A consideration of "Streaming video" is that streaming technologies are
based more on special methods of distribution (a media server) and
special methods of receiving rather than on the type of file it happens
to be. Essentially what streaming media provides is that an audio or
video file can begin to play before it has been completely downloaded,
and it is not stored on the local machine.
This differs from what is called "progressive download" which saves the
file on the local machine, normally in a temporary folder. Progressive
download is easier to implement, since you do not need a media server. See:
"Streaming video"
http://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia_term/0,1237,t=streaming+video&i=52139,00.asp
"Progressive download"
http://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia_term/0,1237,t=progressive+download&i=59130,00.asp
To make matters even more complex, there is even "Adaptive streaming"
http://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia_term/0,1237,t=adaptive+streaming&i=65126,00.asp
To the user, there is normally no real difference. I don't know if this
should be noted in the description or not, but it could be confusing for
an expert to see something as "streaming video" if it is actually
"progressive download" or vice versa.
--
James Weinheimer [email protected]
First Thus http://catalogingmatters.blogspot.com/
Cooperative Cataloging Rules http://sites.google.com/site/opencatalogingrules/
Cataloging Matters Podcasts
http://blog.jweinheimer.net/p/cataloging-matters-podcasts.html
