The bit torrent file sharing technology is relatively new, if such a thing exists in the file sharing world, when compared to the technology used by programs like Napster, Kazaa, etc. What is unique about bit torrent file sharing is that instead of downloading the entire file at once, you first download a small (tiny) file which has a .torrent extension. This is a torrent file, and contains the information your bit torrent client will need in order to begin download. The bit torrent client then finds others who are either download, or seeding (sharing but not downloading), and downloads the program, movie, mp3, or whatever it may be, from all those users collectively. This is unique in that you will actually be downloading files from other people who are also downloading the file—in other words, you don’t have to get the file from someone who has the whole thing. The technology allows you to take advantage of the little pieces others may already have and then puts everything in order, so to speak, later. There have been wild estimates related to how much bit torrent file sharing there actually is going on today on the internet. Some say the traffic is moderate, while others claim that as much as 60% of all internet traffic is torrent related. This is quite an impressive figure and is testament to the power of the new technology. Originally, the torrent file sharing technology was actually developed by an individual who was just experimenting and trying to come up with something on his own. He had no idea what far reaching and influential effects his work would have for years to come. There is no question—even at these very large usage numbers—the torrent file sharing concept is still in its early days / youth. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the whole bit torrent craze is the fact that we see once again the power of the individual. While he did take advantage of tools and concepts developed by others, it was really one person who created what we now know as bit torrent. The internet has really enabled people like this to use their talents not only for their own benefit but to benefit all those who are able to connect to the world wide web. What is the bit torrent technology used for? Well, most obviously, file sharing. But what exactly does that mean? It means that torrent files can be used to share a wide range of different things including movies, music, documents, software, really anything you could imagine (including viruses! So always be sure to use an antivirus tool). There have also been widespread concerns related to copyright infringement and the bit torrent technology—as there was with the technology’s predecessors like Napster, Kazaa, etc. In the end we will see if this controversy and legal concern ultimately results in any fundamental change. My personal hypothesis is that it will not, because people like the bit torrent creator will always be able to find another way to share files and communicate over the internet.
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