If you've been around long enough, your sure to have come across the word "Torrents"(or "BitTorrents") and how it's really cool and got nothing to do with rain.
Now, what is a torrent? And why is it cool?
When you normally download something from the internet, you are actually downloading it from that website's computer(known as a 'server'). You are downloading it from one place.
Whereas, with torrents and things like Limewire(assuming you've used it at some point), it uses a concept called "Peer To Peer"(or P2P for short). Wherein, when you download something, in LimeWire for example, you are downloading it from not just one person(or server), but from a whole bunch of people. Other people who are online and who have that file on their computer. In this way, the file starts from one person and spreads to a whole bunch of people.
Like all things, it does have its pros and cons.
The major advantage with this type of file sharing is that pirated stuff flourishes. Anyone can make a file like a movie or game public and wait for a few people to get it, and soon it'll spread like wildfire.
On the flip-side, if not many people get want to download that file, chances of finding people to download it from are slim.
Torrents use the same concept. The only thing you need to download is this really small file with a ".torrent" extension and a Torrent program(known as a Torrent Client). The best one out there is µTorrent. Its small and simple.
Basically the ".torrent" file tells the Torrent program what file(s) to download. It communicates with something known as a tracker to know who all have the files and how to download it from them.
A tracker is a website which keeps track of all the various torrents out there and who all have them. It basically helps the Torrent Client to communicate with other torrent clients that have the file.
Where do you find this small ".torrent" files you ask?
Well they can be found by searching the sites, isoHunt, KickassTorrents and The Pirate Bay.
Note: Torrents are uploaded and downloaded only when the torrent client is running.
In the world of torrents, there are a few terminologies you ought to know.
Seeds - These are number people who have the file and have their torrent client running.
Seeding - This is the process of uploading torrents(this is, letting other people download it from your computer) that you have already downloaded.
Leechers - These are people who are in the process of downloading the file. They do not have the complete file.
Leeching - This is the process of uploading the partial file while you are downloading it.
Wikipedia has a nice article on the entire BitTorrent Vocabulary incase you don't believe me.
Now, to the actual downloading part.
Now that you are no longer a torrent dummy, you can move on to the Torrent Basics
Now, what is a torrent? And why is it cool?
When you normally download something from the internet, you are actually downloading it from that website's computer(known as a 'server'). You are downloading it from one place.
Whereas, with torrents and things like Limewire(assuming you've used it at some point), it uses a concept called "Peer To Peer"(or P2P for short). Wherein, when you download something, in LimeWire for example, you are downloading it from not just one person(or server), but from a whole bunch of people. Other people who are online and who have that file on their computer. In this way, the file starts from one person and spreads to a whole bunch of people.
Like all things, it does have its pros and cons.
The major advantage with this type of file sharing is that pirated stuff flourishes. Anyone can make a file like a movie or game public and wait for a few people to get it, and soon it'll spread like wildfire.
On the flip-side, if not many people get want to download that file, chances of finding people to download it from are slim.
Torrents use the same concept. The only thing you need to download is this really small file with a ".torrent" extension and a Torrent program(known as a Torrent Client). The best one out there is µTorrent. Its small and simple.
Basically the ".torrent" file tells the Torrent program what file(s) to download. It communicates with something known as a tracker to know who all have the files and how to download it from them.
A tracker is a website which keeps track of all the various torrents out there and who all have them. It basically helps the Torrent Client to communicate with other torrent clients that have the file.
Where do you find this small ".torrent" files you ask?
Well they can be found by searching the sites, isoHunt, KickassTorrents and The Pirate Bay.
Note: Torrents are uploaded and downloaded only when the torrent client is running.
In the world of torrents, there are a few terminologies you ought to know.
Seeds - These are number people who have the file and have their torrent client running.
Seeding - This is the process of uploading torrents(this is, letting other people download it from your computer) that you have already downloaded.
Leechers - These are people who are in the process of downloading the file. They do not have the complete file.
Leeching - This is the process of uploading the partial file while you are downloading it.
Wikipedia has a nice article on the entire BitTorrent Vocabulary incase you don't believe me.
Now, to the actual downloading part.
- Download µTorrent
- Install it by following the onscreen instructions.
- Download the ".torrent" file from your prefered torrent site.
- Open the ".torrent" file using µTorrent.
- Hit OK, select the folder to where you want to download it and it should start downloading.
- Depending on your internet speed, it will calculate how long it will take to complete. (Look in the "ETA" column)
- Once it has finished, go to the "Completed" tab on the left and Right-Click on the file. Then go to "Open"(Or something similar)
- Enjoy
Now that you are no longer a torrent dummy, you can move on to the Torrent Basics
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