Difference between explicit specialization and regular functions when overloading a template function

I'm on a roll today. Here goes n00b question number 7:

What's the difference between explicit specialization and just regular functions when you try to overload a template function?

What's the appropriate situation to use the explicit specialization? I don't quite understand it:

#include <iostream>

template <typename s> void test(s var1);
template <> void test<int>(int var1);

int main(){
    test(1);
    test(1.1);
    test("hello!!");
    return 0;
}

template <typename s> void test(s var1){
    std::cout << var1 << std::endl;
}

template <> void test<int>(int var1){
    std::cout << "int " << var1 << std::endl;
}

As oppose to:

#include <iostream>

template <typename s> void test(s var1);
void test(int var1);

int main(){
    test(1);
    test(1.1);
    test("hello!!");
    return 0;
}

template <typename s> void test(s var1){
    std::cout << var1 << std::endl;
}

void test(int var1){
    std::cout << "int " << var1 << std::endl;
}