BitTorrent

Pros

• It fits in well with MacOS systems
• A straightforward file sharing utility
• Users can control bandwidth and schedule downloads

Cons

• Too simple for Torrenting enthusiasts
• Lacks network stats

Built to run on MacOS software, BitTorrent Mac is a simple to run Peer-to-Peer file sharing client. The program uses the Torrent file distribution protocol to chop large content into smaller slices. These chunks of data are then shared, distributed, and collected. When they're all intelligently sorted and assembled by the software file-sharing protocol, then they reform as a large file once more. Users, therefore, employ BitTorrent Mac as a digital content distribution and sharing tool. On a Torrent network, file-sharing enthusiasts can share music, films, TV shows, and all other types of media. Remember, shared between computers, only legitimately purchased or free content should be hosted in this manner.

First things first, as hinted at in the above passage of text, this small utility is intended to be a legal file-sharing program. As a free download, a user may choose to violate Copywrite laws, but that's their decision. Again, the software developers who create BitTorrenting applications like this do so as a service, one intended to share home videos, home-recorded music, and media that's been released to the public domain. Now that this cautionary message has been stated, let's get back to BitTorrent Mac and its many features. As a P2P application, the software efficiently employs a Mac computer's CPU as a "swarm" creator. Files are chopped down into tiny data slivers, then they're made available to the rest of the distributed network. That's a complicated principle. Fear not, all of this data segmenting takes place under the program's hood. For everyday Mac owners, all they'll see is an uncluttered program interface with a list of shared files dominating the screen.

Once the seed torrent package is clicked upon, a Mac computer carries out the instructions stored within that little data file. There are server addresses contained inside, so BitTorrent Mac will load those addresses and point the client towards a series of server locations. Every client functions as a virtual server, so every computer acts as a file-sharing node, one that sends out then receives sections of the media "swarm." As soon as all of those data slivers are gathered and stored, they're automatically assembled into a media package, program, or text string. Again, media packages are most common here, as they're larger than other computer binaries. At any rate, this client does a fine job of sending and receiving, of capturing and sharing media content, even when the media is several gigabytes in size.

There are dozens of similar torrenting utilities. They provide a similarly straightforward user interface, so BitTorrent Mac is in good company. However, some of these alternative torrenting apps do incorporate more settings and configurable extras. Upload and download speed changes and network diagnosing settings are built into the advanced clients, but this utility seems designed to provide a simpler file-sharing experience. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it's definitely something users should be aware of, especially if they like tinkering with program settings. All the same, there's a scheduler and bandwidth tuner built-in, plus an option to limit download speeds. That's a valuable feature to have in hand, for some Wifi routers, and their owners, don't like to see all of their bandwidth eaten up by a torrenting app.

Pros

• It fits in well with MacOS systems
• A straightforward file sharing utility
• Users can control bandwidth and schedule downloads

Cons

• Too simple for Torrenting enthusiasts
• Lacks network stats