Finding Files For Free Is As Easy As Saying “Limewire.”

Apple’s Steve Jobs says that less than 5-percent of all the music on an average iPod comes from the iTunes Store.

With file sharing utilities so easy to use these days, what’s not to like. Install something like Limewire, find files, share files, pay nothing.

Attention, Windows and Mac users. File sharing is not always legal. Most of the time it’s illegal. It’s also easy with Mac and Windows utilities such as Limewire.

What’s interesting about Limewire and file sharing, P2P utilities is how their descriptions tend to ignore or cover up their true intent. Illegally share music and video files over the internet.

Granted, some files can be shared between anonymous users, but most P2P tools are designed for one thing-- share with others what you’ve got, and share with yourself what they’ve got.

Limewire is an easy to use utility which searches the internet for a file you want, whether music, video, digital photo, even applications. The utility is long on features, short on instructions, especially the ever important “what is this utility designed to do.” You’re expected to know or figure it out.

The latest Limewire has built-in support for Bittorrent, so there are more ways to find and download files to your Mac.

Once you connect, your Mac becomes a storage point for files you download, so that others can use your Mac to download files to their Macs.

Limewire as a handy notification system so you know when a file download is completed. It works behind firewalls, integrates with iTunes for both Mac and Windows.

Searching is easy. Enter the song or video or artist or file name you’re looking for, and wait a few minutes. Then select a result and begin downloading. Limewire is quick, but file downloads are often dependent upon the number of other users who have the same file available.

Of all the P2P utilities I’ve used on the Mac, my favorite is Limewire because it’s easier to set up and run. How about the legality of “sharing” files? Remember Napster? The new one is legal and bleeding money. The old Napster was ruled a participant to stealing.

For all intents and purposes, Limewire can be used to do the same thing. With the legal hounds from the Recording Industry Association of America rounding up and suing P2P users for downloading music, Limewire is definitely a “buyer beware” opportunity.

So, my question for the day is, do you use a file sharing, P2P application on your Mac? If so, which one? What kinds of files do you download? Talk Back to Mac360 readers in the Comments section below.

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