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Podcast Downloads
Podcast downloads are a wonderful new online way toshare files. A podcast is a way to send files from adistributor's online site directly to the subscriberscomputer, where they can view them whenever theywish. A podcast works by having a small file called anRSS file placed somewhere on the podcaster's webpage. This RSS file is updated regularily, usuallyautomatically with text and links to new media filesavailable for downloading. The RSS file is thenaccessed by the podcast client of the subscriber'scomputer. A podcast client is a small program that goesonline to look for the RSS files that the feed subscriberswish to view. There are many podcast clients availablefor every conceivable need, and most are free todownload and use.
The podcast download will be done when the podcastclient downloads and views the file from the feed'swebsite. After finding the links to the media filesembedded in the RSS file, it will download those filesand store them on the computer, allowing the user toview them whenever and as many times as they wish.The podcast files may be of many things. There arecomedy shows done by people who enjoy creating andwriting a regular show, but aren't able to do it as abusiness. Some podcasts are music mixes, an mp3 filethat subscribers can play. Even some radio shows aregetting into podcasting, allowing subscribers todownload portions of their shows from the internet inpodcast form and play them on their home computer.
Podcast downloads could conceiveably be applied toany type of file. The RSS files that allow the mainlyaudio and video files now used in podcasting to bedownloaded can be customized to enclose almost anytype of file. This has led some analysts to believe thatpodcasting could eventually be used to distributesoftware updates, demonstration programs, and manyother types of files, moving beyond the simple use ofpodcasting to share media files. All that would beneccessary would be for the users to subscribe to thefeed with their podcast client. They could then stayregularily updated for nearly anything.
Podcast downloads offer many different possibilities fordistribution of files across the internet. Because it is adifferent mode of using the internet, allowing the datato come to the user rather than the user having to visiteach site they enjoy, podcasting has the possibility ofchanging the way the internet works. Content can begiven directly to the individual, easily and ever morequickly as broadband use spreads. This means that whatthe internet is will change drastically. The web changesfrom something connected to in order to be used tosomething that is integrated and connected with ourpersonal life.
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