What a sad, sad testament to a sad, sad program. After reading all the faqs and most of the forum threads we see only a sad, sad chain of totally frustrated entries. LeeWare and Trap_Jaw have a 3 page technical tirade about the smart ways available to maximize success with LimeWire, none of which is even slightly intuiitive. The very fact that such a dialogue is even necessary is proof alone that the program is deeply, deeply flawed.

There have been other programs (Napster, Aimster) which worked well and, for the most part, smoothly. Why must the wheel be re-invented every couple of years? Surely to GAWD there is someway to truly "Maximize Success" without users requiring a computer programmer's degree.

I, for one. would be more than pleased to pay (yes, you read that correctly) for the privilege of being able to download, peer to peer, with the proviso... I actually get to successfully complete a download, move to my library, share files, etc, etc. Why can't some enterprising person/company come up with a re-invention of the Napster module... only this time, charge a nominal fee? FREE downloads via LimeWire et al aren't all that FREE when it's impossible to successfully download.

In the last couple of years, with LimeWire as the only option available for MACs, I have learned to detest the word 'requery'... which is even sadder when I realize it's not even a real word. But its effect is all too real. How hard can it be to make a file 'INVISIBLE' if it is unavailabe? Why let me spend 3 + hours of my life I will never get back only to lose the entire connection and with it, the file?

I repeat... sad, sad, sad!

No, there is not. It is not possible to maximize download success substantially with the current version of LimeWire except by sharing files. (60% of all users are downloading but not uploading. Do the math, with lot's of ADSL connections and modem connections it will simply not allow for more downloads to work).

The file is available when you search for it, but if you try to download it, it will happen very often that the host sharing it is either busy or goes offline before you can download it. Or it is firewalled and a PUSH request failed. If you ever used Napster or OpenNap you would see lots of failed downloads, too. eDonkey for example can easily download 3 movies in 2 days but at times it won't manage a single mp3 in that amount of time. In Kazaa you can find a movie everytime you search for it but the download will never ever start. The problem with Gnutella is that it's simply overloaded (it has been overloaded ever since Morpheus joined the gnutella community a year ago). Messages simply get lost frequently. With lots of unresponsible gnutella developers and users this is about as good as it gets.

re: (60% of all users are downloading but not uploading.)

Here's a thought. Why not set up things so no one is permitted to download unless they allow uploading?

And say what you like... LimeWire requires way too much computer knowledge. There is very little intuiitve about the program, once you get past the interface.

Hit SEARCH... program searches. Sounds pretty simple. Only, that's where it ends. Searches often find nothing or very little.

Hit DOWNLOAD... files download. Sounds pretty simple. Only, that's where it ends. We are either disconnected, flipped the dreaded technical bird of REQUERY, or lose the file after a wait of several hours. None of which address the fact we can not often even make a connection.

LimeWire is open-source everyone could modify it and put a leech version on his website.

Yes and there is nothing you as a user could do about it. It's even hard for the developers to improve the situation without breaking compatibility to older clients. - LimeWire 3.0 (which will be released in a few weeks) will hopefully increase gnutella's performance - it's not as if they weren't doing anything at all.

Requery means that LimeWire is search for exactly the same file you are trying to download. If it's not available, LimeWire won't find it. Gnutella is a dynamic network. Files become available and unavailable again all the time.

re: everyone could modify it and put a leech version on his website.

I, for one, couldn't... and I dare say a majority of LimeWire subscribers couldn't. Further, I suspect that a good portion of those left who could, wouldn't either. Most of us just want a no-hassle means of innocuously downloading files. Modifying, leeching?? There exists, no doubt, a small core of individuals who gain some perverse sense of satisfaction screwing around with this stuff... most of us just want to 'make love–not war'

That being said... nothing in what you've said addresses my initial concerns... LimeWire in unintuitive, unfriendly, and generally undependable. A reading of the majority (make that "vast majority") backs this up.

So, a rehashing of all the things one can and need do to minimize heartache and anguish in LimeWire merely re-emphasizes the point. Users will jump ship before dawn on the very morning of the day something dependable, intuitive and friendly shows up. I, and a reading of postings to this site will tell you 'most' of LimeWire subscribers are just plain frustrated.

This is what needs to be addrerssed!

Dear All,
So much for nothing!
This whole forum is full of threads started by frustrated people whose download gets stuck at a certain percentage and hrs. n hrs. of internet time is lost....
But no credible solution.
How can such a flawed program be so popular?
More so with the newer versions.
I am fed up.....