What is a .DOWNLOADING file?
A .DOWNLOADING file is a type of file linked with Pando, a program that used to let people share files over the internet. When you were downloading a file using Pando, it would make a .DOWNLOADING file. Think of this file like a temporary box where all the pieces of what you're downloading are kept until everything is fully downloaded. The ".downloading" part at the end of the file's name is just a way to show that the download isn't finished yet. Once the download is all done, Pando would change the name of the file, taking away ".downloading" and putting the correct ending (like .jpg, .mp3, etc.) to show that the file is complete and ready to use.
To open a .DOWNLOADING file, you would have needed Pando, the program that made these files. Pando worked on computers using Windows or Mac operating systems and was part of the BitTorrent family, which is a way to share files with lots of people at once. However, Pando is no longer available, so these .DOWNLOADING files might not be very useful now.
It's important to know that .DOWNLOADING files are not unique to Pando. Other programs that help you download files from the internet might make similar temporary files, but they might use slightly different names like .CRDOWNLOAD, .DOWNLOAD, or .!BT. These files all serve the same purpose: they're holding spots for the data being downloaded until the download is complete.
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