Downloading vs. Uploading

"Short Stuff" presentation by Ali Steinbergs
on May 23, 2006

There are two main things to remember when trying to distinguish between downloading and uploading:

  1. Just as downhill is equivalent to going from a BIG elevation -> a small elevation (and uphill is equivalent to going from a small elevation -> BIG elevation)

    In the same way downloading = BIG COMPUTER -> small computer
    Uploading = small computer -> BIG COMPUTER

  2. computers send COPIES, not originals

Example: e-mail

When you create an e-mail and send it: the original gets put in "Sent" items mailbox. A copy is sent from your personal (small) computer to your Internet Service Provider's BIG main computer (usually called a "server" because it "serves" thousands/millions of customers' computers). Using Shaw as an example of an ISP, Shaw's server gets a copy of the e-mail message, and sends it on to the appropriate destination. Thus, when your computer is sending a copy of the e-mail message to Shaw, it is UPloading it.

When you receive an e-mail: your friend's e-mail message arrives at your ISP's server; a copy of this message sits there until you turn on your e-mail application. The e-mail application (in your small computer) then asks the server (BIG computer) for a copy of all new e-mail messages. Copies of all new e-mail messages are then DOWNloaded onto your computer.