Limewire for Windows XP

From LoveToKnow Music

Despite the complicated legal issues surrounding online music downloads, Limewire for Windows XP is as popular now as it has ever been. There are many MP3 music files that are freely available over the Gnutella network, but there are countless others that may or may not be legal to acquire. As such, it is probably best to tread carefully when you download free MP3 music, whether it be emo or classical.

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What is Limewire?

Limewire for Windows XP is free software that you can use to download music online via a peer-to-peer network. It operates much the same way as other P2P-based programs like Kazaa, Soulseek, and BearShare. Because you are not retrieving files from a single source, it can oftentimes be difficult not only to determine whether the downloaded music file is really the song that you want, but also whether the file is "clean" of viruses, spyware, Trojans, and other malicious lines of code that can permanently damage your computer.

The interface in Limewire is designed to be very intuitive and is largely operated through pointing and clicking. Simply go to the search area, enter the term of interest, and let the results come pouring in. Because it utilizes a peer-based network, the availability of music files depends largely on its popularity, so if you're looking for obscure indie music downloads, for example, you may be presented with very limited results.

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Where to Get Limewire for Windows XP

Although it is also freely available for Mac OS X and certain Linux environments, you're probably more interested in where you can download Limewire for Windows XP. There are a number of different sources where you can attain other software, but it is always safest to go straight to the source. This way, you know that the version of Limewire for Windows XP that you're getting is legitimate and unaltered.

As such, I highly suggest that if you are interested in the Windows XP version of Limewire, then you get it from Limewire.com. From the download page, you can choose to acquire either the free version of Limewire or Limewire Pro for $18.88.

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Limewire Firewall Issues

Because you need to connect to the Gnutella peer-to-peer network in order to download free music from Limewire, there are certain security precautions that you must be aware of. Naturally, you will want a good antivirus and a good spyware checking program, so that you can scan the incoming files for any malicious content. The trouble is, some of these security programs can prevent Limewire from functioning!

A common problem that comes up with Limewire is that the user is stuck behind what is called a "firewall." This essentially prevents certain files from being sent and/or received. Thankfully, the good people at Limewire put up a very useful wiki page that discusses this issue, helping you overcome the problem of not being able to connect. The two main solutions are to either add an exception for the Limewire program or to add an exception for the Gnutella port. The wiki page provides further details.

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