This document summarizes how torrenting works. It explains that torrenting uses torrent files and programs to connect peers who are sharing portions of files. Trackers coordinate the peers and ensure a fair sharing of data by prioritizing users with higher seed-to-leech ratios. While torrenting allows for quick transfers, it is controversial due to potential copyright infringement through unauthorized sharing of files.
2. TORRENTS
What is Torrent
The pyramid theory
How Torrenting Works
Trackers
Peers
Ratio and the Fair Share Policy
Torrent Culture
Controversy
5. HOW TORRENTING WORKS
All torrenting takes place using a torrent program. Examples of torrenting
programs include uTorrent, Azureus and the original Bit Torrent. These
programs allow your computer to send and receive files on a specific port and
interpret the data from .TORRENT files. .TORRENT files contain all of the
information on a specific torrent--who started it, what the torrent contains, and
how to download and upload information corresponding to that torrent. When
the .TORRENT file is opened by a torrent program, the torrent program
connects to other users who have portions of the torrent and downloads the
torrent from them. Upon receiving portions of the torrent, your computer
becomes able to upload (or "seed") the file to other users. Once the torrent
program has received all portions of the torrent, it assembles them into a file
using the directions found in the .TORRENT file.
6. TRACKERS
Torrenting begins and ends at large networking servers known as
trackers. Your torrent program (or "client") connects to these servers
using a list found in the original .TORRENT file. Trackers have a list of all
users connected to it and which files they're able to seed. Your client
picks from these users and downloads data from them accordingly. Upon
connecting to the tracker, it registers your computer and the files that you
yourself are able to seed. Trackers also keep logs of one's ratio--how
much your computer uploads, measured against how much your
computer downloads--and determines the amount of bandwidth you
receive.
8. RATIO AND THE FAIR SHARE POLICY
All torrent trackers incorporate a "fair share" policy, which restricts or
grants access to bonus torrent bandwidth accordingly. Fair share policies
basically say that if you're not seeding as much as you are downloading
("leeching"), you will receive less bandwidth from the torrent. Conversely,
if your seed-leech ratio is high, you will download files from the torrent
much quicker than someone with a low ratio. Priority on the tracker is also
given to those with higher ratios. This means they will connect to other
users on the server ("peers") more quickly.
9. PEERS
Peers are clients that have high speed internet connection ,
Or clients that Upload more they download, Or when the
seed-leech is high
PEERS SERVER NORMAL SERVER
PEERS CLIENTS
NORMAL CLIENTS
10. TORRENT CULTURE
A large culture has sprung up around torrenting. Found in websites all
over the Internet, these cultures generally promote fair share policies and
file-sharing honesty, and discourage copyright infringement or file theft.
Generally, these communities are invite-only. Open membership is only
granted at specific times, generally once a month. Anyone wishing to join
who doesn't want to wait until membership becomes open must secure an
invite from someone else who's already part of the community. Other
torrent sites are completely private. For example, the torrent site known
as "What.CD" requires potential users to solve several puzzles to gain
membership, and then undergo an interview and a speed test (to
determine whether or not a user can upload efficiently) before
acceptance.
12. CONTROVERSY ABOUT TORRENTS
Unfortunately, since its inception, peer-to-peer torrenting has been highly
controversial. Because trackers cannot and do not keep track of what
information can be found in their torrents, the potential for copyright
infringement, file theft and even child pornography exists. Organizations
pursue legal activity against torrent trackers and users every day under
claims of copyright infringement. However, despite all of the controversy,
torrenting remains a very popular way to transfer large amounts of data
from and to users at a very quick speed. Many computer companies, such
as Blizzard Entertainment, even use torrenting to allow users to download
their software.
