The concept of downloading, especially for digital music, evolved over time and can't be attributed to a single inventor. However, major contributors include:
- Napster, founded by Shawn Fanning and Sean Parker in 1999, popularized peer-to-peer file sharing for downloadable MP3 music files, making downloading widespread for music enthusiasts.
- Karlheinz Brandenburg is credited with developing the MP3 compression technology that made downloading audio practical and popular.
- More broadly, downloading as a technical concept evolved with the development of the internet and related protocols, without a single inventor. The internet's creation involved many contributors, including Tim Berners-Lee who invented the World Wide Web.
- Some social media mentions associate a "man who helped create downloading" with Tim Berners-Lee or others, though the downloading feature gradually evolved rather than having a single creator.
In summary, downloading as a technology evolved through the combined contributions of internet pioneers, digital compression inventors, and file- sharing platforms like Napster that brought it mainstream attention. There is no single person who "created downloading" outright. The idea is an evolution of internet technology and digital file formats.