What characteristic defined the earliest successful platform model?

Answer

Entirely decentralized

The earliest functional systems that embodied the definition of a podcast platform—automated, recurring delivery of serialized audio—operated on a fundamentally decentralized model. The core power resided within the open RSS standard itself, rather than in any single corporation controlling the distribution pipeline or storage mechanisms. In this initial structure, creators were responsible for handling tasks like managing their own server space for audio hosting, bandwidth considerations, and ensuring correct RSS feed validation. This technical requirement contrasts sharply with the modern landscape where commercial hosting services and large directories manage these complexities behind simple upload interfaces.

What characteristic defined the earliest successful platform model?
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