Simply put BitTorrent is the global standard for accessing rich media over the Internet….

According to Wikipedia:

BitTorrent is a peer-to-peer file sharing protocol used for distributing large amounts of data. BitTorrent is one of the most common protocols for transferring large files, and by Ipoque[1] estimates it accounted for approximately 27-55% of all Internet traffic depending on geographical location as of February 2009.[2]

First, a user playing the role of file-provider makes a file available to the network. This first user’s file is called a seed and its availability on the network allows other users, called peers, to connect and begin to download the seed file. As new peers connect to the network and request the same file, their computer receives a different piece of the data from the seed. Once multiple peers have multiple pieces of the seed, BitTorrent allows each to become a source for that portion of the file. The effect of this is to take on a small part of the task and relieve the initial user, distributing the file download task among the seed and many peers. With BitTorrent, no one computer needs to supply data in quantities which could jeopardize the task by overwhelming all resources, yet the same final result—each peer eventually receiving the entire file—is still reached.

After the file is successfully and completely downloaded by a given peer, the peer is able to shift roles and become an additional seed, helping the remaining peers to receive the entire file. The community of BitTorrent users frowns upon the practice of disconnecting from the network immediately upon success of a file download, and encourages remaining as another seed for as long as practical, which may be days.

This distributed nature of BitTorrent leads to a viral spreading of a file throughout peers. As more peers join the swarm, the likelihood of a successful download increases. Relative to standard Internet hosting, this provides a significant reduction in the original distributor’s hardware and bandwidth resource costs. It also provides redundancy against system problems, reduces dependence on the original distributor and provides a source for the file which is generally temporary and therefore harder to trace than when provided by the enduring availability of a host in standard file distribution techniques.

Step 1) To get started using BitTorrent (BT) you need a BT client; there are many clients out there for windows, though I would highly suggest uTorrent, there is also a Macintosh version of uTorrent. As far as Mac BitTorrent clients your best bet is Transmission, another excellent choice,  if you have $25, is Xtorrent.

Check out this video for a great explanation about BitTorrent from Chris Pirillo:

Step 2) Download .torrent files…

Step 3) Download and install an IP blocker for security

Step 4) Have fun with your quick downloads and make sure to stay up to date with all the latest torrent news by visiting torrentfreak.com