Battleangel

BitTorrent is a peer-to-peer file distribution solution. The concept is based on sharing files while you download. That way the load on the central server can be decreased without sacrificing the ability to download. Nice to have around these days with all the spanking new game demos and trailers that are floating around and killing bandwidth. Some go so far as to say this type of protocol will revolutionize the way we use the Internet.
Of course, in the end, it it up to network admins to utilize the protocol. BitTorrent wont improve upon the current file architecture of the Internet. As explained on the official page, the BitTorrent concept is made up of the following components:

An ordinary web server
A static ‘metainfo’ file
A BitTorrent tracker
An ‘origin’ downloader
The end user web browsers
The end user downloaders

- The web site is serving up static files as normal, but kicking off the BitTorrent helper app on the clients.
- The tracker is receiving information from all downloaders and giving them random lists of peers. This is done over http or https.
- Downloaders are periodically checking in with the tracker to keep it informed of their progress, and are uploading to and downloading from each other via direct connections. These connections use the BitTorrent peer protocol, which operates over TCP.
- The origin is uploading but not downloading at all, since it has the entire file. The origin is necessary to get the entire file into the network. Often for popular downloads the origin can be taken down after a while since several downloads may have completed and been left running indefinitely.

Get the Official Client
Or get the BT++ Client

To be honest I haven’t seen the BitTorrent protocol being utilized all that often. But it is gaining a server and user base. Some ppl are probably reluctant to hand over the exclusive distribution rights to some 3rd party tool that will spread it like the plague more or less. We all know how Fileplanet and Gamespot and the likes operate. Keep ppl signing up for email spam and standing in line for hours and hours.
Plus p2p networks have become something of a tabu these days. Many corporations dismiss them as copyright violating 31337 h4×0r stuff for no good reason. Too bad for us end users and for their bandwidth bills.