"The file is a gzipped tar file. Your browser is playing tricks with you and trying to be smart"

In this quote, Rasmus Lerdorf is describing a specific kind of file, a gzipped tar file. This kind of file is a compressed archive that is commonly used for storing and transferring large amounts of information. Lerdorf is recommending that the person's web browser is causing confusion by attempting to "be clever" and possibly trying to open the file instead of simply downloading it. This might be due to the web browser's settings or the method it is analyzing the file type. Lerdorf's statement highlights the value of understanding different file types and how they should be handled in order to avoid any technical issues.