Torrent 101
The bit torrent protocol is used to download things from the web in a very simple and efficient way.
How the system works is that a
seeder creates and uploads a .torrent file to a website. In the creation of this torrent file, the actual file to be uploaded is logically split into many different smaller files (this is necessary for the protocol to work). The actual .torrent file is basically a set of instructions including where to download the file from as well as the "map" of the small pieces of the file.
Once this torrent file is created and uploaded by the seeder a
leecher may download the torrent file and open it with a torrent program such as
Tomato Torrent or
Transmission. This program will read the "map" and begin to download portions of the file directly from the seeders computer. As another leecher joins the
swarm he begins to download parts of the file as well. These parts are usually different from the ones you are downloading.
The reason for this is because download speeds on each persons individual connection are usually much higher than upload speeds. For example:
Leecher A can download at 700kb/s
but
Seeder A can only upload at 300kb/s
therefore
Leecher A can only download at 300kb/s
When we add more
peers it looks more like this:
Leecher A can download at 700kb/s
but
Seeder A can only upload at 300kb/s
so
Leecher B joins in and Seeder A's bandwidth is split to 150kb/s for each leecher
Leecher A and B are downloading different parts of the file and once they each have enough parts they will begin to seed to each other using their own upload bandwidth.
This enables a leecher to download small parts of the file from many peers at once to utilize all of his download bandwidth.
These swarms can grow to huge sizes with many peers so that everyone can download at maximum speed.
It is common courtesy to upload
at least as much as you download just so everyone has a chance to get the file.
Now also keep in mind while there are many legal and great ways to use torrents there are also many illegal things available through the torrent protocol such as music, movies, software, and many other things. Of course those are illegal and will not be discussed here. I am including for the sole purpose to warn you just because it is available does not mean it is legal. So
Be careful of what you download as there may be legal ramifications
Torrent files can be acquired at many different sites but a few of my favorites are listed below (keep in mind these sites contain legal and illegal files to download so again be careful):
The Pirate Bay
Demonoid.com - This is a private
tracker you will need to be invited by a current member to get full access
Good luck to you! And remember keep it legal.