After updates, new icons appear on desktop

Question

I have minimal knowledge of computers and their processes. Except for minor issues like this one, my new Mac works beautifully.
SITUATION: Three icons -- carrier.ram, carrier-1.ram, and reference.exe.download -- have recently appeared on my desktop. I don't know where they came from or what they do or what they are. I suspect that they appeared during weekly updates, but I didn't notice them then. The reference icon appeared first, several weeks ago. The carrier icons appeared yesterday, I suspect, but I don't know for sure, because I don't routinely inventory my desktop.
Question 1: Would an update leave such things behind, on the desktop?
Question 2: What should I do with them? At this rate, my desktop will eventually be filled with icons that, so far as I know, I won't use.
- Throw them into the Trash?
- Move them to a folder somewhere?
- Allow them to accumulate?
Question 3: Where can I go to find out what these icons represent?
Mac mini 1,25 GHz,512 MB, 40 GB combo   Mac OS X (10.4.5)   Nec MultiSync LCD 175 VX. Lexar Jump Drive plugged into top of Belkin USB hub.

Answer 1

1) Nope. Update wouldn't leave such things behind.
Those are probably files that your browser put there. I think the default location (at least for Safari) is to save downloaded files to the desktop. You can change the download location in the browser preferences so your desktop doesn't get cluttered.
The .ram files are Real Audo Media.
The reference.exe.download is an incomplete downloaded file.
2) Delete them. Since you don't know what they are you won't miss them. I have my downloads all going into a folder called 'Browser Downloads.'
3) Google?