LimeWire 3.9.8 Beta
 

The LimeWire 3.9.8 beta is released, with the pro version available from a link on your Pro download page, and the free version available (with NO BUNDLED SOFTWARE) from the LimeWire download page.

Changes in 3.9.8 include:
- Decreased startup times. Depending on the operating system and version of java, startup is now from 5 to 20+ seconds faster.
- Added 'Hide Adult Content' checkbox for What's New searches. (The option is displayed only if the global 'Hide Adult Content' from Options is not checked.)
- Fixed problem where metadata of search results could be lost if downloads were active.
- Fixed blocking hosts from the chat window.
- Fixed annotating mp3 files when non-ID3 fields were included.
- Added 'rollover' image to buttons to non-native themes (this is all themes except the Windows theme and the Default OSX theme).
- Added line to Connections tab for a quick summary of the amount of connections.
- Fixed magnet/clipboard listening for Linux with Java 1.5.
- Fixed right-click popup menu on search tabs to always represent the tab that was right-clicked.
- Fixed the display of the annotate window in most themes.
- Various internal bugfixes.

LimeWire 4.0 will be released on May 18th.

Thanks,
The LimeWire Team

Très bien, très bien :) I wonder what made LW devs so prolific since the beginning of 2004? (stars conjoncture???;) ). I sure hope you all continue like that. Why may 18th? Is there something special about that day? LW never predicted the date of a release before...

Merci et bonne continuation

Hi et voilà,

LimeWire has always consistently been adding features. Prior to 2004, the underlying network was the focus of attention. Work was focused in features that weren't as visible in order to bring the network to a state that would make it very easy to add future improvements, as well as to make it work better (and with more precision). Visible features were important, but no one's going to use a client if it doesn't work... so the network was continuously improved.

Now the network has been built to work very very well. Excellent additions, such as URNs, have made features such as swarming work better and additions like partial-file sharing and TigerTree corruption validation possible. GGEP allows arbitrary information to be added to any messages, allowing LimeWires to be grouped by locale and know if any host has free slots for connecting. Dynamic Querying reduced the amount of bandwidth used by a peer and in turn reduced CPU use of LimeWire. XML (and the associated GEM extension, the precursor to GGEP) is used for sending, querying or observing metadata of a file (like ID3 information). Even things such as HTTP/1.1 support, which allows remote queuing & other key uploading features. And GUESS, the introduction of UDP into the network, led to out-of-band replies and out-of-band proxying, which cut the time spent waiting for results in half.

Features like that are very hard to develop, since there's no immediate feedback on whether or not they work.

Fortunately, the network is working well now, and it's possible to focus on LimeWire as a client. Of course, this doesn't mean that we're not continuing to improve the network. We've added "What's New" searches, work is continuing in firewall-to-firewall transfers, and we're adding improvements to the structure of the network to shape itself with stronger ultrapeers.

Re: LimeWire 3.9.8 Beta
 

Looking forward to it! Thanks LimeWire team! :)

Merci Sam for the reply, it is just that I feel there are still important and exciting core changes coming in 4.0 while the gui is also much improved, which wasn't the case last year with the releases.

Good job

PS. I know Philippe asked you that before on the dev list: why not remove the firewall option in the advanced options and let LW configure all automatically only with the port used? All the P2P apps I try (a lot) only have the port option and all is well as I'm unfirewalled on networks. I think it is confusing two have the firewall option and many other users feel that way. BTW what about then moving the port option out of advanced (ie after transferts) so users can see it and configure it more easily, it could help when 70% of users are firewalled on the Gnet.

And it would be nice to have it choose a random port at first start (If it already does: I can't check, I've been using it for a far too long timespan now).

That way the port will not be blockable that easily.

arne, that's a bad idea, this will results in a bigger % of nodes firewalled and I think I speak for everybody when I say this should be avoided. Advanced users can just change port if they want like I do (the port 1234 is very good ;) ).

