Over the years it has been requested by a few people while asking for other networks, but nobody has replied specifically to the subject Metalinks.
Shareaza does not need a new protocol to support Metalinks, as they are just http and ftp links.
As an example a user could manually make a magnet with all of the mirrors for a linux distro, and dump multiple URLs into 1 Shareaza download, so why not support a link protocol that already does it ?
Yes most ISO distros tend to come with torrent options, but torrent trackers and ports are often throttled or blocked by many ISPs.
I always search the other networks for any big distro I start, and the lack of results saddens be when I used to see plenty.
Generally speaking, Metalinks are always used for high quality, high-demand free content.
I always promote Shareaza as a serious option for creative communities to host and distribute their produce, but as soon as I mention torrents people just start grinning and give me suspicious looks.
Supporting Metalinks will go a long way to making sure Shareaza can keep promoting itself as the premium download manager for serious download tasks.
Many sites have a list of recommended downloaders, but few list Shareaza because to them it only has 1 use, so becomes "just another torrent client".
Torrent is OK for delivery, but crap for sharing.
My main reason to use Shareaza as a regular web downloader is because being able to download large files from web sites, AND use the commonly available hashes in the same program, makes Shareaza more trustworthy and secure than any other DL manager I have tried.
Normally you use a separate hash program to validate your web download. I cannot find a metalink extension that supports hashes.
Using Shareaza for auto-validated http downloads from multiple web sites is unique and worth promoting, especially when it will mean more people are sharing useful legal content on more networks.
