Right. I'll do a Torrents for Beginners course, then.
Software: There are different clients, but I recommend uTorrent. Easy and takes care of almost everything on its own. Azureus is apparently another good one.
How does this work?
This is p2p sharing of any content, but mainly large files (mp3s are consideres tiny files) via a central server. This server coordinates what goes on between the different people who download on a particular file.
On your end you download a .torrent file from the server, activate it in your client and sit back and watch as you get tiny bits and pieces of the file from all over the world. After a little while you will also be sending out pieces. This is the point of it all. The file is not available in full from any server, the server only acts as a meeting place.
Trackers (servers)
The most well-known tracker would be the Pirate Bay. This is a public tracker, everyone and their dog can download from (or upload to) it. I think the only thing they forbid and delete is child pornography.
There are also private trackers for more specialised areas of interest (films, music, telly, gardening shows, games, apps, anything you can think of). To get into these you either have to Know People, have a bit of luck, or resort to begging. The requirements for joining different trackers are varying, but for most you have to maintain a good ratio.
Ratio
As you down- and upload on a torrent, the tracker (and your client) will keep track on the ratio between the two. Most private sites will have ratio requirements ranging from 0.5 to 1.0. That is - share back what you have received to at least 50% of what you downloaded, or 100%. Most sites will not care too hard about the ratios of individual files, but your overall ratio will be the important one to maintain.
Legality
Is it legal? In most cases, no. One of the largest, most well-known private music trackers (OiNK) went down a short while ago. Can you be found and prosecuted? Yes, the chance is there. If you live in Canada, you're in luck, it is official policy not to follow individual downloaders, just sites and site-owners.
This is piracy, and whilst downloading a film made for telly, screened once in 1991 (including the original ads), might not be directly harmful to the planet and cute animals everywhere, it IS a breach of copyright laws. It is also a brilliant way of getting hold of that obscure vinyl that your uncle's band put out in 13 copies in the mid-seventies, but that died on you when you moved the last time.
I hope it's ok that I posted this here. It's not like it's information not easily available anyway.
Further questions?
