Thursday, March 31, 2016

Mega.co.nz, web-based file streaming & Copy.com users

The following is an open letter to Mega.co.nz about implementing web-based audio file streaming (and attracting Copy.com users):

March 31, 2016
To the management (and developers) of Mega.co.nz:

In two months, on May 1, 2016 (as you may know), Barracuda Networks will close its (reportedly) "highly rated" Copy.com service.

They are directing "millions of users" to convert to Microsoft's similar service.

Instead, to attract some of those users, it might be in Mega.co.nz's best interest to implement certain Copy.com features. I'm thinking of one in particular:

Copy.com's web-based file manager directly automatically streams audio files (particularly Ogg-Vorbis files: those with extension OGG; and MP3 files).

Thus, whenever users shared (with other people) a web link to a directory tree on Copy.com, then the recipients, simply by navigating there, could stream that audio immediately and directly.

In other words, the recipients of the link could find and stream (in a web browser) any audio file: this without any additional (bothersome or worrisome) steps required; i.e., to:
  1. Download the audio file;
  2. Choose an audio player program; or even
  3. Install a special audio player for Ogg-Vorbis files.
In many cases—for many recipients—these additional steps can be show-stoppers.

This is particularly true in the case of public links.

Many Copy.com users would find this direct-streaming feature highly useful, IMO.

Mega.co.nz could attract more Copy.com users to their service by duplicating this feature.

Does Mega.co.nz plan to add this functionality—of direct-streaming Ogg-Vorbis (extension .ogg) or MP3 files—to their web-based file manager? Would Mega.co.nz's management consider it?

Already, Mega.co.nz's phone apps stream audio. In the web-based file manager, a need for this exists also, for the easiest possible access when sharing web links.

With warm regards,

Copyright (c) 2016 Mark D. Blackwell.