HELP! Really stupid question

[Miss_S]

Ok,this might be the most stupid question ever asked in the history of the Earth...but...could someone please explain: What the hell is this torrent stuff?
I am a complete idiot when it comes to computers and stuff, and I understand it has something to do with uploading files?
Please explain this to me! I feel really stupid (being a young person and all ) not knowing what it is or how to use it...
Any help is greatly appreciated.
Sølvi

[missneworleans]

Torrent means a lot of staff, like a rain

[Miss_S]

Seriously,though. I need help with this!

[April madness]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BitTorrent

hope this helps

[Miss_S]

Thanks,April,that helped a little. But how do I use one? If I download a Torrent Client (is that what it's called?), how do I go about using it?

[April madness]

you download it, install it, it will ask for download folder and other settings. then you go to the torrent tracker server - it might be open public or you will have to register. find the file you are interested in (say, Snooker world championship 2006 final), click on it - it will download a small file with '.torrent' extension. Open this file in the bittorrent client, and the download will start.

[Miss_S]

Ok,downloading should be easy enough... I'll come back to this thread if I have more questions.
Thanks for the help,April

[April madness]

Good luck Miss S, welcome to the beautiful world of file sharing

[Miss_S]

Uhm,another question tha will pop up (knowing how I am with these things) : If I download, say, a video, will it be easy for me to figure out how to actually open it and watch it once it's downloaded (bear in mind I'm an idiot with comps) ?

[Skypigeon]

it will most often come as an ordinary avi. file...but there are many diffferent formats..just choose a torrent for the file that you want in the format that you want,,,, some cool open sites for torrents are

mininova.org
isohunt.com

The Bittorrent client I would recommend is Utorrent. It is very easy to use and is very reliable and allowed at all torrent sites! www.utorrent.com

[April madness]

well, I guess normally the file would open within default media player. say, Windows media player. Sometimes it will ask for codecs to be able to play the video, so click ok. I have downloaded K-Lite video codec pack, it comes with Media Player Classic, can play loads of video formats. but usually Windows Media Player plays most of files.

[Miss_S]

it will most often come as an ordinary avi. file...but there are many diffferent formats..just choose a torrent for the file that you want in the format that you want,,,, some cool open sites for torrents are

mininova.org
isohunt.com

Thanx for your help.
Am getting started. Have downloaded µTorrent,hopefully it's ok?
And my account at Billards Tracker has been accepted,so I'm pretty much ready to go.
Hopefully I'll understand more as I go along...
Expect to see me here again soon

[Miss_S]

Help! (here we go again)
I have downloaded a vid,but can't get it to play...

[April madness]

Is it avi file, wmv, or rm? The last one will open in real player. What does WMP say when you try to open that file?

[Skypigeon]

Remember to check how many leechers\seeders there are to a file when you download it...leechers are the ppl who WANTS the file you are downloading *the higher number the better...that way you are able to GIVE BACK what you have taken..i.e they can UPLOAD from you..that way you can keep your UPPLOAD/download ratio up...its important to keep it at 1 approximately! The policy is GIVE BACK as much as you TAKE. Seeders are the PPL that already has the file the file that you want..and who you will take it from...so first you become a leecher and download..then you become a seeder and give back what you have taken...