Limewire P2P File Sharing Program

[msoeagle]

Before I go and download a bunch of songs I would like to know if Limewire is legal? My mom says its not but my friends say its legal.

[[jonrev]]

I believe it is legal, but you can't re-post files somewhere else.

[msoeagle]

So I can download files but I cant then go to winmx and let people download the files?

[Aero737]

Limewire the program is, but downloading isn't. Any p2p software is legal, and has legal applications, but can be used for illicit activity.

Bottom line, if you download without paying, chances are, it's stealing.

[w00dland]

Basically, your Mom is right, and your friends hear things like what Aero just said and take them waaaay out of context.

[Aero737]

Huh, what did I say?

[zjohn1988]

I heard that it is legal to download but illegal to share the file.

[EagleFan344]

Of course its illegal

[Aero737]

No, downloading is illeagle. Sharing is illeagle.

[twixmix0303]

Downloading an uncopyrighted file is perfectly legal. If someone goes and uploads a song (without a copyright) to the web and I find it using Windows Media Player guide, like it and decide to save it to my hard drive, how am I supposed to know whether or not it is copyrighted? If downloading songs freely available is illegal, then is downloading web pages, graphics, or PDF files without a copyright illegal as well?

It is for sure illegal to share/publish something that has been copyrighted.

/\ BTW, it's illegal, not illeagle

[msoeagle]

Some kid just got fined $600,000 for downloading 4 movies.

[twixmix0303]

Those movies were probably copyrighted.

[msoeagle]

So bottom line how bad is me downloading songs using limewire?

[Aero737]

Well, its against the law isnt it? If your caught, the music industry likes making examples out of people.

[msoeagle]

How do they catch someone? I havent done it by the way.

[Aero737]

By your IP address. Every internet connection has an IP address, which gives ISP information. The RIAA can call up your ISP and request information on the IP. Once they got you, then they take their legal action.

However, the chances of this are very very slim, but remember, just like any crime, there is the risk of getting cought.

[w00dland]

While using Limewire to DL music isn't completly illegal all the time I would say most of the time it is. If you download any song or movie that you yourself don't already own it's stealing. If you already have that Nsync CD from back in the day you can download that Nsync song.

If you find a good program that isn't bundled with spyware (and is still available) your chances of being caught are incredibally slim. Unfortunatly a few months ago the RIAA sent out a threatening letter than ended up closing what I thought was the safest program (WinMX) down. Whatever you do don't download KaZaa.

[Aero737]

Bittorrent still seems to work well...so many open source projects its close to impossible to shut the network down.