), and once you have chosen the file you want to download, run your mouse cursor over the file you want to begin with. DO NOT click the filename, just run the mouse cursor over it so that it is highlighted. (If you click the file name, audio files will begin to play, and pdf text files will be opened and displayed on your computer. You don't want to do this just yet.) Once you have highlighted the file name, right click (NOT left click) it. A drop down menu will open giving you a number of options to choose from. My computer does not have an English-language operating system on it, so I don't know the exact wording of the choices you will see on the menu, but choose the one that says something like "Save as a file." (The shortcut key is usually an "a.")
This will give you a dialog box that allows you to browse to the folder you made to save your FSI language files, then click the "Download" button. There may be one or two dialog boxes in between, but they are pretty logical, and you should be able to figure them out. Be sure to choose options involving "Save," not "Open." The download will begin, and depending on whether you have a broadband or dial-up connection, how far away from the United States you are, and how big the file you are downloading is, this could take anywhere from a few seconds up to ten minutes, or so. After you have downloaded one file, go back and repeat the process for the next file, until you have all the files you want.
After that, just clicking on the file in the folder on your computer will open that file for you. You will be able to read or print the texts using Adobe Reader, and listen to the audio files on your computer using Windows Media Player, or one of any number of other free audio applications available on the Net.
I hope this has been of some help, and was not overly simple. If you have trouble there are a number of people here who are willing to try to explain things to you. Don't hesitate to ask. Good luck in your studies.
The Big Zaboon
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