Every day, Internet users are becoming more advanced. Many begin to study and master the information that until recently seemed inaccessible and completely incomprehensible (confusing, complex). A number of users are interested in what seeds and feasts are. This makes me happy. And in this article we will try to answer this question as clearly as possible. But first, it should explain where these terms came from and where they apply.
Once, a very smart person, whose name was Bram Cohen, came up with a peer-to-peer network protocol (or BitTorrent) so that you and I could exchange files over the Internet. Moreover, even those that are in the public domain are paid or have not reached mass rental at all (for example, films, series). Today torrents are insanely popular, and there are several reasons for this. The two main ones are the freedom to exchange information and the ability to download almost anything. The source of these files are people, recipients, of course, too. So, if you have something interesting to other users (authorship, code for some kind of paid software, a game, a new movie), then you do not upload it to the server, but transfer it directly to them. They, in turn, also become sources and distributors of this information, sharing it with others. This creates a complex network for file sharing. Now about how all of this refers to seed and feasts. This, in general, is the participants in this "web."
Torrent works using a special server site called a “tracker”. It is there that you upload the information you have (file), thus becoming its distributor. In this case, you are the seed. And what are feasts in torrent? These are those who "consume" your information and pass it on to others, that is, after downloading it does not delete or modify the file. There are some more on this web. They are often called "leeches." In fact, these are "lychees." Their understanding in the process of "evolution" has changed. Previously, participants who are in the process of downloading a file were considered as such, that is, they do not currently have all of its parts. Today, these are less pleasant personalities, namely unscrupulous feasts. They only “consume” information, but do not share it, but delete or put a so-called ban on distribution. They are trying to actively fight them, for example, by introducing a rating system, etc. Why should this be done?
The fact is that the speed of downloading files directly depends on the number of distributing participants. So, seeds and feasts are those who increase it, and lychees are those who reduce it. Therefore, if you do not want to be a "parasite" and eventually accumulate a negative rating, then try to give out no less than you download. When you look for some information in the torrent, then a search is made for peers that distribute it. The more there are, the faster you will find and download the desired file.
By the way, you need to clarify why the exchange is called peer-to-peer, not seeder-to-peer. In this case, it is understood that the message occurs between peers. But to clarify who the primary source of the file is, the concept of seed is introduced. That is, peers are a generalized definition of both those who download information and those who download it. Each of us can be both. The principle of equality is based on this.