Community Newsletter: Q&A: Is peer-to-peer software such as LimeWire legal and safe to use?
- 3/23/07 12:14 PM
Limewire's about the best
by Travisuberdownloader - 3/9/07 8:03 PM In reply to: Is peer-to-peer software such as LimeWire legal and safe to use? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Limewire is both a good AND bad application. Any P2P software can cause problems, if misused. P2P applications, such as Limewire, allow other people running similar software to "share" their content. Unfortunately, some people try to use these networks to promote, and infect computers with their own content. One should always be careful of what one downloads.
It is important to know your local laws regarding downloading (and uploading) of content. I am in Canada, and the laws here state that downloading music is fine, but movies and pirated software is NOT okay. I use Limewire to find individual tracks, and often to sample a new band or sound.
Limewire can also be used to download images, software, and video files. For the most part, I stay away from these, as they are often riddled with spyware, or worse.
I have never had a problem with .mp3 files, except with the quality. The quality can sometimes be a bit dodgy, but what do you want for free?
Limewire is significantly better than Kazaa, or Bearshare, as it is self contained, and the free version only advertises for the pro version.
In short, I recommend Limewire only for music dowloads. You will have a hard time building your entire album, but it's great for popular tracks.
Cheers!
-Trav
Limewire
by dallascoy1 - 3/9/07 8:43 PM In reply to: Is peer-to-peer software such as LimeWire legal and safe to use? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I have been using Limewire for about three years. Not one time have I downloaded any sort of malwear. I now am a Bitcitizen (critic) for Limewire. If you use the advanced prompt to contact Bitzy, it will tell you if there are any problems. Each movie,song,program ect. has been checked out by people like me. I would hate to be cheated out of the last ten minutes of a great movie. Wouldn't you?
You do need to use you head a little. No two hour movie will have a 130 kb length. Get envolved with Limewire and give back. My word, there is no better p2p sight to be found.
Lime wire
by shvlrydr - 3/9/07 8:45 PM In reply to: Is peer-to-peer software such as LimeWire legal and safe to use? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
According to the music industry ,downloading songs without paying royalties is illegal. Millions of file- sharers don't care and use many different justifications to defend their actions. Some musicians throw their music out there and rely on loyal fans to re-imburse them. I would suggest that you do what your conscience dictates is the right action to take.
Limewire
by alfauk - 3/9/07 8:52 PM In reply to: Is peer-to-peer software such as LimeWire legal and safe to use? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I have been using limewire for a number of years.No problems at all.Dont take any notice about it been an illegal site its not.Go for it and enjoy.
It is a double edged sword!!!!
by satyatarakaprabhu - 3/9/07 9:52 PM In reply to: Is peer-to-peer software such as LimeWire legal and safe to use? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Hey Mr.Brandy L. The limewire is just a shareware. It has good downloads and bad... but analysing is our part.. if ur pc has a good antivirus. it is very safe to download if not pls avoid downloading..
The legality of P2P software
by Gary.P - 3/10/07 3:53 AM In reply to: Is peer-to-peer software such as LimeWire legal and safe to use? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Well in my opinion, P2P software is highly illegal and i wouldnt mind paying 99c for a track that i like from a reputed website, in so far as Limewire goes, it is the same as Napster (the old napster) and Kazaa, because of the high risk of files being infected with trojans, malware, spyware or viruses and then being shared on the network, its a higher risk with programs that use multiple P2P networks like Bearshare so i would recommend to you to steer clear of P2P networks. On the flipside some music artistes that realise the big market of P2P users will usually release for music either free or paid to P2P networks.
Think twice....
by rtk2urmy - 3/10/07 5:41 AM In reply to: The legality of P2P software by Gary.PIf I pick up from my home library a book, and I'm swapping it with one of yours, without any charge, and respecting the agreement accepted before downloding Limewire,I'm practically applying the right of every free man that is the rigt of exchnge, and thye right of expression.
So, where is the crime?
P2P is a super-legal right, and MUst not be touched for any reason!
For the Viruses or whatsoever else, they are everyway, both in the real or virtual world, so, no fear, buy a good A. Virus Suite, keep it upto date and than start your library and enjoy the P2P experience!
Ciao!
Using your analogy,
by MarkFlax - 3/10/07 6:35 AM
In reply to: Think twice.... by rtk2urmy
where does the library stand in all this?
Do they not have the right that you and you alone have the responsibility for that book, and should return it to them when you have read it? What happened to the contract you agreed with the library when you borrowed the book from them?
