How to Get Public Records Using BitTorrent

Ian Elwood - Posted on 25 May 2007

To get public records you must first know which volume you are looking for. The volumes on this site are categorized by the news story they relate to. If you are looking for the public records volume relevant to Watergate, than you should search for the term "Watergate." Once you have found the volume you are looking for, you can download it. This will get you the volume at a faster download speed than a standard HTTP download, and also "seed" the network so that others can download the same information.

By helping yourself, you are helping others. Good!

OK, you have some choices here. These files are usually very large, otherwise you could just download them without using a BitTorrent client. The following is a breakdown of clients that you can choose from based on operating system. These are four simple ways, but there are countless others:

1. For Mac OS use Transmission, it is Open Source and just works.

2. For Windows use BitTorrent, the original BitTorrent Client.

3. If you are on a Gnu/Linux operating system, you probably don't need my help, but use Ktorrent anyway.

4. Alternatively, if you are using the Firefox web browser on any operating system, get the plugin called FoxTorrent. It is simple and easy, but does not have advanced features.

After installing the BitTorrent client of your choice and reviewing the manual, you are ready to download public records. Remember searching for the Watergate volume? Bring that page up again, and click on the link to download it. It will be a file called ".torrent"

After downloading you will be able to spend all night poring over the unsealed documents, testimonies, depositions and judgments that got Richard Nixon to resign. Maybe you will turn up something someone else missed.

But wait, you say. I want to do more than just take. I want to give! Well, thank you. BitTorrent is a reciprocal protocol by design. At the same time you are "leeching" the network you are also "seeding." Every time you download you are simultaneously helping other upload quicker and without hassle. The longer you leave your BitTorrent client running (always on?) the more you are helping the community to share those public records.

Still want to do more? The next page will tell you how to help others benefit from the time, money and headache you spent filling out FOIA requests and arguing with bureaucrats.

How to share a volume of public records...