I saw you guys talking about Pikpak, so I'll add my two cents. Haven't you noticed something odd? Why do they keep uploading to Pikpak, putting up with that clunky interface and slow download speeds?
The answer is Pikpak's referral program.
To get the files they upload, you absolutely must sign up for Pikpak. The ‘free account’ you create this way comes with a tiny 6GB storage capacity. Then, you have to move the files over to that tiny storage space before you can download them.
Here's where the problem lies. Most files uploaded by others will be massive. Collections spanning tens or even hundreds of gigabytes are commonplace.
(This massive upload capability exists because when you upload a file, pikpak checks its hash value. If it already exists on their servers, they add it directly to your storage.)
Faced with such massive collections, you'll likely grow frustrated with the free account's limitations and end up paying for a premium account.
This is precisely their goal. Once you pay, pikpak pays the uploader a certain percentage of credits, which the uploader can then cash out.
There's no need for referral codes like we commonly know. They simply upload massive files using the convenient method mentioned earlier and post links where many people can see them.
Simple and clever, right?
Of course, not every pikpak uploader on this forum is like that. Some genuinely share files with us out of kindness. But are they all like that?
Oh, sure, you might think that.
“So what's wrong with that?”
Just because the upload method is simple, or because they profit from it, doesn't make it inherently evil. Yes, that's true.
But I hope you'll consider it differently. If you're in a position to pay for a pikpak premium account, why not use that money to support the content creators instead?
Is going through the middleman really necessary? The way to directly support the creators of the MMD videos and content you truly love, and to watch videos quickly and easily without waiting for a ‘hero’, is right next to you.
I want you to know that.