If they have just reinitialized their HD, and have 0 files to share, what are they doing on Limewire, a P2P sharing network?

What are the coincidences that all of those freeloaders could all have magically wiped out all data on their HDs?

I gave them a chance. Today I set it to all they had to provide was 20 files for sharing. I got maybe 10 uploads all day (they download from me, I upload to them). That means the rest are hitting and running. Each file had a ton of hits on it, and a lot of "Transfer Interrupted" etc., but all of that

The only time I get a lot of uploads is when I allow freeloaders and they have to share 0 files. I would not call that a healthy network. I would call that a network that is suffering: people hitting and running. I'll keep mine set where they have to share in order to receive. I think, in the long-term, that promotes the healthiest network.

I am aware of that. I know BitTorrent's swarm effect.

Sad, though, that even though Limewire is conceived differently, you can end up with multiple users downloading partial file shares from each other, thus making the whole thing faster -- *if* people aren't stingy and selfish.

Of course, this only works if they have partial file sharing available, and are ... gasp ... actually sharing files!

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Currently sticking with an older version of Limewire Pro 4.8.1, which has proven more stable

PowerMac G4 933 with ISP Brighthouse/Roadrunner broadband 15/2 connection running Mac OS X 10.2.8

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Details of my computer (firewall, RAM, hard disk), network set-up, country, and all can be found here: http://limewiresettings.jottit.com/