Upload vs Download
Upload and download are both terms used for data transfer linked with data storage on networks particularly the Internet. You can, however, also download and upload data to a single computer unit as well from storage devices like floppy and pen drives.

When it comes to networks like the Internet, data placed on to the world wide web in portals, for exchange, viewing or storage it is called uploading. This is done from a computer linked to the Internet. On the other hand when data is retrieved from the Internet to a computer it is called downloading. Data can be retrieved from one junction on the network to another and in that case any retrieval is called downloading while disemmination is called uploading.

Uploading necessarily leads to some kind of storage with a complete file being made available for users. In case of downloading, data may be sequentially used during the process of retrival and not stored at all but in a temporary folder. This is also called streaming and is used in viewing videos and listening to songs on the Internet. Temporary downloading or streaming has been particularly useful for maintaining copyright security of entertainment multimedia material.

Downloading is receipt of data to a local system from a remote system and is accessible by only the individual computer system. Uploading is more generic and it allows access to a wider network or people simultaneously as compared to downloading.

In local networks, the differences between uploading and downloading are somewhat blurred as both the source and destination of the data can be controled by the local users. For this purpose, download as given way to the term ‘sideload’ in local area networks.

Technology has advanced enough to allow both downloading and uploading from mobile devices like PDAs and cellphones. Downloading and uploading have also revolutionized the information sector, the socio-cultural sector and personal and business relationships.

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