LimeWire 5.1.2 Safe To Install?

Question

Level 1

9 points

LimeWire 5.1.2 Safe To Install?

My son has been pestering me to put LimeWire 5.1.2 on this new iMac which he uses from time to time - when I allow him to 🙂

Is this software safe to install? I've heard so much about it and I run a very clean system. I just don't want to introduce any problems on this system. I think it runs using Java and I'm wondering if it uses Apple's built-in Java or does it install its own Java files?

Does anyone know much about this software? Maybe a bit of a dumb question but it never hurts to ask when in doubt.

Thanks for your help,
Gerard

24-Inch iMac 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo - 4 GB RAM, Mac OS X (10.5.6), Other Macs: iMac G5/2Ghz & PBG4/667 Running Mac OS X 10.4.11

Posted on Apr 9, 2009 9:18 PM

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Answer 1

Apr 9, 2009 9:34 PM in response to Gerard James

HI Gerard,

Always best to ask when in doubt.

Check here http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20071128142635AATyLSm

Limewire FAQ's http://wiki.limewire.org/index.php?title=FrequentlyAskedQuestions

http://macosx.com/tech-support/mac/limewire-java/21353.html

This link is the results of doing a Limewire search for all Apple Discussions categories.
http://discussions.apple.com/search.jspa?threadID=&q=limewire&objID=&dateRange=l ast90days&userID=&numResults=15&rankBy=10001

Just my 2 cents, but it's much easier to find negative topics re; Limewire than positive.

Carolyn 🙂

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Answer 2

Dogcow-Moof

Level 8

36,851 points

Apr 9, 2009 10:44 PM in response to Gerard James

No version of LimeWire is "safe" to install - nor is any other peer-to-peer sharing program for that matter.

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Answer 3

Ashka

Level 4

3,891 points

Apr 10, 2009 12:45 AM in response to Gerard James

With sons the pestering wont stop with Limewire, next comes the car keys loan. 🙂
Seriously, don't install it or any software that makes pirating easy.
S.

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Answer 4

Gerard James Author

Level 1

9 points

Apr 10, 2009 1:15 PM in response to Gerard James

Car keys are already gone 🙂

We won't allow the piracy thing around here - that's a rule of the house. If there's software he needs, we buy it (if it is within reason, of course). He uses an older version of LimeWire on the PowerBook G4 but it runs slower than molasses. He shares files with his classmates, like lyrics and album covers, schoolwork, etc. We have not had any viruses or trojans on the G4 - I am very careful with those kinds of things - continually checking our Macs. I'm not a fan of file sharing at all and I don't think I'll allow LimeWire on this iMac after looking at the links posted here.

Thanks for all your help and feedback.
Gerard

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Answer 5

Tim Haigh

Level 7

24,198 points

Apr 10, 2009 1:50 PM in response to Gerard James

Legitimate content is shared on p2p networks but Limewire is not to be trusted as files can be easily labelled 'ubuntu.iso' for example and the content turns out to be a pron film.

Therefore I would not install it. It is the main cause of infections on PC's as kids use it to download music and such. and they easily pull down malware.

Bittorrent is a far safer method of p2p delivery and there is a lot of legit content out there distributed on the torrent networks. The BBC are now going to be distributing content via p2p networks. And many artists release their work under the creative commons license via bittorrent.

He shares files with his classmates, like lyrics and album covers, schoolwork, etc. We have not had any viruses or trojans on the G4 -

Then he would be far better setting up a wired server.

A wired server is a chat server that he can give user accounts to his friends. Then they can login and chat and also upload and download files. You could easily monitor what is being uploaded and downloaded.

http://zankasoftware.com/wired/server/

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Answer 6

oracle_ab

Level 1

102 points

Apr 10, 2009 2:02 PM in response to Gerard James

I run LW 5.1.2 on my MB and it's fine. I also have ProtectMac installed so that I don't pass along any viruses to Windows users w/in my network at home. Both software packages are great (and ProtectMac is VERY easy on CPU and RAM; and I do mean VERY).

