LimeWire 2.8.0 Beta has just been released. It's available from a link at the bottom of your pro download page, or from our web site at:

http://www.limewire.com/index.jsp/download_beta

This version includes a number of new features, including:

-- HTTP 1.1 use for downloading -- this will improve overall download throughput and will improve your chances of getting queued successfully by another user when attempting a download.

-- Support for server-side "GUESS" -- one half of a new searching architecture that should significantly improve LimeWire persformance. The new searching architecture, developed by LimeWire, is called the "Gnutella UDP Extension for Scalable Searching." The server-side release allows us to test the systems and tune the client searching algorithm for LimeWire 3.0.

-- User interface enhancements from Sam Berlin, an open source contributor. These include icons to indicate the sorting order of all columns, the ability to add and remove columns from any table in the program, enhanced coloring of file names in the library (files that are not yet shared appear in red), and more.

-- Improved download mesh support -- LimeWire now stores far more mesh data locally, incrementally reporting that data to other nodes on the network in HTTP headers

-- Dramatically improved advanced statistics recording -- particularly useful for researchers and/or developers, and not available on Mac 9.x and below (it is available on OS X, however). The curious can take a look by activating advanced statistics recording in the statistics window.

We hope everyone likes 2.8.0. Given that this version includes so many important changes, the beta period will likely be somewhat extended. Thanks for everyone's continuing help and interest.

No problems here so far. I love that I can now remove the chat collum from the download window. I've been wanting that for months. It seems very fast and stable. Good job.

-Cody

There are some problems with the Linux tarball. There's no visible splash at startup. When the main window comes up, there are no buttons or graphics anywhere. I can't close a search tab or OK the preferences window. LimeWire 2.7.13 works fine.

I've noticed a lil problem nothing serious but when you click on either the Connections or Library tab there is no like sepration between the bar and the window below it. The sepration bar is however in Search and Monitor part. I'm using the classic version of 2.8.0 beta btw.

I can't set my save directory to "e:\mp3_incoming" anymore. When I try to apply the change, an error dialog comes up: "Invalid directory for saving files" and it reverts to the default. Worked in 2.7.x series.

I had the first bug in 2.8.0 beta.. I sent the email to bugs@limewire.com

>No problems here so far. I love that I can now remove the chat collum from the download window. I've been wanting that for months. It seems very fast and stable. Good job.

Glad you like it.

In the future, hidden columns will be persistent between shutdown/startups, hopefully along with the order/width of the columns.

There's just some other stuff that needs to be done (particularly with the search results) before that's put in... and also it seems to be best to let users find problems with the current implementation so things can be changed before persistence is added.

sam

I also like how the downloads keep their sorting order.

My personal PRO download page is still showing 2.7.13 at the top of page... The "latest beta" link at bottom of page brings me to a page that displays 2.7.12!!

Adam, or LimeWire Team... How can I get to my free personal download page for 2.8.0 PRO Beta?

The 2.7.12 on the beta page is the 2.8.0. Ignore that version number of 2.7.12 and just download it. It is version 2.8.0 beta