How does a "bit torrent" work?

[Bookworm]

I have downloaded a couple of "torrents" for some old TRS-80 software. (No, it won't run on my ThinkPad. I'll have to copy it to the TRS-80. But I know how to do that.)

What do I do with them?

I have the bit torrent program installed. I clicked on the torrent on my desktop. The torrent window opened. And that's all.

It didn't dial. As I type this, the little green torrent icon is on my task bar, but the tx/rx lights are dark. It says the two torrents are inactive, but there is no option to activate them. As far as I can tell, this program simply doesn't do anything.

How do I download the software supposedly in the bit torrent file?

[Radioguy]

If they're old torrents, it might mean no one is there to upload the files to you, or the tracker they're associated with has deactivated them, or is no longer online. If you're still after them, go search other trackers or torrent index sites.

Make sure you read the readme help files with the software to make sure you have configured it properly with save folders assigned, and making sure it's connecting to the internet.

As for testing the software, there are plenty of perfectly legal public domain movies available on bittorrent. Just search those words in google to find some, and see that you can download a torrent.

[beGi]

Here are few links:

http://www.utorrent.com/documentation/beginners-guide

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BitTorrent_(protocol)

And be careful what torrent site you use for downloading torrent file...

EDIT: I really don't recommend google for torrent search, use other "specialized" torrent site, private one would be your best choice (if possible)...

[GomJabbar]

I have only used Bit Torrent a little bit. The way I used it was enter the URL of a file that I wanted to download (for example: http://torrent.mandriva.com/public/mand ... 86.torrent ). As the file was downloading, it was also uploading to other torrent users. Once the download was complete, I was able to use the file. The uploading will continue to seed the file to others until you turn it off.

At first I used the bit torrent client built into the Opera browser, but later I needed a more full featured program. I had originally done a FTP download of a Mandriva Linux install .iso file that was quite large over a cellular connection. When I checked the MD5SUM of the .iso, I found that it was corrupt. Using Bit Torrent 6.1.2 in Windows XP, I was able to repair the file I had downloaded by only replacing about 5% of it. Pretty cool.

[Radioguy]

EDIT: I really don't recommend google for torrent search, use other "specialized" torrent site, private one would be your best choice (if possible)...

In case that was referring to my reply, that goes without saying. I was only mentioning google in reference to public domain content trackers, which are easily found via google, don't require a login, and are legal to use.

[NorrisCell]

If they're old torrents, it might mean no one is there to upload the files to you

This is the most common reason I'm unable to finish a torrent. Different clients use different trackers too. I have used BitComet for some time, with good results. When you search for a torrent, the more seeds, the better. If there are no active seeds, that means no one has the complete file for download, so it will never finish.

IMO, Torrentz.com is the best index site, because it runs queries through several of the bigger Torrent index sites all at once, then lets you choose a source. All in the eye of the user though.

[Radioguy]

This is the most common reason I'm unable to finish a torrent. Different clients use different trackers too. I have used BitComet for some time, with good results. When you search for a torrent, the more seeds, the better. If there are no active seeds, that means no one has the complete file for download, so it will never finish.

Not sure what you mean there...unless you mean that certain trackers ban certain clients (true).

IMO, Torrentz.com is the best index site, because it runs queries through several of the bigger Torrent index sites all at once, then lets you choose a source. All in the eye of the user though.

No, it's agreed, although good private trackers won't be listed there. Isohunt isn't too bad either.

[hausman]

IMO, Torrentz.com is the best index site...

Even better is http://www.usniff.com/ which searches torrentz, pirate bay, mininova, isohunt and several others.

[NorrisCell]

Not sure what you mean there...unless you mean that certain trackers ban certain clients (true).

That's pretty much what I meant. Certain clients use smaller trackers because they aren't allowed on the bigger ones.

[Radioguy]

That's pretty much what I meant. Certain clients use smaller trackers because they aren't allowed on the bigger ones.

Ah, ok. It's the way you're phrasing that which confused me.

[NorrisCell]

Ah, ok. It's the way you're phrasing that which confused me.

Wording isn't my strong suit, heh