[[!comment format=mdwn
 username="https://christian.amsuess.com/chrysn"
 nickname="chrysn"
 avatar="http://christian.amsuess.com/avatar/c6c0d57d63ac88f3541522c4b21198c3c7169a665a2f2d733b4f78670322ffdc"
 subject="Would be useful"
 date="2019-12-17T09:08:08Z"
 content="""
A `git annex cat` would be useful for the very web server purpose you describe (WIP at https://gitlab.com/chrysn/annex-to-web, though I'm not sure it's going anywhere).

Unlike `git annex inprogress` that I (will) use for a workaround, this could take a `--skip` argument that usually just seeks into the file.
If the data is served from a remote that allows seeking access (eg. IPFS),
then that access could be priorized and that part downloaded first.
(Implementing this would require another tmp pool for sparse files as they couldn't go with the `git annex inprogress` files for there is the expectation that those would grow to completion,
but anyway this would be an entry point for such a feature if it is ever added).
"""]]