uTorrent client considers ways to make users pay

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uTorrent, a popular BitTorrent client, is gearing up to ditch its freeware revenue model and ask users to pay for the software instead.



uTorrent is a client for loading .torrent files and BitTorrent software, which is used to download and share large files online. When the client first launched, the software was minuscule, clean and easy to use. However, as BitTorrent technology surged in popularity, the list of uTorrent users also began to swell.

Now counting over 170 million users on its books, the uTorrent team had to create a revenue model which would keep the development of the client running.

Then came the bloatware, crapware and advertisements which not only annoy users but can slow down systems and tarnishes the reputation of uTorrent as clean, compact software. While these methods kept the software free -- earning the revenue that otherwise uTorrent users would have to generate via payment -- it seems this model remains unsatisfactory for the company.
Details are scarce, but it is fair to speculate that different subscription or price models would correlate to bare-bones or enhanced BitTorrent client features. Monthly, yearly or lifetime fees could be on offer, and with so many users, uTorrent has a wide pool in which to generate enough revenue to keep the company going. However, it is not known how much users will be expected for each bundle.
 
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I highly doubt that people will pay for such software, there are many free and open source torrent clients out there.
 
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µTorrent will go the same way as Azureus (Vuze) -> vanish because of greed. It used to be a lightweight and fast piece of software, now it's a bloated piece of adware where you get nagged to upgrade to pro, so you can get malware protection (LOL), a media player, a converter and watch your (absolutely legal) movies while downloading...
 
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I used to love uTorrent in the version 2 days with no bloat, no ads, no nothing. It just worked flawless. I have tried the new version and was bombarded with ads, bloatware, and soon as I found out about the litcoin miner, I got rid of uTorrent pretty fast. Not to mention, my speeds on uTorrent were ridiculous. I was downloading at 0.1/kb, I kid you not.

I have now moved onto the open source torrent client known as qBittorrent and I love it. No nag screens, no ads, no bloatware, no litecoin miners, the speed on it is normal. (I get around 9-10mb/s which is perfect cause my download speed is 100mbps, Bell just launched Gigabit Fibre in Ontario and is bringing it here in the Fall, YAY :D)

I am not surprised uTorrent is going this way. They are slowly going downhill. I would avoid their products. There is so many more fantastic products that are open source and contain none of tactics uTorrent is using.
 
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All of us experience even before when advertising products are not totally mandatory so programs like torrent can use without any annoying popups or bundled.

However its already a take for granted since the assumption is still a good product but they keep earning the revenue even the content are sometimes dangerous.
 
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