The LimeWire 3.9.9 beta has been released.

Changes include:
- Results from a browse host now are matched up against existing downloads, just like all other results.
- Fix for reading certain ID3v2 headers from some mp3 files. Thanks to Philippe Verdy & Roger Kapsi for information leading to the cause of this bug.
- Results are displayed a little faster.
- All themes now have a 'focus' indicator on buttons. Previously only the Windows & Default OSX theme had focus indicators.
- Tooltips now display the full text of a row/column if that column is truncated (has a '...' at the end). This tooltip will only be displayed if the table did not have extended information to display in a tooltip for that row.
- Search results now display the description of the file-type as an extended tooltip on Windows when the mouse is over the 'Icon' column. (Examples include, "JPEG File", "Winamp Media File", "Windows Media File".)
- Search results now display all IPs of a result as the extended tooltip over the 'Location' column if there are multiple locations.
- Fixed tooltips to wrap text to a new line instead of cutting the text off.
- Search filters look for a match even if an 'Any Type' search is done. If a possible match is found, it will be bolded & kept visible.

Thanks for keeping up with these betas and telling us where things are broken or how to improve. LimeWire 4.0 is under two weeks away, so if there's something that looks off or is just not working, let us know right away!

Thanks,
The LimeWire Team

It would be nice, if LimeWire added items from "browse host" to a search, when they fit the search string.

Aaaargh--where are you guys finding the time for all these fixes and really thorough changelogs! I can't keep up, cap'n. All these great changes are killing my bandwidth and evenings--LOL. Keep 'em coming!

Well you asked--so here's the notes on 3.9.9. I didn't have time to comment on the themes (something was amiss with the clarity of the buttons I think), but a quick look says they are stylin' and professional. Oh Sammy! Please pass on to the creator of Valentine's that the throbbing heart for searches is so sweet. I though I was going to have a heart attack from an estrogen spike and have to go for a testosterone booster. Luckily I was prepared so just quickly peeked at the Pink.

Installation
--the LW installer incorrectly sets permissions to "read only" (it sets owner to a different admin user, even though the installer properly asked for and received my current admin user). Couldn't find that it that affects anything, but it did seem odd and in contrast to a jum320 install.

Connections
--seeing fewer (7/30) Peers with Listen-IP's of 192.* or 10.* , so it looks like the upgrading is helping the network. However, if I turned my firewall on and start LW, no message appears and LW connects as an Ultrapeer.
--The connection Pane wrapping of tooltip display is mighty fine. The effect is far more useful than irritating. Some info flashed too quickly to scrutinize (I was looking for info on firewalled and duplicate hosts), so perhaps a tt display can be given a few more seconds longevity.
--The new summary of connections is good, but I'm confused by the difference between a Peer and an Ultrapeer. Looks like the bug Report reports them as the same:
Bug report says--
Is Connected: true
Number of Ultrapeer -> Ultrapeer Connections: 29
Number of Ultrapeer -> Leaf Connections: 30
Number of Leaf -> Ultrapeer Connections: 0
Number of Old Connections: 0
Acting as Ultrapeer: true
Acting as Shielded Leaf: false

New Connection Summary typically shows--
(0 Ultrapeers, 29 Peers, 30 Leaves, 0 Connecting, 0 Standard )

Is there much difference between a Peer and an Ultrapeer?

Searches: Bottom line: "It's not LW--it's the host"
--using 2 keywords and an extension with an Any Type Search (my favourite format) LW found 720 sources for a video. 1 keyword and extension gave over 1300 results. This was very useful for choosing the best file to avoid wasted downloads. I'm guessing this is the "Pro" advantage? Interestingly, when I search for my usual rare files, I realized that I'm becoming quite confident that the few results that show mean the host is busy or offline, and that LW will find them when a slot becomes available. Not an exact discovery, but indicative that confidence in the search code has passed a critical level here at least. Quite the improvement over the babysitting tricks we used to discuss on the forum.

