The last updates on limewire

LimeWire was an incredibly popular file sharing program which was launched to the public in May of 2000.  It enabled subscribers to share files (most commonly – music files) with each other.  The service is a peer-to-peer system which is hosted on the Gnutella network and between 2000 and 2010 developed into the most successful music sharing platform ever.  Millions of users enjoyed its features and ongoing development and enhancements created one extremely classy site with many features loved by its subscribers.  In 2010 the program developer was hit with a lawsuit and the court granted an injunction to stop all operations of the LimeWare program.  The program still exists on the Gnutella network and millions of users still use it for music and other file downloads from peers but the developer is no longer involved.  Others have taken over the platform and run services under new names but it is still possible to sign up with LimeWire and enjoy the service.  This all begs the question about whether personal information held by the original LimeWire is safe or not. If one reads the original LimeWire Privacy policy, certain undertakings regarding personal information are there to be seen.  The policy states that the company will store all personal information from users (name, address, credit card details, stated preferences and communicated text, computer stats etc).  It goes on to say that it will use this information to tailor your LimeWire experience to your preferences and it may use some of the data to compile demographic information statistics.  They add that they use cookies to recognise your browser but not to track your surfing habits.  The policy categorically states that Lime Wire will not sell rent or share any user information it has stored except with subsidiaries or affiliates.  It may, it states, also share the data with its partners and advertisers.  This is slightly worrying because advertisers probably constitute a large group and who knows what they would do with any user data they are given.  If the business is sold it goes on to say, then the data will all be transferred with the sale.  This is also worrying because in the event of a transfer, user data could end up with another company with a completely different privacy policy or no policy at all! The above points may not fill one with confidence that personal data is safe but there is a bigger concern.  The company was closed down!  The question now is who is safeguarding the personal information which is nicely stored in the library of Lime Wire LLC (the owner of LimeWire).  Has this company already transferred all user data to another organisation?  If it has, where and what is this  new organisation?  The whole area is a bit vague and extremely concerning.  If you study the events which occurred shortly after LimeWire was closed, you may be able to reach some conclusions of your own.  Two days after LimeWire was shut down a new site (The LimeWire Pirate Edition) was launched on the Internet.  This program was, for all intents and purposes a mirror image of the old LimeWire program with one or two omissions.  The LimeWire team has denied the charge that they were behind the Pirate initiative but after a court order was issued to close down the Pirate Edition website this was done immediately.  The source code of the Pirate Edition was then altered by removing all LimeWire copyrights and the resulting program launched as WireShare.  This is available for download onto your machine right now.  If WireShare is simply the old LimeWire then it would be safe to assume that all the user data is now in the possession of the owners and management of this organisation.  Concerned LimeWire clients need to investigate WireShare and ensure that it has some sort of privacy policy for user data. LimeWire, as many people will know, is a file sharing service which has existed on the Internet since 2000.  It was developed as a peer-to-peer network which enabled millions of users from around the world to share and acquire files (primarily music files) on their computers.  Between 2000 and 2010 LimeWire improved and enhanced its service levels and the functionality of the program.  In 2001 LimeWire made their source code available to the public as a Free Software initiative which allowed users to participate in improving the service.  This move also made the system available to anyone wishing to provide a similar service to Internet users.    In 2010 the court ruled against the Lime Group LLC in a copyright infringement case, charging that LimeWire was guilty of committing and enabling copyright infringement in the music industry.  In October 2010 the company was ordered to disable its operation which it did.  If you go onto the LimeWire official site you will see a notice of the restraining order on the disabled homepage.  This would all seem to signify the end of LimeWire.  Members from around the world were worried that the system was no longer going to work and that the LimeWire software was now illegal.  In response to the legality concern – there is nothing illegal about the software.  You are only guilty of breaking the law if you use the software to download prohibited material (copyrighted files, child pornography etc).  In response to the concern regarding the useability – it still works and millions of users continue to use it.   If you do a search for LimeWire you will discover that you can still sign up to the system and this is what is puzzling many potential users.  If the operations of the company were closed down, how is it possible that the system can still be subscribed to?  The answer is - because the LimeWire code is in the public domain, it can be used by other service providers.  Since the service is a decentralized arrangement it does not rely on a central server to be able to operate.  It has a life of its own!  The LimeWire name was clearly not restricted by the ruling of the court so it continues to be used.  One has no information about this but it is reasonable to assume that Lime Wire (the LimeWire developer) is allowing the name to be used by others (perhaps at a cost).      One concern about using sites like these is how they will treat user information.  When you sign up with the system and pay for a version, you provide quite a lot of personal data which is private.  With the old Lime Wire you were dealing with a registered company with a stated privacy policy.  None of the above sites seems to have an identity.  On corporation websites there is always an “About Us” menu option and you can look at the legal identity, physical address etc of the organization you are dealing with.  With the above sites you have no idea who is behind the venture and their attitude towards your privacy. You also have no idea about how the system is going to be improved and enhanced over time.  These factors may or may not be a cause of concern for potential users.