So tell me how torrent websites work!

[Blackbird]

I've just Googled to buy a service manual for my 50 hp Mercury outboard and one of the search results was for a torrent site called www.torrentreactor.net. Apparently, I can download a manual provided that I pay a once-only fee of US$26 for membership of the site.

I've never used a torrent site before but aren't they supposed to be a bit dodgy? TorrentReactor has a classy look about it, but it might be all front. The warning that I could possibly be hit for a lawsuit for illegal downloading unless I use their encryption software was hardly reassuring either!

So, a PLAIN ENGLISH paragraph of the pros and cons of torrent sites would be very much appreciated.

Cheers,

Geoff

[Cajun]

jump on msn and i walk ya thru it mate

haveing a closer look at that torrentreactor, all the links for mecary acuytally went to another site, and i wouldn't be trusting it.

[Blackshear]

Torrents are naughty!

Get an anti-virus, too. Or more.

[Slyer]

Torrents are infinitely safer than kazaa, limewire and other filesharing apps.

[Blackshear]

Torrents are infinitely safer than kazaa, limewire and other filesharing apps.

Then where else am I going to get my Popular_Song.bat or XXX_Lesbian_hot.exe?

[bogan]

the thing about torrent sites, is you dont have to pay for them, mininova and the piratebay have lots of stuff on them. As torrenting is getting files off other ppl, not a server it is silly to thave to pay for it.

[neilwgtn]

dont do it..
its just a false link.. they use the key word that you are searching for and put it in as a file.. you could type anything.manual and torrentreactor.net will say they have the file for only a small fee...

there are lots free torrent search engines.. mininova is an easy one.

[Headbanger]

I use torrentreactor all the time, never been asked for a fee.....

[Hoon]

Yep they are just trying to scam uninformed people like yourself for something that can be acquired for free.

Easiest and quickest way - hit up your bestus geek mate to download it for you, He'll be the guy with all the movies, TV shows and porn.

Longer but better way - take up cajun's offer. Then you can become the guy with all the movies, TV shows and porn!!

[Blackbird]

Thanks guys, suitably warned. Must say that I had a quiet chuckle as torrent users must be restricted to 20 year olds, judging by the bikes you ride (Cajun excepted ). I think that speaks volumes in itself, haha.

Thanks again!

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

Always read the comments made by other people to find out if it is good file or not...

However you have the same risk downloading any file from any source... All a torrent does is shares the upload bandwidth with others that are downloading the same file from the same torrent. Especially handy when there are alot of people downloading a large file.

There are a lot of official torrents, example OpenOffice.org most of the Linux OS is downloaded via torrents etc...There is also a lot of pirates... watch out for the pirate torrents as have been stated.

There is no more of a risk of and simply downloading a file via ftp or http... use the same precaution of scanning for the virus and malware

[p.dath]

Pretty much someone will be trying to sell you a "stolen" copy for $26.

[ttnz]

aslo install a ip filter like PG2 http://phoenixlabs.org/pg2/

[Blackbird]

Thanks but I'll be staying away from them and buying a manual!

[CookMySock]

dont do it.. its just a false link.. [...] torrentreactor.net

Yeah torrentreactor is a scam site. It's hard to know what to trust.

Torrents are a lot easier on Linux, as it's all built in (you just click a torrent file and it loads) and you don't have to worry about viruses.


Steve