I'm liking the Search Pane interface more and more (aside--one completed download didn't update the icon in the search results). Thanks especially for bringing back the tooltip that allows viewing of long names. Together with the column resizing changes, I can usually leave the filter panel open. Before, I usually had to collapse the filter panel to see the names.
--I checked out the tooltip display of multiple sources, but was a bit disappointed here. I'd rather see vendors than IP's (to account for long RAZA queues), but mostly hoped for the ability to browse one of those sources. Can the tooltip results link to a contextual menu that allows browsing?

Uploads--PFS problems with downloads.dat or bak?
I tried and tried to get swarmed uploads going. Normally downloading a popular video will swamp my upload slots so that very little else can get through. However, nothing was happening, even though I tried for 500 MB worth of videos--even one that swamped uploads last week. I tried checking all prefs, resetting PFS prefs and changing upload throttles (even though regular uploads were working fine). Finally succeeded by quitting, emptying the incomplete folder (especially the downloads.dat and bak files). The next video I tried quickly filled the monitors pane. Ran out of time to check this further, but don't like the implications.

Downloads--excellent! THEX correctly recovered three corruptions in a 220MB video, Magnets worked smoothly, and when trying to test swarming, LW set a new high dl speed on my G3 laptop. Pardon, but just have to Poast this screenshot. Prosit!

Bundled Software
 

So, was the "no bundled software" stuff only for 3.9.0 to 3.9.8?

In case it somehow was unintentional, I got some on a clean windows install of 3.9.9, unfortunately.

What did you get? There should be no bundled software at all.

I just tested downloading the 3.9.9 installer from the website, and nothing extra was installed.... You positive you downloaded the beta and not the last 3.8 version?

Says 3.9.9. Maybe i just didn't understand what you consider 'bundled software.' I was talking about LimeShop being included.

By bundled, we mean everything. Nothing except LimeWire is what you get.

LimeShop should _not_ be included in any 3.9.9 version. (There is still a tab in the interface, and a LimeShop menu item in the Resources menu, but that is just an html page & a website link.)

Very sorry, Sam. I didn't look closely enough at the LimeShop tab and just assumed it was the old LimeShop bundled software.

Great product. 4.0 is looking great.

sorry again for the confusion.

I just upgraded from LM Pro 3.8.10. How do I get 3.9.9 Pro w/o paying for another Pro version?

the beta link is on the bottom of your page

It also installed LimeShop for me too, the program Spy Sweeper has been finding it in every 3.9.X Beta i have installed...

Hmm spysweeper might be lying. The two trustful anti spyware proggy are adaware and spybot, others might even include spyware in their installations! D'oh! I don't find the link I wanted on slyck.com to prove my last sentence (there was an article about that) but trust me: most reporting spyware tools are actually malware. Stick to the two I mentionned earlier and redo your tests.

À+

My Spy Sweeper has no spyware, it works correctly with Adaware too, and both are accepting each other. Spy Sweeper is just convenient as it is much faster and its active shield works correctly, and is efficient at removing many undesirable cookies from advertizers (I don't block ads on web sites, but I block the irritating popups). Also because it is autoupdated quite regularly.

Ad Aware is still very good, just a bit too slow (and sometimes late with new threats). So I use it in addition of Spy Sweeper that runs permanently.

Neither SpySweeper, nor Adaware detected any spyware in LimeWire 3.9.9...

But I remember that there had been a false positive alarm in Ad-Aware for a program I just created myself... For now I did not get false positives with Spy Sweeper. I suppose that false positives may be corrected by new better signatures in Ad-Aware.

False positives can exist in anti-virus too, because they are based on signatures, however their technology is now well established, and now false positives are very rare with them (only happens with heuristic detectors in absence of known signatures, by monitoring suspect activities or unusual/undocumented APIs or strange API parameters such as very long strings).

My copy ran from start to finish in 4 minutes on my 1.70 GHz Celeron PC.

How fast is your PC?