For several months, there have been numerous requests from our readers to feature on this blog a private BitTorrent tracker that dealt specifically with the Apple Mac platform. Although you could find Mac software on general trackers and on some of the specialized apps trackers, almost all hard core Mac fans from novice to power users would like the idea of a specialized tracker filled with software for their beloved operating system. Save The Coratee (STC) is one such site which is a must have for all Apple Mac, iPhone or iPod users. This ratio free private tracker indexes software, games, tutorial videos and even books and magazines for both Mac OS and iPhone. Although closed for public signup, interested members can easily gain access to this tracker through STC’s official IRC invites channel.
Launched nearly 2 years ago, STC is currently one of the most stable Mac trackers on the net. As of 19/4/2010 it has 3600 registered (enabled) members and ~4800 active torrents uploaded to the tracker. The site is based on a heavily customized version of Gazelle codebase and has a ton of great usability features as well as added functionality (for example the ‘Coratee’ points system). According to site administrators, a new and improved version of STC based on Gazelle RC2 is currently in the works.
Anyways let’s get back to the most important aspect of STC; content. As mentioned earlier this tracker is full of software and games for Apple Mac OS X. But that’s not all – tons of apps & games for Apple’s famed iPhone are also indexed. Other additional torrent categories include Books/Magazines, Music, Audiobooks and E-Learning tutorials. In short, this tracker is a godsend for Apple fanboys :) There are some torrent packs indexed on STC but it’s the Collages feature that adds real value in this department – it creates a number of additional ‘virtual’ packs by grouping related torrents together.
Another great feature everyone will love is how STC binds similar torrents together in its main index. Powered by Gazelle’s advanced grouping features, STC makes it a breeze to find even older versions of indexed software (see above screenshots for an example).
As mentioned earlier, SaveTheCoratee is a ratio free private tracker. Instead of ratio, the site uses an innovative bonus points system based on ‘Coratees Saved’ as a currency. You can read all about it their WiKi article located here (and it’s highly recommended you do this before doing anything else once you join). Currently there are multiple ways for users to earn points on STC:
- You are given 1 point per downloaded gigabyte.
- You are given 10 points per torrent uploaded.
- You are given 1 point per 10 hours spent seeding per torrent.
- You are given between 1 and 100 points based on how long you have been seeding vs. possible time.
- You are given 1 point per torrent snatch.
- Manual Bonus - Given at the discretion of staff and is non-negotiable. Points can be given or taken away.
STC is currently closed for signup – and it’s unlikely that it’ll open registrations anytime soon. However if you are looking forward to get into this tracker, you can easily obtain an invite through the official IRC invites channel. You will need to provide profile links from at least two other private trackers that you are already a member of. Invite channel and server details are as follows:
IRC Server: irc.savethecoratee.org
Channel Name: #invites
Direct Link: irc://irc.savethecoratee.org/invites
If you are a beginner to IRC, we suggest you read this brief tutorial.
STC Homepage URL: http://savethecoratee.org
Twitter Page: http://twitter.com/coratee
Special thanks to STC administration and staff members for the support given.
