uTorrent Aquired by BitTorrent

[SPeedY_B]

Crikey. Turn your back for a minute, and this happens...

This is Bram Cohen, the creator of the BitTorrent protocol, and Ludvig (Ludde) Strigeus, the writer of µTorrent.

Together, we are pleased to announce that BitTorrent, Inc. and µTorrent AB have decided to join forces. BitTorrent has acquired µTorrent as it recognized the merits of µTorrent's exceptionally well-written codebase and robust user community. Bringing together µTorrent's efficient implementation and compelling UI with BitTorrent's expertise in networking protocols will significantly benefit the community with what we envision will be the best BitTorrent client.

What does this mean for the µTorrent community? Not much, at least not at first. The intention is to maintain the website as it is, and keep the forums and community active. Moving forward behind the scenes, we will continue to develop µTorrent and will be using the codebase in other applications, especially ones where a fast, lightweight implementation is more suitable, such as embedded systems on TVs, cell phones, and other non-PC platforms.

The existent µTorrent and BitTorrent communities are immensely valuable to us, which is why we are announcing this here first to make sure you're all the first to know about the news. The plan is to continue to foster the health and growth of the community that has been critical to the success of µTorrent. Thank you in advance for your support.

Bram and Ludde

 

[BouncingSoul]

As long as it stays small and AWESOME I'll be happy... But it probably won't.

 

[GEN3RIC]

I have low expectations for this. Just looked at who BitTorrent is as a company. they suck.

 

[SPeedY_B]

A few points...

uTorrent Linux: Probably.
uTorrent OS X: Yes, but no time soon.
uTorrent Open Source: No.
uTorrent replace Mainline: No.
uTorrent staying free: Yes.
uTorrent Source: Fifty to sixty thousand lines.
Changes to uTorrent: Nothing now.
Who's developing uTorrent now: BitTorrent Inc. will do the majority.

I agree this can't be good. BitTorrent Inc. as a company suck. uTorrent is quite possibly one of the greatest pieces of software I've ever had the pleasure of using. It seems BTInc are set on getting uTorrent cross-platform, however their current OS X client is utter ****e, so we'll see.

It just seems a strange acquisition if they're going to continue the separate developments of mainline and uTorrent, though I think mainline will be faded out.

I don't doubt though if this all goes tits-up that someone else will come along and make the "new" uTorrent.

 

[Grandmaster]

I agree this can't be good. BitTorrent Inc. as a company suck. uTorrent is quite possibly one of the greatest pieces of software I've ever had the pleasure of using. It seems BTInc are set on getting uTorrent cross-platform, however their current OS X client is utter ****e, so we'll see.

It just seems a strange acquisition if they're going to continue the separate developments of mainline and uTorrent, though I think mainline will be faded out.

I don't doubt though if this all goes tits-up that someone else will come along and make the "new" uTorrent.

Exactly. This isn't good news

 

[ming]

Azureus

*runs*

 

[GEN3RIC]

BitTorrent sucks...... if they are doing the majority of development we might as well stop upgrading our uTorrent clients.

 

[SPeedY_B]

Azureus sucks donkey balls harder than an imploding vacuum of death <-- 100% FACT!

Apparently Halite is a nice small client, comparable to uTorrent.

 

[American Zombie]

People who are posting in the µTorrent forum announcement are not too happy about this.

 

[SPeedY_B]

Bless 'em.

I'm on the fence, I do believe that BTInc has the capability to screw it up, yet without seeing into the future, we don't know if they will or not. Just wait and see, I guess

 

[Johnny]

This is bad news. Looks like I will have to find a new client - Won't use the CRAP APP AZUREUS, Bitcomet is banned by every torrent site under the sun. I haven't found that fits what utorrent is .. Sheesh, the agony of looking again ..

 

[Grandmaster]

You could just keep on using the copy of utorrent you have running right now forever.

Honestly, I don't think there's anything missing from it anyway.

 

[Johnny]

You could just keep on using the copy of utorrent you have running right now forever.

Honestly, I don't think there's anything missing from it anyway.

right now .. What's to say what it adds or takes away in the future ?? With the deal that Bitorrent made with the MPAA, this is going to down hill real quick ..

 

[Tuffgong4]

will have to check out halite...but since I have no idea what the future holds I'll just use the current version of utorrent that i am running now. I'm not going to go crazy and jump off til I see where utorrent goes with this.

 

[American Zombie]

No big deal yet but if things are added that people who run trackers do not like then µTorrent may get banned by them. This would make even the current version more or less non-functional.

 

[Grandmaster]

No big deal yet but if things are added that people who run trackers do not like then µTorrent may get banned by them. This would make even the current version more or less non-functional.

Yeah that's probably the only real reason to abandon the *current* version of utorrent.

I can't help but feel somebody will be coming out with "utorrent-lite"

 

[Tuffgong4]

something comparable will come out. Just have to wait and see.

 

[Brad]

Why not just keep using the release that you have now? Will it suddenly stop working or something?

 

[ElementalDragon]

i, too, hope uTorrent doesn't turn to sh*t because of this. far too many applications have done so due to being merged with another. granted i can't think of any at the moment.... but i'm fairly certain the numbers are vast.

 

[Gus K]

They both have put a lot of time an energy into Bittorent, it's only natural and right that they make a few dollars on it.