- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Coaching Changes
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
Dinosaur question
Posted on 12/8/14 at 8:22 am
Posted on 12/8/14 at 8:22 am
I am serious in asking this. Please don't flame. What does it mean "to torrent" and how/why is it done? Forgive my ignorance - I am 65 and remember life before the web - even before cable - even before color TV.
Am trying to catch up
Am trying to catch up
This post was edited on 12/8/14 at 8:23 am
4
Posted on 12/8/14 at 8:36 am to JawjaTigah
It means to share files such as music and movies. Like if you let a friend borrow a cd and he copied it, except this is done over the internet. Technically it is illegal.
Posted on 12/8/14 at 8:43 am to LSUSUPERSTAR
Torrenting means you are downloading a file/files from multiple sources instead of one source like a normal download.
You are getting pieces of the file from people that may have the entire file already or people who are also downloading the file while you are downloading.
Torrenting is not illegal by itself, you can torrent public domain files/your own files all you want. It is when you steal movies/music/games/etc that you get the illegal part.
You are getting pieces of the file from people that may have the entire file already or people who are also downloading the file while you are downloading.
quote:
Technically it is illegal.
Torrenting is not illegal by itself, you can torrent public domain files/your own files all you want. It is when you steal movies/music/games/etc that you get the illegal part.
This post was edited on 12/8/14 at 8:51 am
Posted on 12/8/14 at 8:50 am to JawjaTigah
It's a way for people to steal copyrighted movies and share them on the internet with other like-minded people. Often the movies are of low quality, filmed at the movie theater with a videocam or incomplete. Don't waste your time on it.
Posted on 12/8/14 at 9:03 am to Layabout
quote:
Often the movies are of low quality
quote:
filmed at the movie theater with a videocam
quote:
incomplete.
Where is CAD when you need him
Posted on 12/8/14 at 9:46 am to JawjaTigah
quote:
Dinosaur question
YAY!!!!
quote:
What does it mean "to torrent" and how/why is it done?
AWWWWHHH
This post was edited on 12/8/14 at 9:52 am
Posted on 12/8/14 at 10:09 am to JawjaTigah
quote:And can you please forgive the ignorance of those in here saying torrenting is illegal? Torrenting is just a different way to download stuff, and just like any other method of downloading, only the things you download can make it illegal.
Forgive my ignorance
quote:Instead of downloading a large file from one source like a standard download, you just download a small torrent file that contains information about the file(s) you want to download. You then use one of the many torrent programs to open this file, and this program uses the information it contains to connect you to other computers that have opened the same torrent file. At least one of these computers will have a full copy of the large file you actually want (this is called a 'seed'). These torrent programs sort of work together to divide the file up and spread it around, sharing chunks of the file between each other until everybody has a fully copy of the large file.
how is it done?
quote:It is done to distribute the load of transferring large files. If 100 people try to download something from the same server at the same time, the available bandwidth gets split 100 ways and each downloader gets very slow speeds since the same computer has to transfer the same file 100 times. But if 100 people are part of the same torrent, the computer that has the original file (the seed, remember) can split the file 100 ways, send one chunk to each other computer, and then they can share chunks with one another. This way, instead of transferring the same thing 100 times, the original only has to be transferred once (though typically the seeder will remain a part of the torrent and eventually transfer several copies). So instead of it taking longer as more people try to download a file (like a regular download from a single server), torrents actually complete faster as more people join in.
why is it done?
Posted on 12/8/14 at 10:17 am to Korkstand
quote:
Torrenting is just a different way to download stuff, and just like any other method of downloading, only the things you download can make it illegal.
You get the prize for most disingenuous post of the week. They're good boys, officer, they wouldn't do anything illegal.
Posted on 12/8/14 at 10:27 am to Layabout
quote:And what prize do I win for the fact that 100% of my torrenting for the past several years has been to download legal Linux distributions?
You get the prize for most disingenuous post of the week. They're good boys, officer, they wouldn't do anything illegal.
It's not fair to label torrents as illegal simply because the technology makes doing certain illegal things faster and easier. And it is beyond stupid to put that into the head of someone who seemingly wants to learn about it.
Posted on 12/8/14 at 10:28 am to Layabout
quote:
Layabout
The one guy in the world who has never bought something, and then shared it
Posted on 12/8/14 at 11:16 am to Layabout
quote:
You get the prize for most disingenuous post of the week. They're good boys, officer, they wouldn't do anything illegal.
Yes and no. Torrenting is a totally acceptable, ethical, and effective method of file transfer. That's quite true. The common use of the word on many message boards, particularly this one, though, is very likely referring to the downloading of copyrighted files through the use of torrents.
So, OP, when you see "torrent" just replace it with "download," so phrases like "torrent movies and music" mean to "download movies and music." I don't have numbers, but the vast majority of people referring to this type of torrenting, specifically the guy on the front page of the tech board who "got caught for torrenting (files he should not have due to legal/copyright restriction)" are doing so illegally, thus the whole "getting caught" stuff. There's plenty of legal torrenting (like Korkstand's downloading of large operating-system sized files in small chunks from many places to reliably and quickly move data from point a to point b (plus several points in between if you want to be technical, but all ending at "b")), but most of the "how do I torrent?" stuff that I have seen refers to methods of obtaining copyrighted materials.
And lastly, make your own decisions about whether or not you are willing to participate in illegal activities, but when you see phrases like "ISPS cracking down on torrenting," what you're seeing is that your internet provider (like Cox) is trying to stop the illegal use of their services. They can shut your internet off until you can explain yourself. There are ways you can attempt to not get caught. But this crackdown almost exclusively refers to the torrenting from websites known to distribute copyrighted materials frequently.
Posted on 12/8/14 at 12:04 pm to Hopeful Doc
I shouldn't have said it was all illegal and been more specific about certain music and movies. It looks like others covered it though.
Posted on 12/8/14 at 4:09 pm to Korkstand
To all who replied, even with pictures of dinosaurs - THANK YOU!!!
Lots of learning happened for me. Among the learnings:
torrenting=downloading in pieces from torrent files scattered all over the web universe
some things torrented are legal; others copyrighted aren't legal (esp. movies, music, etc).
Learned also that dinosaurs have no business playing with fire. So I shall probably content myself with more familiar Jurassic things and leave the torrenting to people who know something about what they are doing (at least until my son comes for a visit)... lol.
Again, many thanks, All!
Lots of learning happened for me. Among the learnings:
torrenting=downloading in pieces from torrent files scattered all over the web universe
some things torrented are legal; others copyrighted aren't legal (esp. movies, music, etc).
Learned also that dinosaurs have no business playing with fire. So I shall probably content myself with more familiar Jurassic things and leave the torrenting to people who know something about what they are doing (at least until my son comes for a visit)... lol.
Again, many thanks, All!
Posted on 12/8/14 at 4:41 pm to JawjaTigah
Well, don't let your son freeload your internet connection to download whatever from wherever. There are certain measures you must take when torrenting copyrighted content to significantly reduce the likelihood of getting dinged by your ISP due to a copyright complaint. Some ISPs are stricter than others.
Page 1 of 1
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News