The most recent stable version of LimeWire is 5.5.16. For example, cracked versions of LimeWire were available on the Internet (including on LimeWire itself), and people could continue using the LimeWire Pro 5.5.1 Beta, which also includes AVG for LimeWire and is the first version to include AVG. However, there are still ways to bypass this security feature, which was done when creating the "Pirate Edition". This has stopped people from using downloaded "Pro" versions without authorization. Users can chat and share files with individuals or a group of friends in their buddy list.įrom version 5.5.1, LimeWire has added a key activation, which requires the user to enter the unique key before activating the "Pro" version of the software. LimeWire 5.0 added an instant messenger that uses the XMPP Protocol, a free software communication protocol. LimeWire also now includes BitTorrent support, but is limited to three torrent uploads and three torrent downloads, which coexist with ordinary downloads. LimeWire was the second file sharing program after FrostWire to support firewall-to-firewall file transfers, a feature introduced in version 4.2, which was released in November 2004. An October 12, 2005, report states that some of LimeWire's contributors have forked the project and called it FrostWire. Researchers at Cornell University developed a reputation management add-in called Credence that allows users to distinguish between "genuine" and "suspect" files before downloading them. LimeWire 2īeing free software, LimeWire has spawned forks, including LionShare, an experimental software development project at Penn State University, and Acquisition, a Mac OS X-based gnutella client with a proprietary interface.
This is accomplished by facilitating direct connection with up to 10 hosts of an identical searched file at any one time, whereas the gratis version is limited to a maximum of 8 hosts. The company claimed the paid version provides faster downloads and 66% better search results. Until October 2010, Lime Wire LLC, the New York City based developer of LimeWire, distributed two versions of the program: a basic gratis version, and an enhanced version, LimeWire PRO, which sold for a fee of $21.95 with 6 months of updates, or around $35.00 with 1 year of updates. Following LimeWire 4.13.11, TLS became the default connection option. Beginning with LimeWire 4.13.9, connections can be encrypted with Transport Layer Security (TLS). As such, when LimeWire is running and configured to allow it, any files shared are detectable and downloaded on the local network by DAAP-enabled devices (e.g., Zune, iTunes). LimeWire offers sharing of its library through the Digital Audio Access Protocol (DAAP). From version 4.8 onwards, LimeWire works as a UPnP Internet Gateway Device controller in that it can automatically set up packet-forwarding rules with UPnP-capable routers. Support for Mac OS 9 and other previous versions was dropped with the release of LimeWire 4.0.10. Installers were provided for Apple's Mac OS X, Microsoft's Windows, and Linux. Written in the Java programming language, LimeWire can run on any computer with a Java Virtual Machine installed. However, version 5.5.10 and all prior versions of LimeWire remain fully functional and cannot be disabled unless a user upgrades to one of the newer versions. Thereafter, the company stopped distributing the LimeWire software, and versions 5.5.11 and newer have been disabled using a backdoor installed by the company. As a result of the injunction, the RIAA initially suggested that LimeWire was responsible for $72 trillion in damages, before eventually settling for $105 million. A trial investigating the damages necessary to compensate the affected record labels was scheduled to begin in January 2011. federal court judge Kimba Wood issued an injunction ordering Lime Wire LLC to prevent "the searching, downloading, uploading, file trading and/or file distribution functionality, and/or all functionality" of its software in Arista Records LLC v.
LimeWire uses the gnutella network as well as the BitTorrent protocol. īoth a zero-cost version and a purchasable "enhanced" version called LimeWire Pro were available however, LimeWire Pro could be acquired for free through the standard LimeWire software, where users distributed it without authorization. In 2007, LimeWire was estimated to be installed on over one-third of all computers globally. Created by Mark Gorton in 2000, it was most prominently a tool used for the download and distribution of pirated materials, particularly pirated music. LimeWire was a free peer-to-peer file sharing client for Windows, macOS, Linux and Solaris.