Torrents

Background

Unlike traditional file-sharing known as peer to peer, torrents can be considered comparatively as peers to peer. This means that many users contribute or seed pieces of any one file that the user may want to download, thus this process of many users seeding to the downloader allows bandwidth to be used effectively, and the user is no longer dependant on singular sources to fall back on.

Terminology

Seeding:

Process by which users that have downloaded a file seed the file back to other users.

Ratio:

Seeding is measured with a ratio, which is given for any one file. Most users are expected to seed back to a 1.0 ratio(100% return), and many users that like the quality of the torrent will seed the file for longer periods of time. There is generally no limit to the amount one can seed back to users. This process happens automatically unless software prevents it, the user disconnects or corrupts the file, or removes the file so its contents cannot be viewed.

Leeching:

Concerning torrents leeches are users who do not seed files back into the community, or choose not to seed at all.

Using Torrents

1. Download uTorrent here(Standalone should work fine.). Unlike Limewire and other clients uTorrent is not connected to any network, thus preventing spyware and adware, but also because Torrents are generally not proprietary it is not advantageous for malicious software within such an application.
2. Install the software onto your computer. Which should consist of multiple, "Yes", "Okay", and "I agree" scripts.
3. When the software is installed open it, then check the following: Options > Speed Guide Alter your connection settings if you haven't already, then click "Test if port is forwarded properly". If the page doesn't read OK you will need to click the link on this page and port-forward your router or modem to the proper port that was listed in the Speed Guide section of uTorrent. This is generally the most difficult portion of working with torrents, but once its done, then you shouldn't have to configure this setting very often in the future.
4. Once, you've installed uTorrent and port-forwarded the correct port, you are ready to download torrents. Popular sites to search for torrents include thepiratebay.org and torrentspy.com. Simply click Download and your browser should download the file and load it into uTorrent. If not download the file, then load it into uTorrent manually File > Add Torrent
5. Once the file is downloaded you can usually access these files in My Documents> Downloads

Important Tips

• When searching for torrents it's good to check users comments on any torrent. This will indicate the quality of the file, and often will prevent you from wasting time and bandwidth on bad torrents. Torrents that are generally fake mostly relate to movies and software. If in doubt check the comments always!(Torrents generally do not have as many corrupt files as traditional P2P through Gnutella or other networks.
• File sizes are an important indicator of a bad file. Unfortunately, an entire album cannot fit into 1mb, the same goes for feature films. Check the size of the file and the files within the torrent before you click. MP3 is usually fine for music. Some files are compressed and have peculiar file names such as *.r00 *.r01. These files can be bad, but some are what they claim to be just compressed. Generally an entire album is from 50-100mb, and a feature film is from 700mb to 2gb. Websites that require membership or an invitation usually have very high seed ratios, and very few bad torrents. If it looks too good to be true, then it probably is.
• Files with few seeders or no seeders are usually indicators of a torrent of low quality, or a torrent that is not what it claims to be.
• Pirating is a crime, then again downloading a unique assembly of 1s' and 0s' isn't. The penalty sin most cases for downloading will usually result in a cease and desist order, that legally smart persons should deny, but lawsuits are rare as long as you aren't seeding a file for an extended portion of time. uTorrent blocks servers such as the MPAA and other persons that seek to destroy filesharing. Meaning that you're safer with torrents than traditional filesharing in most cases.