(Redirected from Download)
- This article is about downloading projects from the website. For downloading the Offline Editor, see How to Download the Offline Editor.
- This article or section documents the current version of Scratch (version 3.0). For this article in Scratch 2.0, see Project Downloading (2.0). For this article in Scratch 1.4, see Project Downloading (1.4).
- "Download" redirects here. For the page where one can download the editor, see Download Page.
Project Downloading is when the code of a Scratch project is downloaded from the Scratch Website to the user's computer. This allows a user to work on a project in Scratch 1.4, Scratch 2.0 and Scratch 3.0 offline editors, or other programs that can read Scratch files. For simply viewing the code of a project, See Inside can be used.
Downloading Projects
To download a project, click the file button on the header and select "Save to your computer", the last option. The project will begin downloading in the .sb3 file format.
Benefits of Downloading Projects
Most of the past benefits of downloading projects were lost in Scratch 2.0, with the introduction of the Online Editor, See Inside, and the backpack. Users previously would download projects to view or edit the scripts, or use media from the project, but all of this can now be done online. Scratch 3.0 is no longer based on Flash, which means projects can run with much less lag. However, downloading projects can still be useful. These are some of the reasons one would download a project:
- To keep a backup copy of the project in case it is deleted online
- To keep an older version of the project
- To edit a shared project without other people noticing
- To play other people's games and projects offline
- To view or edit projects without a reliable internet connection
- To play a game which does not work online (common for projects created with Scratch 1.4 and before)
Locking Downloads
Some Scratchers have supported the idea of an option to lock downloads or to lock "See Inside" on a project,[1][2] as it would prevent others from stealing their work, prevent private scripting, and so on. However, the suggestion was rejected due to the fact that remixing is an important part of Scratch.[3] The suggestion was also against the Creative Commons license that Scratch projects are under, which allows remixing.[4]
Several quotes had been mentioned,[5] including:
| “ | But wouldn't the option to refuse download be against Scratch's motto to imagine, program, and share? Honestly, if I did not want other people taking the art and music from my projects, I would post my projects on my own personal site and set my own Creative Commons/copyright license or not upload my project to the Scratch website at all. | ” |
– cheddargirl[6] | ||
Despite the explanations, the idea is still supported by some Scratchers because it can be a way of preventing project copying or art theft. However, Scratch 2.0 allowed users to view project sources online, making the idea obsolete.
Some people have created their own remix blockers.[7] However, this is highly discouraged and should not be used, as it will result in alerts and eventually a ban. If a project uses a remix blocker, it should be reported.
