BitTorrent

NO, this is not the torrent client app you're looking for! This is rebranded µTorrent which you do NOT want. Please look elsewhere.

I personally use the latest version of Transmission along with an up-to-date blocking list. If you like bells and whistles, aka Geek Meter in the RED, you want BiglyBT. Again, a blocking list is suggested. Both of these apps are Open Source.

HISTORY TIME for NEWBIES:

"BitTorrent" (BT) is the name of a file sharing protocol. It is also the name of the original, very first BT client, created by Bram Cohen in 2001. The BitTorrent company was formed in 2004. Versions 1 - 4 of their software were Open Source via various licenses. Azureus and its descendents are based on this code. As of version 5 in 2006, BitTorrent came under the scrutiny of the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) and the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) due to copyright infringement by BitTorrent users. As a result, BitTorrent was forced to 'play nice' with the media industry or face lawsuits. As of version 6, BitTorrent became proprietary software. The cryptocurrency TRON Foundation bought the BitTorrent company in 2018, at which point creator Bram Cohen left the company. BitTorrent is currently considered ADWARE and should be avoided. <-

Meanwhile, in 2004 the Open Source Azureus project was started and continued on via Vuze. In 2010, Vuze was purchased by Spigot, became proprietary, was parallel named µTorrent, is now considered ADWARE and should be avoided. <-

In 2005 the Transmission Open Source project was started and continues on as such today. It is considered the most simple to setup and use reliably.

The BiglyBT Open Source project began in 2017 in response to the Vuze situation. It is considered the descendent and revival of the Azureus/Vuze project. As such, it provides considerably more options than Transmission.

The BitTorrent protocol has a steep initial learning curve, but is well worth the effort. Keep in mind that BT sharing remains under scrutiny by the media industry. Also note that BitTorrented WAREZ software is now infamous for being infected with malware. As such, never use WAREZ, or at least first scan such software with a high quality and up-to-date anti-malware app before using it. Please take this warning seriously.

Thus ends today's lesson. Head over to Wikipedia for excellent introductions to all these topics and applications, with the exception of BiglyBT, which apparently hasn't yet hit Wikipedia's radar. You can read about BIglyBT here at MU as well as at the URL provided below by Barry5p. Be extra careful out there! And again, an up-to-date blocking list is recommended. Please DIY finding and using a suitable blocking list for your chosen BT protocol application.

MacUpdate, if it has any conscience left, should remove links to download this and uTorrent immediately.

Worthless crap. If you run Little Snitch while it tries to start it asks for an endless amount of connections. Also tries to install Yahoo adware, this is how much further Yahoo has fallen. uTorrent is the same thing. Transmission FTW but for how long yet?

This software installs spyware and adware. Thank god I had ClamXav running as it quit my browser during the install, and added extensions to my browser (Firefox). They have TWO terms of agreements you are forced to agree to in order to use the app. They are in legalese and pages and pages long.. Thankfully, ClamXav shunted them to the quarantine zone. This app is going in the rubbish. Stick with Transmission. It's free and relies on donations, not cheating and a devious, misleading TOS. It completely circumvents that whole concept of free software. I don't mind banner ads in the app itself, but don't install third-party software to line your greedy pockets. FYI, there were FIVE files that were adware malware. Here is the list: {874EDE88-1F7D-422a-8A46-8A07C013B90C}.xpi ApplicationManager saebay@mybrowserbar.com.xpi searchme@mybrowserbar.com 10.01.28.xpi searchme@mybrowserbar.com.xpi Depending on your default browser (mine is Firefox), it adds extensions and even an adware application manager! This app should be removed from MacUpdate's listings because people without a good antivirus program will have a difficult time getting rid of all this junk! It's also, from what I can tell, a Java-based application so it's sloggy and has a horrible windows-like interface. The preferences are riddled with confusing choices that a novice will get overwhelmed with. Just download Transmission (and no, I don't have any connection to it) and you're on your way to sending and receiving files.

AVOID THESE CHEATERS!!!!
BITTORRENT IS RUBBISH. IT INSTALLS SECRETLY ADWARE (SPIGOT, YAHOO SEARCH, AND MESSES AROUND IN ALL YOUR INTERNETBROWSERS. Besides moving Yahoo etc, the best way to remove Spigot: AdwareMedic
AVOID THIS BITTORRENT!!!!!!!

What a useless app description — it describes the BitTorrent protocol, but says nothing about this application! What are its features? How does it differ from other BitTorrent clients? Why should I choose this over Transmission?

Transmission is vastly superior to this steaming pile — it’s completely free (not adware like BitTorrent), it doesn’t surreptitiously change your browser’s homepage, and it has NO ADVERTISEMENTS — so what is the value of this crapware? Even uTorrent is better, and that’s not saying much.

Lame.

Can a second or third user confirm the presence of the Spigot Adware malware?

It's an adware. It changes the default page on your browsers, and God know what else!

That was my favorite BT client. WAS, because it's not free anymore (I don't consider the ad version free). Switching to my second choise - Transmission.

NOW at v7.4.2, like uTorrent...BitTorrent has now gone to a built-in adware model. PROBABLY high time that they should update their FAQ: DOES BITTORRENT CONTAIN SPYWARE, ADWARE OR MALWARE? No, it does not. Spyware is software that is installed silently and without consent on a user’s computer, and which collects personal information about the user or usage of the computer. Adware is software that is designed to intrude upon the user experience on a computer with advertisements and promotions that cannot be easily avoided or disabled. Malware (malicious software) is software that is specifically designed to attack and harm a computer’s data, applications or operating system. BitTorrent software downloads contain no spyware, adware, or malware of any kind. Not today and not ever. Source: http://www.bittorrent.com/help/faq/client [Please note: I am NOT suggesting that their software contains Spyware OR Malware, however, clearly they have NOT kept their word regarding the use of now BUILT-IN Adware.]

Tried this some time ago and was pleased with the results. Went back to Transmission just because I liked that programme. But i'm now using this all the time. Don't know why but the speeds are 3 times that of transmission. Why I cannot say, but i'm extremely happy with this now.

BitTorrent and µTorrent sure look alike. The screenshot of BitTorrent even says µTorrent in the window title ;)

Current Bittorrent Version on Developers Website V7.3.5

Hi, Same as the previous comment. Despite what other say, I use BitTorrent on a regular basis. There has even been a time where it was running 24/7 for about 2 months. Never experienced a crash or anything else. And when I added new files, they came at the max. speed. The only thing that isn't stellar is the bandwidth allocation. Sometimes, even if I limit upload to a specified value, it goes far beyond that. But that happens only once in a while and for a limited time. So : 5 stars anyways :-)

I have downloaded it but haven't use yet. Whether this app requires registration or not?

Well, just downloaded this and it seems to be working a dream.

Though other comments on MU suggest otherwise, my impression is a rather positive one. BitTorrent works fine for my purposes, which can be summarised in 'download Linux distribution DVD images every once in a while'. I'm definitely not a BT power user, I'll grant that. But as opposed to the highly-famed Transmission, BitTorrent worked immediately after installation for me. I like the clean UI as well. Other clients may have more features (I did not check that out), but the bare-bones functionality of this tool is really all I need.

I thought that the official client was Transmission. ;)

One word: Transmission.

Wow, all BitTorrent Inc. did was take utorrent 1.0.0.1 and put the BitTorrent logo/icon on it and called it BitTorrent 7.0.0. They should at least add some new features, since the mac version of utorrent is nothing compared to the windows version. The mac versions of BitTorrent/utorrent is a joke, compared to other mac BT clients like Transmission, or even Vuze...