[Ted]

I've never used ABC so I can't comment on it. I can only give you general answers, for what they're worth.

1) Your upload (and download) speeds will vary depending on a number of things. It's hard to tell why in your case, because of the lack of some information, but if you're downloading and uploading at a reasonable rate at some point, then everything should be fine. If either rate (up or down) is very slow, all of the time, then there is something wrong in your configuration somewhere. You're at the mercy of the tracker in determining who connects to you and at what speed (more or less).

2) When it says you've uploaded 100% (or more), I think that means that you've uploaded the same number of bytes (or more) that the file(s) are, not 100% of the files, necessarily.No, I don't think you can alter the settings except as I explained below in #3. Once you've downloaded all of the files, in their entirety, you'll become a seeder. At that point, you have what you want and can go offline, but you'll no longer be sharing with the rest of the peers. What it sounds like you want to do is upload until someone else has the complete files and then let them take over seeding. If I'm correct in that that's what you want, then that's the whole basis of torrenting. You receive until you get it all, hopefully you'll give a little more (by seeding), and then you go on to the next show (or torrent). It takes patience.

3) In Azureus (I'm not sure about ABC), you can "deselect" (ban) peers, but I don't think any client will allow you to selectivly choose which peers you seed to. I think the tracker decides that. What you can do however, is ban all users except the ones you want to have connected to you. I'm still pretty sure the tracker will decide if they actually connect to you or not though, but with the narrowed down choice, it'll connect to the ones you specify, when it does connect them (if I'm correct).

4) Trust that info. They wouldn't lie to you - they have no reason to. There is no way to alter your upload (or download) capabilites. Those limits are set at your ISP's head-end.

5) Are you sure there are leechers waiting? If so, are there other seeders? If yes, you won't necessarily be selected by the tracker. Maybe it prefers the other seeders, for whatever reason at that time. If no other seeders, are you using a router and/or firewall program? If so, it sounds like one or both are not configured properly.