Hi,

On the internet, there exists a network (Gnutella), that allows unrestricted file sharing among private parties.

Limewire is a tool that allows anyone to connect to this network to share and collect files. There are other tools with different names that do pretty much the same thing. There are some features about Limewire that I enjoy, so, it is what I use.

The network is not moderated, anyone who shouldn't see a XXX rated movie should not get unsupervised access to it.

The positive side is that this network has a wealth of files that are worth seeing, reading, or hearing. Mp3 music files and text references (books) are two examples.

Copyrighted material is not protected very well. If you loan your neighbor a copyrighted music CD you are in technical violation of a law. This network is an electronic way to loan music and things so the same rules apply. A lot of the material is 'public domain' and not a problem.

If asked, I would say, "It's really cool but please use it wisely".

The actual operation is not too hard to understand. You set up directories on your computer (under options) where you wish to share or save files. The rest of your computer is invisible to the network. You also need to tell Limewire the speed of your internet connection (under options). After that you connect and search.

Enjoy,

Ken