Want to skip the totally unnecessary “wait to download” pages on Rapidshare, Megaupload and more?  SkipScreen, and add-on for Firefox is here to help.

I always hate reaching a download page that tells me I have to wait five seconds, ten minutes, three hours before I can start downloading a file.  Why is it there?  Well, it is a trick to be used to make you look at their advertisements. 

What free file hosting services does SkipScreen allow to to skip?

• Rapidshare
• Megaupload
• DepositFiles
• Divshare
• Linkbucks
• Link-protector
• and more are on the way…

If the developers need a list to work from, I have found more than a few free file hosting alternatives myself. Here is a screen shot of SkipScreen in action, helping you to start the download before the “your download will begin shortly” even gets going.

So, what if these free file hosting services update themselves to break the SkipScreen add-on?  While that is a possibility, SkipScreen adjusts to the changes at these sharing sites, and updates to match their updates.

As the developer puts it, “Why click through ad-laden pages and wait for countdowns when your computer can do it for you?”.  That is a good question, and now thanks to the SkipScreen add-on for Firefox, you will not be wasting anymore of your time waiting for the download to begin.