Metalink is a
new technology that makes it easier and faster to get large files. It's kind of
like a playlist for such files (they can be FTP, HTTP, or P2P), because it stores
multiple file locations in a single file - and then the download proceeds according to a
set of rules.
The Wikipedia page for metalink describes it like this:
"Metalink is an open standard/framework for programs that download (download managers, BitTorrent clients, Web browsers, FTP clients, & P2P programs). For increased convenience, it stores the many locations of files (FTP/HTTP/P2P) in a single file (a .metalink) for extra reliability in case one method fails and so chunks/segments of each file can be downloaded from multiple resources at the same time (known as accelerated/multi-threaded/segmented downloading)."
For developers, metalink files are made up of XML and they are extensible. They also work across multiple operating systems. For ordinary users, metalinks apparently make downloads "simpler, faster, and more reliable".
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I see metalinks being particularly useful for companies that offer large media downloads (video, music, etc), and want to make it as fast and efficient as possible for their customers to download the files. The TorrentFreak blog explain the benefits well:
"Metalinks have several advantages to individual mirrors. First of all, it speeds up the download process. Secondly, downloads are more reliable since metalinks use several mirrors. An additional advantage for the publisher is that he or she is able to prioritize a source."
As well as support from download managers and P2P programs, metalinks would seem to have a promising future integrated into web browsers. Opera already supports BitTorrent, so metalinks would be the logical next step. Firefox, IE, Flock, Maxthon and the other browsers would likewise do well to utilize metalinks, especially with large media files becoming commonplace on the Web.
Thanks Anthony Bryan from the Metalink org for the heads-up.
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