BitTorrent is a protocol for sharing large computer files over the Internet. It was created in 2001 by computer programmer Bram Cohen, who was frustrated by the time it took to download a single file from the internet. By downloading pieces of a file from others, BitTorrent uses much less bandwidth than downloading the entire file from a single source. To learn more about BitTorrent, read on! And remember: if you’re considering downloading the software, keep reading!
In August 2007, Comcast stopped BitTorrent seeding, and redirected client-tracker traffic through an encrypted tunnel to point outside the Comcast network. The company announced plans to produce its own TV show in 2014, but its failure to achieve its goals has left it a technology without a business. Several factors played a role in BitTorrent’s failure. One of the primary issues was its vulnerability to traffic analysis. Comcast’s stance on net neutrality led to renewed debate about the issue.
The BitTorrent protocol implements a mechanism called the tit-for-tat, which ensures consistent download rates. To maintain this, BitTorrent uses peer cooperation and replication. It implements this by choking, or refusing to upload to a peer and allowing them to download from another. The protocol allows pauses in the download without losing information downloaded before. In addition to being faster, BitTorrent also allows users to transfer large files with large amounts of data.
The main principle behind BitTorrent is simple. The originating server makes a single copy of a file, which peers then split into multiple pieces. The pieces are then distributed to other clients through P2P communication. Hundreds of computers, known as swarms, can simultaneously download pieces of the same file. The more people in a swarm, the faster BitTorrent can distribute the file. The process of BitTorrent is not sequential, but rather simplified.
To begin downloading a torrent, a node must first identify its own peer. It then uses a distance metric, comparing the informationhash of a torrent with IDs in the routing table. Nodes closest to the torrent infohash are inserted into the routing table. Once the nodes in the routing table are identified, the controlling peer must present this token to complete the torrent. There are several other security measures that must be taken to protect BitTorrent from malicious hosts.
Private host/tracker sites usually run BitTorrent trackers for torrent files hosted on their servers. However, these hosts often limit the amount of data each user can download or upload, which is known as “leeching”.
Another problem with BitTorrent was its branding, which was a problem from the beginning. Since the software was open-source, pirates used it to transfer illegal movies and music. This made it difficult for BitTorrent to do anything about it. So it tried to reinvent itself as a media company. In 2007, it launched the BitTorrent Entertainment Network, which was essentially a storefront for movies and music. This venture did not make much money, so the website was shut down within a year.
