Article:		Padded Downloads
Subject:		You forget about FileFIX - first real standard for sharing files.
Date:		2006-05-08 23:59:09
From:		hsantos
John, you mentioned BBSes, so I could not help but point before DIZ there was an original way of distributing, sharing, and describing files. In the 80s, 90s and still today (in smaller numbers of course), networked BBSes using Fidonet technology used tools based on a standard called FileFix to distribute files. FileFix allows sites/bbses to subscribe to file areas or sections or categories and when you posted (called hatching) a FileFix entry, all subscribed member sites to the area would get a copy of the file. Basic information about the file was distributed as part of it summary; name, size, date, expire date, author, vendor, original host and description (often pulled from a DIZ and now PAD file if available in the distribution). Dupe checking, updating and removal all part of the distribution process. Today, this might be equivalent to using RSS where sites share common "file categories" and a hatch at one site will automatically be available at other sites.

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