| Retention |
What is it? |
This is how long the files are stored on the servers you will be accessing. The
higher the days the more content you will have available to you. For example;
if a server has 170 days retention, then you can download anything from those
servers that have been uploaded within 170 days of you choosing to download
them. Anything past this date would be unavailable to you on that particular
service. |
| Recommended? |
It all depends on how often you are likely to check what’s been posted (very
easy to do by the way!). If you’re the kind of person who checks daily or
weekly then I’d suggest checking what’s out there first as there may be files
you want that are over 200 days old. Otherwise just go with anything around
100 days. Will talk about this more when looking at the providers. |
| Downloads |
What is it? |
Some providers give fixed limits on downloads. You can have anything from a
10GB account (which allows you to download up to 10GB of data and will re-bill
you for another 10GB should you go over) to an unlimited account. |
| Recommended? |
I’d personally think about how much you’re likely to download and go from
there. It’s also worth bearing in mind that it doesn’t tend to be much more to
upgrade to an unlimited account anyway so perhaps it’s better to have that
safeguard in place. |
| Location |
What is it? |
Although the speed isn't affected too bad by location, you are still better off
going with one who has a data centre nearest to your location. I'm not talking
about down the road or even in your country, just the nearest. Most servers
are hosted in the USA and Europe; some even have a combination of the two
for you to choose from. |
| Recommended? |
Obviously this depends on where you are. Either will work fine wherever you
are though one may be a little better. |
| Price |
What is it? |
The all important factor for some. Accounts can range from $7.99 up to
$29.99. Best value one's tend to be around $17. Do note though that if you
are ordering from outside of the USA like myself (Europe) you may be billed
around £1 for making a payment in US Dollars. |
| Recommended? |
The most expensive offer isn’t necessarily the best and nor is the cheapest.
I’d recommend going for a service that offers a good price as well as a good
service (more on that later). |
| Completion |
What is it? |
Completion is the amount of articles (or files) on their servers that are fully
complete. Most servers operate on a 99% completion rate though I wouldn't
worry too much about that. If in doubt, do a little research on the provider
you're looking at for feedback. |
| Recommended? |
The higher the completion the better; though I wouldn’t be too concerned
providing its over 95%. |
| Security |
What is it? |
Most providers are now offering SSL encryption for a small premium though
that wasn’t always the case. No protection just means your ISP could see
what you’ve been downloading if they wanted to. SSL encryption means they
can’t. |
| Recommended? |
I’d take the SSL encryption no questions asked. Better to be safe than sorry. |
Now that you've read through exactly what you should look out for in a provider; it's time for the next step.
