If you�re a long-time Internet user like me, you may be surprised when you stop to think about the face that, though the P2P landscape was once in constant flux (Kazaa, anyone? LimeWire?), as of 2012 it�s been pretty quiet for a few years. Legal action was always one of the reasons for the rapid innovation in this sector, and while many tracker sites have been targeted and taken down, the BitTorrent protocol itself seems to be pretty securely established as the most popular way to share large files.Here are the most reliable, reputable (though that�s a relative term here) survivors of this evolutionary winnowing. As of press time, they�re all online and functioning well. Naturally, I�m not condoning or advising the use of BitTorrent to violate copyright or any other laws. File-sharing itself is of course legal; it�s up to you to do the right thing and avoid downloading copyrighted content, like, say, Spike Lee�s Do the Right Thing.
The good news is, the media industry�s finally gotten its own act together enough that you can access their properties in a convenient, above-board way, with Hulu, Netflix, Amazon, and iTunes all providing thriving media marketplaces that support content creators through advertising, subscription, or a la carte revenue models. Still, those sites can�t have everything, and there are many other types of files you might want to get your hands on. For moments like that, here are the five best torrent sites:
1. Thepiratebay.se
The infamous Swedish torrent site and political cause c�l�bre is still going strong, though nowadays it�s not a tracker but just an index, as technological developments have allowed for a much more decentralized torrent universe than before. With over four million torrents, The Pirate Bay remains a defiant bastion of internet freedom (or anarchy, depending on your position).
2. Demonoid.me
This is my first go-to when looking for a clean, quality file. Formerly a private tracker with strict upload/download ratio requirements, the site has relaxed its rules in that regard, though registration may still be required. By combining a vast selection with an active community that eliminates flawed or dangerous files, Demonoid is the perfect public/private hybrid tracker.
3. Torrentz.eu
With a nice, clean, Google-style front page and a healthy 19 million torrents in its index, this site is nowadays one of the most active and dependable, though there�s so much here that sometimes it may be hard to separate the wheat from the chaff.
4. Kat.ph
Formerly known as kickasstorrents.com, a domain they dropped due to copyright concerns, this tracker features a pleasing, easily navigable interface and an active forum community.
5. Karagarga.net
The art-house cinema of the internet, Karagarga is a private tracker that bans all mainstream commercial content. Need to find an obscure 1930s Soviet film for a term paper you�re writing? Looking for some Javanese field recordings? Want a collection of PDFs of Brecht plays? This is the place for you, if you can finagle your way in � good luck finding an invite!
As always, surf safe, don�t break any laws in your jurisdiction, and enjoy!
Mariana Ashley is a blogger and freelance writer, whose posts offer a college guide and news for prospective students and parents.
