Downloads is nearly as big a market for content delivery networks as video streaming: they handle the download management for upgrades and online purchases and patches.
But it's unfortunate to find that Akamai's software provision on the download side of their business is as barking as the software found on the video delivery side of the business (I spent several months trying to integrate VidZapper with Akamai, but failed [considering that I've built a CDN business, this was really worrying] ).
Today I've tried to buy some Adobe software online and I've been sent round some circular hell of popups and download managers, as well as system crashes. Akamai's download manager is a disgrace and Adobe's website is built on the pisspoor Cold Fusion platform (former prop: one J Allaire, more recently of Brightcove), which really doesn't help either. It's sloooow.
Talk about cobbler's kids. It's astounding how bad these companies are at content delivery and software. Funny how efficient the taking money from me process was in comparison.
To add insult to injury, after I'd finally got it to work, I'm getting barely 300Kbps on my 40Mbps connection. I would have been quicker waiting for a shiny disk delivered by the postman.