The more software you install on your Windows computer, the slower it will run. A good rule to follow is, "If you don't need it, don't install it." But when you buy some new USB device, it typically comes with software to install. An external hard drive, a memory stick (thumb drive), digital camera, mp3 player, etc. If you don't install the software that comes with them, you can't use them, right? . . . WRONG!
Open "My Computer" and look at the different drives you have. Drive C: (the main hard drive inside your PC), maybe drive A: (if you still have a floppy drive). Drives D: and E: might be your DVD/CD Rom drive(s). And maybe there are some others. Now plug your digital camera into a USB port and wait a few seconds. Voila! There's another "removable" drive. A memory stick, external hard drive, mp3 player, etc. will all usually operate the same way. They just show up as another drive. So now you can navigate through the folders and sub-folders on your USB device/drive and copy and paste your pictures, music files, etc. onto your computer without installing more software and cludging up Windows more than it is. That's not to say you won't want to install some software that comes with, or that there aren't some devices that need to have their software installed (e.g. some printers) but remember, "If you don't need it, don't install it!"
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