Acquiring multi-media content

1. A method comprises:

receiving, based on a partial download schedule of a distribution scheme, a first sub-set of encoded data slices, wherein a data segment of multi-media content was encoded using a dispersed storage error coding function to produce a set of encoded data slices, wherein the set of encoded data slices is partitioned into the first sub-set of encoded data slices and a second sub-set of encoded data slices, wherein the first sub-set of encoded data slices include less than a decode threshold number of encoded data slices, and wherein the second sub-set of encoded data slices are unavailable based on the partial download schedule of the distribution scheme;

determining whether to request the second sub-set of encoded data slices after the partial download schedule of the distribution scheme has completed and when the second sub-set of encoded data slices is made available based on the distribution scheme;

when the second sub-set of encoded data slices is to be requested, sending accessing information regarding the second sub-set of encoded data slices; and

receiving, in response to the accessing information, at least one of the encoded data slices of the second sub-set of encoded data slices such that the decode threshold number of encoded data slices have been received.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving the first sub-set of encoded data slices comprises:

receiving a distribution of the first sub-set of encoded data slices to a plurality of potential accessing devices.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprises:

determining whether one or more of the first sub-set of encoded data slices has a slice error; and when the slice error exists:

identifying one or more slice names corresponding to the one or more of the first sub-set of encoded data slices having the slice error; and

requesting the one or more of the first sub-set of encoded data slices having the slice error from one or more devices of a user group based on the one or more slice names.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining whether to request the second sub-set of encoded data slices comprises:

determining when the multi-media content is available for purchase; and

when the multi-media content becomes available for purchase, indicating that the second sub-set of encoded data slices is to be requested.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining whether to request the second sub-set of encoded data slices comprises at least one of:

determining whether a storage time frame of the first sub-set of encoded data slices has expired and, when the storage time frame has expired, indicating that the second sub-set of encoded data slices is not going to be requested; and

determining a probability that the second sub-set of encoded data slices will be requested and, when the probability is likely that the second sub-set of encoded data slices will be requested, indicating that the second sub-set of encoded data slices is to be requested.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprises:

temporarily storing the first sub-set of encoded data slices prior to sending the accessing information; and

when the second sub-set of encoded data slices is not to be requested, facilitating deletion of the first sub-set of encoded data slices.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving the first sub-set of encoded data slices comprises at least one of:

receiving a message that includes the first sub-set of encoded data slices from at least one of a dispersed storage (DS) processing unit, a user device, and an intermediate edge device of a dispersed storage network (DSN);

receiving the first sub-set of encoded data slices in accordance with a registered user program of a network; and

sending a request message for the first sub-set of encoded data slices.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprises:

determining whether to forward one or more of the first sub-set of encoded data slices to a user device; and

forwarding the one or more of the first sub-set of encoded data slices to the user device to the user device when forwarding.

9. A dispersed storage (DS) module comprises:

a first module, when operable within a computing device, causes the computing device to:

receive, based on a partial download schedule of a distribution scheme, a first sub-set of encoded data slices, wherein a data segment of multi-media content was encoded using a dispersed storage error coding function to produce a set of encoded data slices, wherein the set of encoded data slices is partitioned into the first sub-set of encoded data slices and a second sub-set of encoded data slices, wherein the first sub-set of encoded data slices include less than a decode threshold number of encoded data slices, and wherein the second sub-set of encoded data slices are unavailable based on the partial download schedule of the distribution scheme;

a second module, when operable within the computing device, causes the computing device to:

determine whether to request the second sub-set of encoded data slices after the partial download schedule of the distribution scheme has completed and when the second sub-set of encoded data slices is made available based on the distribution scheme;

a third module, when operable within the computing device, causes the computing device to:

when the second sub-set of encoded data slices is to be requested, send accessing information regarding the second sub-set of encoded data slices; and

a fourth module, when operable within the computing device, causes the computing device to:

receive, in response to the accessing information, at least one of the encoded data slices of the second sub-set of encoded data slices such that the decode threshold number of encoded data slices have been received.

10. The DS module of claim 9 , wherein the first module is operable to receive the first sub-set of encoded data slices by:

receiving a distribution of the first sub-set of encoded data slices to a plurality of potential accessing devices.

11. The DS module of claim 9 further comprises:

a fifth module, when operable within the computing device, causes the computing device to:

determine whether one or more of the first sub-set of encoded data slices has a slice error; and

when the slice error exists:

identify one or more slice names corresponding to the one or more of the first sub-set of encoded data slices having the slice error; and

request the one or more of the first sub-set of encoded data slices having the slice error from one or more devices of a user group based on the one or more slice names.

12. The DS module of claim 9 , wherein the second module is operable to determine whether to request the second sub-set of encoded data slices by:

determining when the multi-media content is available for purchase; and

when the multi-media content becomes available for purchase, indicating that the second sub-set of encoded data slices is to be requested.

13. The DS module of claim 9 , wherein the second module is further operable to determine whether to request the second sub-set of encoded data slices by at least one of:

determining whether a storage time frame of the first sub-set of encoded data slices has expired and, when the storage time frame has expired, indicating that the second sub-set of encoded data slices is not going to be requested; and

determining a probability that the second sub-set of encoded data slices will be requested and, when the probability is likely that the second sub-set of encoded data slices will be requested, indicating that the second sub-set of encoded data slices is to be requested.

14. The DS module of claim 9 , wherein the second module is further operable to:

temporarily store the first sub-set of encoded data slices prior to sending the accessing information; and

when the second sub-set of encoded data slices is not to be requested, facilitate deletion of the first sub-set of encoded data slices.

15. The DS module of claim 9 , wherein the first module is further operable to receive the first sub-set of encoded data slices by at least one of:

receiving a message that includes the first sub-set of encoded data slices from at least one of a dispersed storage (DS) processing unit, a user device, and an intermediate edge device of a dispersed storage network (DSN);

receiving the first sub-set of encoded data slices in accordance with a registered user program of a network; and

sending a request message for the first sub-set of encoded data slices.

16. The DS module of claim 9 , wherein the first module is further operable to:

determine whether to forward one or more of the first sub-set of encoded data slices to a user device; and

forward the at least some of the one or more of the first sub-set of encoded data slices to the user device when forwarding.