Exchange is not and never has been free. What you are calling exchange is "barter". But you can only barter what is rightfully yours.
I have never heard of "super-legal right". Something is either legal, or it isn't. It is either right, or it isn't.
Mark
HERE is the crime...
by David Eaton Productions - 3/10/07 11:08 AM In reply to: Think twice.... by rtk2urmyIf you take a book from your home library, and lend it to Person B, there is no copy made of the book. When you lend it out, you do without the book. If you both want the book, one of you purchases another copy.
When you make available a file via a P2P network, Person B does not 'borrow' the file, but makes a COPY. The law regulates the right to make copies, hence, it is called "Copyright" and the right to control copies is given to the creator of the work, not just any fan on the street.
The crime is allowing the unauthorized copy to be made.
Each crime has a victim, and in copyright infringment the victims are the persons who invested in creating the work of art in the first place and deserve to get paid for their hard work and unique skills.
As for Artists that make their music available online, that is a choice that is within their rights. But if you - the listener, the fan, the person who did nothing to create the music - make the decision on their behalf to allow free distribution or copies to be made of someone else's art - you are facilitating theft and it is a crime.
torrent
by deyanimay - 3/10/07 4:08 AM In reply to: Is peer-to-peer software such as LimeWire legal and safe to use? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Just use BitTorrent it's legal.
Limewire/Downloads
by manu963 - 3/10/07 5:03 AM In reply to: Is peer-to-peer software such as LimeWire legal and safe to use? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I used limewire for 6 years on a apple computer and didn't have too much problems with it. But since I got a PC I use Ares. It works with Bit Torrent and I never got anything nasty like a virus or so. It really works well and is to me th best p2p network. Limewire worked well about 6 to 4 years ago but it became really tiresome to use it. If you write a lets song in the search it takes about 30 seconds to show. I really recommend Ares. It's free, so dont be fooled by people who want you to pay for it. you can download ares at http://sourceforge.net/index.php. As for the legal question about file sharing I can only say that its lega in Europe. A few years ago Kazaa(which I don't recommend (I was on the site for about a minute and had a virus) won a trial in Holland and sinds the its legal.
I hope the information was helpful. Kind Regards Manu
Safe for LimeWire, Not Safe for You
by romero281 - 3/10/07 6:11 AM In reply to: Is peer-to-peer software such as LimeWire legal and safe to use? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I did a lot of researching myself as my son wanted to do as all his friends were doing - filling up their iPods with free music but the bottom line is that it is 'unsafe', meaning illegal for us to download songs from LimeWire. After reading through all the agreements on LimeWire, what they are doing is perfectly legal in putting their entire music library on the web for the world to see and even to listen to. However, the minute you download the song to take residence on your computer, iPod, CD or whatever, then you have crosesed the legal lines. You have received music that you have not purchased. LimeWire will not be held responsible because their part in it was perfectly legal, the authorities can come after you. Sure, a lot of people are doing it and may never get caught, but that does not make it right. I wouldn't want to be looking over my shoulder worrying about that. There was a boy in the neighborhood who was caught and fined $3000 for downloading the music; suddenly those songs were not so cheap. Basically, if you haven't paid for an artist's work without their permission to take it, then you are doing something illegal, at least by the standards that have been set at this point in time.
Limewire
by mbisciotti - 3/10/07 6:29 AM In reply to: Is peer-to-peer software such as LimeWire legal and safe to use? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Limewire is a peer to peer network. Non-technically it means your downloading music from other people's pc. If any of those pc's on the internet have copyrighted music and you download it, technically it is illegal.
Unsafe-very possible-anytime you download anything from internet you always run possibility of virus's, adware, spyware etc....especially from sites that are untrusted or people's pc.
Thanks
Limewire
by bossiercity6399 - 3/10/07 6:30 AM In reply to: Is peer-to-peer software such as LimeWire legal and safe to use? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Limewire isn`t the best but it is free to use.I`ve never had a problem downloading music.Go to their site and ask any question you`d like,they will help you out as much as possible.Theres always risk with any tip of program.If you don`t think it`s safe?Let C-NET check it out for you,They have a great staff on board that can help you with anything.If they can`t help no one can. mckinney,r
Limewire
by rayanik - 3/10/07 9:28 AM In reply to: Is peer-to-peer software such as LimeWire legal and safe to use? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I had the same concerns...however my son was using it and encouraged me to try it. I did and haven't looked back since. It is safe and the ability to find all kinds of music is great.
Go for it.
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