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2002 - 2015
RapidShare
“A download link, a timer, and a little patience.”
- Birth year
- 2002
- Shutdown year
- 2015
- Lifespan
- 13 years
- Peak era
- 2002–2015
- Company
- RapidShare
- Category
- File Sharing
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What Was It?
RapidShare let users upload files and pass around download links. Its waiting screens and premium-account options became familiar parts of sharing large files through forums and personal websites.
The shared link connected a discussion elsewhere to a file stored on the host. Downloading could involve waiting, choosing between account options, and returning to a page after an interruption, making the surrounding process almost as recognizable as the service's name.
RapidShare's history also shows how changes to a host can affect a much wider network of pages. A forum or tutorial may survive while a linked file does not, leaving the original conversation intact but removing something readers needed to follow it.
Things You Probably Forgot
- It hosted files centrally rather than operating as a peer-to-peer client.
- A link could be shared without sending the whole file as an attachment.
The Story
- 2002 RapidShare let users upload files and pass around download links.
- 2012 Changes to sharing and traffic policies alter the experience of using RapidShare as a public file host.
- 2015 RapidShare ended service in March 2015 after changes to its business and storage model.
How It Died
RapidShare ended service in March 2015 after changes to its business and storage model.
What Replaced It?
Memories
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