uTorrent 1.8 vs Limewire 4.14.10 for torrents

[jyeh74]

When I download torrents, it used to default to use uTorrent to download. For some weird reason, it now automatically uses Limewire to download torrents from Mininova and Isohunt.
Some websites like Rapidshare and SendSpace still automatically use uTorrent to download. Why is that and how do I change it? I tried going to uTorrent and looked at preferences but couldn't find anything.

[Midzuki]

The .torrent files are best downloaded via the web browser.
I still don't know what the devil many people see in dangerware such as Limewire.

[jyeh74]

Midzuki, how do I change it so when I click on "download this torrent" it doesn't automatically use Limewire? I want to use uTorrent, because it allows me to choose full album or certain songs. I can't figure out the default settings or choose to turn Limewire "off".

[Midzuki]

{ d e l e t e d }

[Alex_ander]

how do I change it so when I click on "download this torrent" it doesn't automatically use Limewire?

uTorrent -> options -> preferences -> general -> associate with .torrent files

To download a .torrent file from browser use right click + 'save link (object) as'.

[jyeh74]

Alex_ander, thank you so much.

[X_Splinter]

UTorrent is the best, no question about it

[MJA]

UTorrent is the best, no question about it

+ PeerGuardian 2

[Squid_uk]

Ah you mention Peer Guardian 2, do this ever disrupt bittorrent software?

[jman98]

Ah you mention Peer Guardian 2, do this ever disrupt bittorrent software?

It shouldn't. I very rarely use Bit Torrent, but when I do I use uTorrent and Peer Guardian and I've never had any problems.

[Seeker47]

how do I change it so when I click on "download this torrent" it doesn't automatically use Limewire?

uTorrent -> options -> preferences -> general -> associate with .torrent files

To download a .torrent file from browser use right click + 'save link (object) as'.

Hmmm, wasn't aware such a thing was even possible -- always assumed you needed one of the various P2P programs. But, if it still takes days to download the torrent file, and the security issues still exist, I would probably continue to say 'Pass' on this.

[Seeker47]

To download a .torrent file from browser use right click + 'save link (object) as'.

To follow up from my previous post, I see no evidence that this works. Have now tried it on several torrent files, and all I get is an Html or Php file. (I'm using the latest FireFox 2 release.) It is immediately obvious, because the torrents are .ISOs of several hundred M in size, which should take a long time to download; what gets grabbed is a tiny fraction of that size, not an .ISO, and is downloaded quickly.

I'm still very disinclined to mess with P2P, for a number of reasons. The security issues may be curable with Peer Guardian, but I'm unwilling to invest several days into downloading a file. It would be nice if there really were some "hybrid" options (sites or software-based) that cross over -- similar to being able to d/l ftp with your browser, even though it does not do all the things that a dedicated ftp client could do.

Update Edit: I did a quick Google search on this. One hit mentions that the Opera browser now has some torrent d/l capability built in. I tried Opera a few versions ago, didn't much care for it then, so I'm not rushing to this option. Another hit mentions Bitlet.Org, a java applet / webpage that is sort of to this problem as the Keepvid site is to some video d/l -- except that unlike KeepVid it appears to work. I've been downloading a 633M torrent file for half an hour now, with about 2M in so far. At this rate, the whole thing should be in by New Year
unless the applet craps out on me or my patience wears thin, which it probably will. Normally, I would shut this computer down overnight, or when I leave the house . . . .

There may well be additional alternatives, as I got a few pages worth of hits to sift through.

[Supreme2k]

Seeker47, it is obvious that you have no idea what anyone in this thread is talking about. You need to do research on torrents. Limewire is not really considered even mentionable as a true torrent client.

People are posting about utorrent (which translates to micro-torrent), a P2P program. The setting suggested by Alex_ander are for that program.

It is also obvious that you are not clicking on the actual torrent file. Many torrent sites link to the torrents through javascript, PHP or even html. What you are downloading seems to be the redirection script rather than the actual torrent. The torrent is not the file that you are trying to retrieve, but rather it is information about where that file is and from where your client should get it.
Additionally, if you have utorrent and it i associated with torrents, merely clicking on the torrent link should give you the option to open it with utorrent (and thus, begin downloading).

Finally, legit files would not take that long because there are many seeders, because they are not worried about "getting caught". Most illegal files tend to have high seeding on and near the release date, but soon fall down to the level of dial-up speeds.

[Seeker47]

Seeker47, it is obvious that you have no idea what anyone in this thread is talking about. You need to do research on torrents. Limewire is not really considered even mentionable as a true torrent client.

People are posting about utorrent (which translates to micro-torrent), a P2P program. The setting suggested by Alex_ander are for that program.

Did I ever mention Limewire ? NO -- I was responding to a statement by Alex_ander. I know little about P2P, having never used it. Either what he said is wrong, or it is unclear, or it only applies if this (utorrent) is called by the browser and works with it in a supplementary fashion. No utorrent (or equivalent) -- then forget about it, 'cause it's not gonna happen. But I took his statement literally -- that this should be possible with just the regular browser. Which appears to be incorrect.

