Why Does LimeWire Seem To Run More Slowly?
 

The answer to this question requires a bit of background in Java, which is the language that LimeWire is written in...

Java programs run in what's called a "Java Virtual Machine" (JVM). The JVM reads the code that makes up LimeWire and tells your computer what to do. This means that LimeWire (and all Java programs) can be run on any operating system that has a JVM.

One of the recent additions to JVMs is what's called a "Just-In-Time Compiler" (JIT). This is something that, while running a program, optimizes and converts the java bytecode into native machine code. The addition technically came when Java 1.2 was introduced, but a JIT was backported by Symantec to Apple for Java 1.1.8 on Mac Classics.

Unfortunately, this JIT becomes very buggy as the language is pushed to its limits. It was causing many problems that destabilized LimeWire and caused errors that are generally impossible. Prior to the release of 3.6.15, the JIT was stopping LimeWire from even starting. (Instead, a message popped up saying there was a bug in the JIT and that Symantec should be notified.) Thus, in order to keep LimeWire running, we had to disable the JIT on Mac Classic.

The result of this is that LimeWire runs slower, because the JVM is constantly converting the java bytecode into machine code instead of remembering and optimizing it.

We'll look into determining if it's possible to turn the JIT back on, but it is going to be difficult to do.

Thanks.

You can attempt to speed up LimeWire by enabling the JIT yourself. This can be done by opening up the file "LimeWire.lax" in any text editor. (LimeWire.lax can be found in the same folder that the LimeWire program is in.) Look for the line that reads:
lax.nl.macos.java.compiler=off
and insert a '#' before it, so it reads:
#lax.nl.macos.java.compiler=off

Then save the file and start up LimeWire.

I cannot guarantee that LimeWire will continue to work. But if it does, it will be a little faster.

Don´t forget to make a copy first or write the default settings down before changing it!!!

I am not sure if this effort has such a great effect. Its not a big program which is really needed to speed up... but this is only my opinion.

Morgwen

P.S.:

An other solution would be to rewrite it in C++... I am kidding now. :p

It has an effect, Morgwen. The large number of complaints about the speed of LimeWire 3.6.15 is because it is the first released version that we disabled the JIT for Mac Classics.

I personally see a huge difference in file verification times (even running in Classic environment on a souped up powerbook) with the JIT turned on vs off.

After I read your first post more carefully I see what you mean. :cool:

Ignore my statement. :)

Morgwen

Re: Why Does LimeWire Seem To Run More Slowly?
 

You can attempt to speed up LimeWire by enabling the JIT yourself. This can be done by opening up the file "LimeWire.lax" in any text editor. (LimeWire.lax can be found in the same folder that the LimeWire program is in.) Look for the line that reads:
lax.nl.macos.java.compiler=off
and insert a '#' before it, so it reads:
#lax.nl.macos.java.compiler=off

Then save the file and start up LimeWire.

I cannot guarantee that LimeWire will continue to work. But if it does, it will be a little faster. "You sir, are an absolute genius. I tried the above suggestion, it took about 15 seconds to do, and it works perfectly. Now my filesharing works perfectly, file verification and saving are much faster, and the whole program is more responsive. In my 8 or so years of using computers I have never seen anything that created such an improvement with so little effort. Thanks a lot. "

Well i put the # into the LimeWire.lax as suggested on my 7500 machine under OS9.2.2 and guess what? It's a hell of a lot better, button respond quicker, still room for improvement, the verifying is speedy, sticks at certain stages, then zooms up and done in just a few :)

sberlin: THANK YOU for your explanation and instructions to reenable the JIT! I hadn't been suffering the failure-to-start problem, so ever since the JIT was disabled by default, Limewire's hashing thread -- and by extension Limewire itself -- had become almost completely useless (several hours to hash a 40-megabyte file, and no, that's not an exaggeration.)

Reenabling the JIT hashed that 40-megabyte file in less than a minute. I'm on a 233 MHz G3 Powerbook, with 384 MB of ram.

I think the JIT is more valuable on old machines than you believe it is! :) Limewire is usable again. Thank you!

mm just wundering when the prob whith the code hapens becuse it must to have bean a big prob or it wudent have bean ternd off just wunderd befor i try it dose the prob only start after a whyel or strat away or when:p

I'd answer your question, sleepey, but I'm afraid I only understand English.