BitTorrent (often abbreviated to 'BT') is a protocol that allows you to download files quickly and efficiently. It is a peer to peer protocol, which means you download and upload to other people downloading the same file. BitTorrent is often used for distribution of large files or popular content as it is a cheap, fast, efficient way to distribute files to users like you.
µTorrent is a BitTorrent client, so it speaks the BitTorrent protocol, much like a browser would speak HTTP. Just as there are multiple web browsers, there are multiple BitTorrent clients, and µTorrent is the most popular.
Just like you need a URL like 'www.google.com' to go to a web site and download content, you need a 'torrent file', a small file that tells the BitTorrent client the necessary info to download the content you want. This is generally obtained from a torrent website. Many websites offer torrents as one method of downloading files. For example, OpenOffice.org, a free alternative to Microsoft Office, can be downloaded using BitTorrent. Other sites, like legaltorrents.com, offer torrents of all kinds of things - these sites are just repositories of torrents and usually don't actually create any of the content available. They are known as torrent indexers.
Once you've obtained a torrent file, you simply need to load it into µTorrent. There are several ways of doing this:
Choose to open or run it while downloading in your browser.
Open the torrent file by double clicking or drag-and-dropping onto the µTorrent window.
But before you start downloading, make sure you've followed the µTorrent Setup Guide. It doesn't take long and will help ensure that your torrent experience is faster and more consistent.
Most people use search engines, such as Google, and add the term "torrent" to their search. BitTorrent can be used to deliver any type of file. BitTorrent is purely a content distribution method and (just like a web browser) does not incorporate any technology to differentiate between content that is legitimately shared and content that is pirated. Remember, anybody can see your IP address when using peer to peer clients (like µTorrent), which identifies your computer on the internet. Take care to follow your country's laws concerning copyrighted content.
