Downloading = the same thing as "transferring." The reason why it is called "downloading" is because it usually involves a transfer of data, pictures, program files or whatever, from a LARGER computer (such as America Online's) to a smaller computer (yours). If the transfer occurs in the opposite direction, it is called "uploading." The term "downloading" is often mistakenly used to describe the process of copying a file from a floppy disk to the hard disk, or installing a program from a floppy disk or CD to a computer.