A Strange µTorrent Support Question

I've been doing support for the µTorrent client, in their IRC channel, for a few years now. I don't get paid, and I don't have any official position, but I've been doing it a while, and I know my way around things.

Today, I had perhaps one of the most bizzare support questions ever.

[16:48.00] * BB_ ([email protected]) has joined #utorrent

[16:48.30] <BB_> Is something wrong with utorrent. Every time I search I am coming up with no searches.



[16:50.07] <BB_> Can someone help me please?

[16:50.57] <K`Tetch> where are you searching?

[16:51.23] <BB_> mininova

[16:51.48] <K`Tetch> thats why

[16:51.58] <K`Tetch> http://torrentfreak.com/mininova-deletes-all-infringing-torrents-and-goes-legal-091126/

[16:52.20] <K`Tetch> [16:52.07] * Topic is 'http://www.mininova.org/ | Hosting 1234 torrents [This is part of the topic in the Mininova IRC channel]

[16:53.11] <BB_> what is wrong with the other one?

[16:53.19] <K`Tetch> what other one?

[16:53.46] <BB_> mininova

[16:54.00] <BB_> why isn't it coming up with anything?

[16:54.03] <K`Tetch> those are both to do with mininiova

[16:54.07] <K`Tetch> read the torrentfreak link

[16:54.58] <BB_> so this means we can't use utorrent anymore?

[16:55.43] <K`Tetch> what?

[16:56.08] <BB_> I read it.

[16:56.26] <BB_> says that all copyright materials were taken off.

[16:56.47] <K`Tetch> except those uploaded and certified to be uploaded by the rightsholders

[16:56.49] <BB_> so that means there is nothing to download from utorrent then.

[16:57.07] <K`Tetch> utorrent is a client, mininova is a site, they're not related

[16:57.29] <BB_> so how do you get searches using utorrent then?

[16:57.42] <K`Tetch> it's like saying 'google is down, there's nothing to use with Internet explorer

[16:57.53] <K`Tetch> you never DID use utorrent to search

[16:58.01] <K`Tetch> all it did was pass the search straight onto a website

[16:58.04] <BB_> I know.

[16:58.18] <K`Tetch> theres hundreds of torrent websites

[16:58.23] <K`Tetch> and in fact, google is the biggest

[16:58.36] <BB_> what do I need to do to get a search using utorrent?

[16:58.39] <K`Tetch> but beyond that, I can't say, because of the 'no content' rule

[16:58.47] <K`Tetch> don't use utorrent to search, most people don't

[16:59.03] <K`Tetch> just use your browser

[17:00.11] <BB_> ok thanks for the answer.

[17:00.27] <BB_> guess I should remove utorrent then since it's no longer useful.

[17:01.34] * BB_ ([email protected]) Quit (Quit: I shall return!!!)

Utterly bizarre, and a little worrisome. Despite all the documentation out there - the sites, guides, videos, etc - he still didn't understand the very basics of how a torrent works. Next time you go to get some support with your client, remember, the guy asking for help before you, may have had this sort of question.