The practice of acquiring software or operating systems can be achieved through two primary methods: retrieving the necessary files from a remote server or utilizing installation packages residing on a local storage medium. For example, an operating system upgrade could be implemented by downloading the latest version from the vendor’s cloud infrastructure or by using a previously downloaded installation file stored on a USB drive.
The selection between these methods has significant implications for speed, bandwidth consumption, and offline accessibility. Obtaining software from a remote source ensures access to the most current version and eliminates the need for local storage space, but it depends heavily on network connectivity. Conversely, leveraging locally stored installation files offers independence from internet availability and potentially faster installation times, albeit at the cost of managing storage space and ensuring the files are up-to-date. Historically, physical media like CDs and DVDs were the standard, but the increasing ubiquity of high-speed internet has shifted the balance towards remote retrieval for many users.
