For an application/program (or executable, to use the correct term) to beserved as a binary file is actually quite normal. Internet Explorer's behaviour differs slightly because it also employs the Windows idiom of checking the filename extension when determining how to handle the download. For example, if a filename ends in ".exe" then Internet Explorer will give you a Run option, as well as allowing you to save/download. Firefox depends solely on the MIME type to determine the type of content, which is an Internet standard. The MIME type is supposed to be set by the server, just before it starts streaming the content back to the browser. And, most of the time, it does so correctly (which is why your pictures/music/videos work as expected). EXE files are pretty much an exception to the norm. They are frequently served as binary content. In practice, it doesn't really matter. Firefox will only give you the option to save the file but, if you want to run it, simply double-click the file from the Downloads window after it has finished. Windows should know exactly what to do with it. As far as I'm aware, Firefox does not pay any heed to file extensions for security reasons and because it is a cross-platform, standards-based product. Are you actually having a problem with running the program after it has finished downloading? Taking your Flash example, the process should be as follows: # Firefox brings up the prompt to download the file # You click Save File # After the download has completed, you double-click it from Firefox's downloads window # The Firefox installer should now begin '''EDIT''': There is an extension that does what you want called [https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/opendownload/ OpenDownload]. However, it is only compatible with Firefox 3.6 as it hasn't been updated to work with any newer version yet.

I followed previous directions. No luck. Frustrating.