Deepest apologies for continuing this saga of unhappiness — as the number of files available for sharing has increased (now 650), the system has degraded in performance. It routinely crashes the Mac twice a day and freezes requiring Force Quit a further three times each day. I have uninstalled and reinstalled Limewire 29 times since I began this effort to grab files. The converse was exciting. Having proved the routine for tranferring individual files to Limewire, I imported three of my own CDs through iTunes and when I dragged and dropped them on to Shared, the Mac crashed as soon as I attempted another operation. Surprisingly, the new files were accepted by Limewire but this experience suggests that new material can only be added very slowly. To prevent this from being a simply diary of despair, when is the new version of Limewire due? Also, like Alan, I also do not know how to turn off the virtual memory, nor do I know how to select better ultrapeers through whom to work as suggested by Joakim Agren.

Any help, guidance or advice would be appreciated.

Suicide is not an option (yet).

Since you're on the learning curve and you catch on quickly, you might find learning on OSX easier and more useful in the future. Once you've tried it for a week or so, it's hard to go back. You could learn about turning off virtual memory in the OS9 Memory Control Panel--but OSX handles memory problems automatically. The newer versions of LW for OSX had been tested for a week before the first classic version was available. Too, fewer apps can be expected for OS 9 (and OSX runs OS9 at the same time for the older apps). Just a thought--pardon the ramble.
Cheers

Hi

Well, I transferred all the files to OSX but not only is the performance of Limewire no better in downloading files, it is significantly worse in uploading and I have a headache because all the panels that in my nice quiet OS9.2 simply scroll, all flash like strobes all the time in OSX. I hope this latter is a feature that is going to be fixed in the next version. So, on first showing, the hours I have spent in moving the files seems not to have been worth it, but I shall persevere for a while. Incidentally, why does this Forum think I am someone different when I tried to add this reply from OSX and why did it reject my password? It is all most confusing to an old geezer like me.

Thanks for humouring me.

Suicide is (still) not an option.

Wow! That was a quick decision David--welcome to the world of OSX. Did the switch solve the crashing problem? Can you also add the versions of LW and OSX you are now using? Too, run the System Preference "Software Update" to download any new Apple updates.

I'm puzzled by the flashing, so only guesses here. Your password probably needed to be stored as an new "cookie" in your browser, so shouldn't prove to be an on-going problem. Interesting observation about the uploads. I think you have observed the major headache of gnutella--the FIREWALL!

In the System Preferences (the OSX eqivalent of the Control Panels) you should see an icon called "Sharing." Look at the tab called "Firewall," and I expect you'll see that the firewall is on, blocking most of the "ports" or ways the system allows different internet programs to communicate with your computer. This is where I'm really stuck, since I'm still trying to figure out how to allow gnutella clients like LW and Acquisition (the most popular other OSX p2p client) to access my files. I could just click the "stop" button for the firewall and disable it, but I'm still trying to learn the risks involved.

Would a better helper than I jump in here and help us? What's the best way to set up the firewall to run LW on OSX, and can we get some idea of the risks involved? Or, if anyone can help us better phrase the question, I'll find a way to get Pro Support to help.

David, please drop the suicide sig--I want to take it as a joke, but the risks are far too high for relaxed communication.

Cheers--seriously! This peer to peer sharing of the problems is supposed to be fun here!

OSX is very temperamental. I have downloaded several versions of LW and have finally found one where the screen image is more stable but even this one cannot cope with scrolling large lists, flickers badly when you resize a window and the Downloads window trembles alarmingly when you enter a new search. But, on the plus side, search results are impressively increased - more candy in the store to save up for - and I am suddenly joined by QMax, Gncleus, MMM, etc which is pleasing. However, downloads are still very slow and uploads have almost dried up. There is no express reference to Firewall in the Sharing box. I have turned on File Sharing and FTP Access but this has made no difference. Is LW a Remote Apple Event that I should permit? So please advise on how to disable the firewall (without compromising security too much). Uploads were significantly more successful on the same machine in OS 9.2. This is a strange result since I would have predicted that the FIrewall should affect both equally.