View and vote on the article here: Software Review: Limewire
Software Review: Limewire| Category | | | Summary | Author: Gisterose
Most of us have used peer-to-peer software (P2P) or at least know what it is. You may not like it or the legal issues that it has brought forward but P2P has made a lasting impact on the Internet. If you're looking to download |
| | Body | Introduction and General Use
Limewire was developed by Limewire LLC and released in 2004. It is open source software which allows users to share their files using the Gnutella peer-to-peer protocol. From a newer user's perspective, the fact that you can get the source code to the application may not seem like a big deal, but it means that the community can become involved and help write the application. For the user it means a more robust and reliable application because of the large test base.
One of the things that helped make Limewire what it is today is the fact that it was the first filesharing program to support firewall-to-firewall file transfers. While other filesharing programs have since followed suit and now support the same features, Limewire pioneered them, and there is nothing quite like getting there first.
Limewire is written in Java and depends on the Java virtual machine (VM) to run. If you have it installed already, you're all set; if not, then a version of Sun?s Java installer can be included in your Limewire install. Unlike many other P2P applications, Limewire's Java framework is what makes it truly cross-platform. You can download versions for Windows, Linux, MacOS X, and even the older MacOS 9. Should all these fail you, it is also possible for advanced users to interpret the source code on whatever operating system it is to run on.
limewire.com also offers a Pro version which is touted to be 'Turbo Charged', allowing for better search results and faster downloading. If you're new to the whole filesharing process, stick to the free version until you're comfortable with P2P. At that point you can make a decision as to whether or not you want to shell out the money for it. Regardless of which option you choose, be sure that you download Limewire ONLY from the official website. (Evil) people are fond of attaching malicious software, such as spyware and trojans, to P2P applications, but this can only be done with downloads not on the official site. Therefore, if you go with the official downloads, you should be fairly safe.
User Interface
The user interface of Limewire is pretty simple. I suppose it has to be, with the wide variety of people using it ranging from advanced users on down. Furthermore, it doesn't take more than a minute to get started. On the downside, it does try to convince you to invest in Limewire PRO (again!). I'm not a fan of arm twisting, and had I wanted that functionality I would have asked for it at the download stage.
The bare bones of any P2P program are the "search" and "download" functions. You will find that not only does Limewire support searching, but it also handles multiple searches gracefully (set as small tabs above the results pane). How many you can get away with at one time depends on your connection; if you don?t have a very good connection, multiple searches can slow things down, though you can set a limit on how many searches are performed at once.
More often than not, you will get multiple results for a search, although that very much depends on exactly what it is you're looking for. To help you in deciding what you wish to download, the search results returned include information on the quality of the file (in stars), but whether you trust the rating or not is another matter entirely. It also tells you the number of people that have the file (#), which is a good indicator of quality, but more importantly, if more people have the file, it is quicker to download. Additionally, with mp3s, you can see the bitrate of the file; higher bitrates mean higher quality audio.
Should you choose to download a file you may also be prompted about the relevant legal issues, after which time you may decide whether or not to continue. The random download I commenced ran at approximately 20kb/s, which is about what you can expect from P2P. If you have a connection that can handle more than this, then it's probably in your best interest to queue up multiple downloads.
Let's not limit limewire to searching and downloading - it has a lot of other functionality to help round it out: you can add different skins to make your Limewire client look the way you want, you can select your desired language for the program to run in, you can preview mp3s in the integrated player, and there?s also a feature that allows you to share your iTunes, which can cross the boundaries of copyright. In other words, don't do it unless you know the risks (both moral & legal) that you are taking.
Limewire has even more advanced functionality, over and above what I've already mentioned. There's a Monitor Tab that allows you to see an arbitrary number of incoming searches, but for most people there won't be too many. If you have a fast connection, there's another function you can use: you can find a check box in options (Tools Options Connections) that will allow you to become an 'Ultrapeer' - for the most part you won't want to do this, but in certain circumstances it will help you get better search results. If you're new to P2P, leave the advanced functionality alone.
Security, Privacy & Legal Issues
Before we get all excited and download half the Internet, let's take a quick look at the issues that come bundled along with any P2P program. Since new trojans and viruses are being developed every day, a prime method of spreading them is by sharing them via P2P software such as Limewire. To do this, the developers of the trojan or virus zip the file, rename it as a popular or recent song or movie, add it to their shared folder, and wait for unsuspecting Limewire users to download the file and extract it thinking it?s the content named in the filename. To avoid this, check the file size of the download: if it?s a movie it will be more than likely over 1GB and the filename will either be .mpeg, .avi, or any other movie file extension. If it?s an mp3 then it will be around 3-4 MB and have an extension of .mp3. Spyware & viruses have an impact not only on your security but also on your privacy. You can avoid trojans and viruses by scanning files before you execute them, and keeping your virus and anti-spyware programs up to date and scanning regularly.
Some good (and free) antivirus and anti-spyware programs to have are AVG Antivirus Free Edition or Avast 4 Home Edition. For anti-spyware protection, try Spybot S&D and the newer Microsoft Anti-Spyware. The links to these can be found at the end of this article.
The legal issues that P2P has brought to the limelight have made frontpage news more than once, with developers and filesharers alike being hauled into court. It would be foolish not to know the risks you take when downloading movies or music with P2P software, especially since different countries have different copyright laws. A good guideline to follow if you wish to avoid any potential legal complications is to only copy, share, or download music with permission of the author of the original source for the content. If you get caught with excessive amounts of content you could be faced with a court case and/or a hefty fine. In the end, it's your responsibility to ensure that what you're downloading is legal.
Resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limewire
http://www.limewire.com/english/content/home.shtml
http://www.mp3newswire.net/stories/2001/limewire.html
Antispyware & Antivirus
AVG Free ? http://free.grisoft.com/doc/1
Avast 4 Home Edition - http://www.avast.com
Spybot S&D - http://www.safer-networking.org/
Microsoft Anti-Spyware ? http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx |
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This article was imported from zZine. (original author: Gisterose)
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