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Answer 7

Gerard James Author

Level 1

9 points

Apr 10, 2009 3:32 PM in response to Tim Haigh

A wired server sounds like a great idea - I just thought that by keeping all file sharing off at all times, we would be protected from the outside world with the only time being when he starts up LimeWire.

I've heard of Bit Torrent but I really don't know much about it at all.

I'll have a better look at wired...

Thanks,
Gerard

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Answer 8

Apr 10, 2009 4:48 PM in response to Gerard James

I've had LW for years and yet to have any problem. I also use bit torrents.
This is not about what kind of p2p program you choose to use, it's
about how you use it. Just because it has the capability doesn't mean
that its going to be used illegally. Guns, cars, prescription drugs, all fit in
the same category.
Just be involved in what your kids are up to.

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Answer 9

Klaus1

Level 9

52,879 points

Apr 10, 2009 5:00 PM in response to Gerard James

Apart from the dubious legality of the software on Limewire, LimeWire (and other peer-to-peer sharing applications) are hotbeds of potential software issues waiting to happen to your Mac. Everything from changing permissions to downloading trojans and other malicious software can be acquired from using these applications.

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Answer 10

Dogcow-Moof

Level 8

36,851 points

Apr 10, 2009 6:21 PM in response to Donald Palmer

Donald Palmer wrote:
I've had LW for years and yet to have any problem. I also use bit torrents.
This is not about what kind of p2p program you choose to use, it's
about how you use it. Just because it has the capability doesn't mean
that its going to be used illegally. Guns, cars, prescription drugs, all fit in
the same category.

True, but the bottom line is there is nothing available via LW or BitTorrent that is legal that cannot be obtained in some other way just as easily.

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Answer 11

Tim Haigh

Level 7

24,198 points

Apr 15, 2009 3:21 PM in response to Dogcow-Moof

True, but the bottom line is there is nothing available via LW or BitTorrent that is legal that cannot be obtained in some other way just as easily.

That is not quite right. I agree about your comment with LW. However there is content released exclusively using bittorrent technology. It is the way of the future and all content will be delivered this way eventually.

The BBC and other TV providers are already funding an EU project along with Pioneer to release TV's with bittorrent clients built into them.

check out tribler

The other thing is that when downloading legal content the torrent delivery is always the fastest. Whenever I see content available on a site that has different methods of delivery I always choose the torrent because of this.

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Answer 12

Chris CA

Level 10

82,513 points

Apr 15, 2009 3:32 PM in response to Dogcow-Moof

the bottom line is there is nothing available via LW or BitTorrent that is legal

Plenty of stuff is legal.
Trent Reznor released Ghosts I thru BitTorrent.
http://ghosts.nin.com/main/order_options

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Answer 13

Dogcow-Moof

Level 8

36,851 points

Apr 15, 2009 9:26 PM in response to Tim Haigh

Tim Haigh wrote:
The BBC and other TV providers are already funding an EU project along with Pioneer to release TV's with bittorrent clients built into them.

Since Pioneer just exited the television market, I don't think that's going to work:

http://hothardware.com/News/Pioneer-Will-Exit-TV-Business-Cut-Jobs/

I don't download Torrents because I don't think I should have to open up my machine to outside connections just to download content.

There's simply got to be a better way.

So I guess there is now Torrent-exclusive content out there.

Though I suspect that same content is also available from other sites by now. 🙂

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Answer 14

Tim Haigh

Level 7

24,198 points

Apr 16, 2009 4:34 AM in response to Dogcow-Moof

I don't download Torrents because I don't think I should have to open up my machine to outside connections just to download content.

The whole point of bittorrent is that the community all share their bandwidth. This is how it works. Its an opportunity for someone to release content who has limited bandwidth but efficiently distribute the content to many people.

This means that the more people that join the torrent swarm the more efficiently the content is distributed. This is especially useful for none profit making organisations and none commercial projects and content released under the creative commons license to limit their distribution costs.

I do think that commercial companies who harness this technology to distribute content should give the user an incentive to give up some of their bandwidth.

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Answer 15

Apr 16, 2009 6:38 AM in response to Dogcow-Moof

William Kucharski wrote:
No version of LimeWire is "safe" to install - nor is any other peer-to-peer sharing program for that matter.

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