There are two ways to view or listen to one or more files from the internet. By streaming or by downloading. Let's see what the trends are, what will be worn this year and what suits you.
1. What is streaming and what is downloading?
When you download a file from the internet, you are actually copying it to a local device. From there you can play it as many times as you want without having to be connected to the internet anymore.
When you stream a file, you do not have it physically on your computer. The file is somewhere on a server, and you receive it in parts (i.e. data streams). Streaming is something like when you listen to the radio or watch TV. You watch exactly the part of the file that you are downloading at that moment and once the listening is finished you do not have it on your computer.
2. Streaming vs Downloading. Which method to use.
2.a If you plan to play the file multiple times, then download it
There is really no better or worse way to download a file. You can't say that streaming is better than downloading or vice versa. As you can see below, they have different advantages and disadvantages. This means that it depends on your specific circumstances and so while in one case streaming is the wiser choice, in another case it is not.
Basically, if you plan to play the file multiple times, it's better to download it. You can download it once and watch it as many times as you want. And you don't need an Internet connection to play it. This is a huge difference if you're thinking of going to an island in the summer or somewhere else where you won't have any Internet at all or it won't be fast.
With streaming you have to transfer the data (almost) every time you play it. We say almost, because if you stream a file and it goes into your browser cache, and if you don't close the browser between replays and it's not replaced in the cache by other data, then it might be able to play again without a second download. However, technically in this case you're not streaming directly – you're just replaying a download.
Also, if a file is a collectible to you, then it is better to download it and keep it safe on your computer. In this case, streaming will not cover you since at any time you may not find it again online.
2.b If the file is of lower quality, then stream
If the file you intend to watch/listen to is not very important, and it makes no sense to download it locally and keep it, streaming is the best option. During the playback process if you see that you don't like it you can stop it at any time. In this case you don't need to download the entire file to see what it is and if you like it. You can play only the first few seconds or minutes. This way you preserve your bandwidth which although in home connections is usually unlimited, you don't block someone else who is surfing the internet from the same line and at the same time you don't download things you don't need.
Another advantage of streaming in terms of bandwidth consumption is that most sites usually have low-resolution and small-sized files when streaming, but they don't offer the same for downloads. Sure, the quality of low-resolution is lower, but if you care about the kb you download, such as with mobile use, and you're fine with smaller/blurrier videos, streaming is your best option.
Some compressions, such as H.264, also help reduce file size, not necessarily at the expense of quality. Compression removes redundant data and results in a significant reduction in file size.
Streaming requires a fast connection. If it is not fast enough, then prepare for choppy video/audio and even huge interruptions between scenes. However, on your part, with a simple 24/7 connection, even if it is locked at 12,000 kbps, you can comfortably watch a movie without the slightest interruption.
3. What will be worn this year.
In the beginning there was Downloading. The era when users exchanged links for downloading on servers such as rapidshare or megaupload has passed irrevocably. Now streaming has taken over the space that rightfully belongs to it, as sites such as youtube, or various clouds offer the user variety and fast connectivity.
The trend shows, however, that streaming continues to grow and increase its percentage, as the market is flooded with TVBox devices (which stream via kodi) or even with smart TVs connected to the internet.
After all, the kodi program itself, a leader in streaming, recently released stable version 17, which means that the demand exists.
On the other hand, as far as legal downloading is concerned, it is never going to die since it covers the needs of all the above reasons we mentioned. As for illegal downloading, the history of torrent sites so far shows that they have no intention of giving up and, in general, downloading is a process that always finds ways and methods to meet the demand of quality-demanding users.