It is also obvious that you are not clicking on the actual torrent file. Many torrent sites link to the torrents through javascript, PHP or even html. What you are downloading seems to be the redirection script rather than the actual torrent. The torrent is not the file that you are trying to retrieve, but rather it is information about where that file is and from where your client should get it.
Additionally, if you have utorrent and it i associated with torrents, merely clicking on the torrent link should give you the option to open it with utorrent (and thus, begin downloading).

O.K., that at least is useful information.

Finally, legit files would not take that long because there are many seeders, because they are not worried about "getting caught". Most illegal files tend to have high seeding on and near the release date, but soon fall down to the level of dial-up speeds.

How "legit" the file is should be irrelevant: we live in a world where people now expect many things to be instant or near-instant, especially if they involve computers. So far, I can't see much reason why people would want to bother with P2P. There are much quicker and easier alternatives, even if you have to look around for them.

[Supreme2k]

But I took his statement literally -- that this should be possible with just the regular browser. Which appears to be incorrect.

He was responding to someone in regards to utorrent, not the browser or html. He wasn't addressing you. The response was to someone who actually knows a little bit about P2P.

How "legit" the file is should be irrelevant: we live in a world where people now expect many things to be instant or near-instant, especially if they involve computers.

Yeah, and people expect flying cars, but it ain't happening.

So far, I can't see much reason why people would want to bother with P2P. There are much quicker and easier alternatives, even if you have to look around for them.

You are completely incorrect. P2P is among the fastest form of file transfer. At the very least, it is the same speed as some of the faster file transfer protocols. Better by far than a simple browser transfer.

And those people that want "things to be instant or near instant" aren't going to be patient enough to "look around for them".


It's just seems ridiculous that you will knock a method that you know absolutely nothing about, and have never tried. The fact that some major content providers (video, music, sofware, etc.) use it for their free content should give you a clue to it's effectiveness.

[Alex_ander]

@Seeker47
Unlikely you understand the difference between torrent file, which has '.torrent' extension and the files you download using that service file. You need 2 separate things:
1. Download the .torrent file to your HDD.
If you have problems downloading it from right-click menu, install Flashgot extension to Firefox, this will make things easier.

2. Open that .torrent file in uTorrent to start downloading actual content.
Two ways: a) drag it to uTorrent window or b) if you have it associated with uTorrent (green icon), double-click on it and this will open the program and start downloading.

[Skith]

I think I read something about Limewire hijacking torrent associations from uTorrent in the FAQ.

Just about everything here is covered in the FAQ on the uTorrent website. The FAQ there is also well maintained, unlike many others around the web. It is well worth looking at for anyone who has issues. FAQs can be an excellent source of information, it should be the first place people look.

As for "legit" downloads, just because you can do something, doesn't mean you should. There are also companies that release fake downloads to confuse people who do download such material, so it is quite possible that such a download may really not be "legit" in the truest sense of the word.

[Alex_ander]

I think I read something about Limewire hijacking torrent associations from uTorrent in the FAQ.

Yes, there are some programs that re-associate files at start-up. In case that option can't be turned off, no reason to keep using Limewire at all.

As for "legit" downloads...

The technology itself doesn't mean 'no copyright control'. The torrent peers come in contact by means of a centralized torrent site, where the organizers take responsibility for the content shared among users and are interested to take proper anti-piracy measures (member registration + individualization of torrent files + ability to stop any traffic for content with copyright problems). That is how torrent sites for collectors of ROIO (musical Recordings Of Independent Origin) are organized (Dime, TTD, Tapecity, etc.), and there are very strict rules urging members to explore the material they intend to share (to find out whether any part of it was released or is planned for release, belongs to a particular artist who objects to sharing his unofficial recordings, etc). Those anti-p2p organizations never interfere in downloads with legal content (only heard they appear at d/l Beatles and Pink Floyd official content), so PeerGuardian is not needed there.

[Seeker47]

@Seeker47
Unlikely you understand the difference between torrent file, which has '.torrent' extension and the files you download using that service file. You need 2 separate things:
1. Download the .torrent file to your HDD.
If you have problems downloading it from right-click menu, install Flashgot extension to Firefox, this will make things easier.

2. Open that .torrent file in uTorrent to start downloading actual content.
Two ways: a) drag it to uTorrent window or b) if you have it associated with uTorrent (green icon), double-click on it and this will open the program and start downloading.

Thanks for explaining this, Alex_ander. I will probably give it a try. The Bitlet java thing certainly did not pan out, halting at around 4% after 8 hours.

Not to single out Supreme2K, because he's far from alone in this and it has come up in various other threads, but I just love it when someone starts out by saying "you're obviously completely ignorant about this." Well, DUH ! Would I even be here inquiring about it, if I already knew ? (Or they may put it in far less pleasant terms.) Saying "you need to read up on this", with perhaps a couple of good links suggested, is at least neutral. Much better still is a response like the one you gave.

[Supreme2k]

My response (and others that you may get) was based on you being so derogatory about a method of which you have no knowledge. It is one thing to come seeking knowledge, but another thing entirely to deride something just because you don't understand it (especially in a thread where everyone involved does understand).