Limewire is a free program that allows users on the Internet to share music, video and other files. Limewire also allows a user to search for content on other users' computers and download those files. No centralized server or website is used to store files. Limewire directly transfers files from one user to another, hence the term "peer-to-peer" or P2P file sharing. It's more accurate to say that a file is being transferred instead of downloaded in the context of P2P applications. Limewire allows you to share or access any file type such as MP3, AVI/MPEG, JPG, etc. Because it is written in the Java programming language, it will run on Windows, Macintosh, Linux, and other operating systems.

Is Limewire legal? And what about those "transferred" files? That all depends on what you do with the software. Some artists make their music freely available on file sharing services, in order to gain exposure or because they just want to give it away for free.

Obtaining music on those terms via Limewire or a similar P2P service is perfectly legal and even encouraged. But copyright laws protect the creators of original works, such as music, movies, photos and artwork. Individuals who reproduce, distribute, or receive copies without the consent of the owners may be in violation of copyright laws. To put that in context, if you copy commercially available music or video files without paying for it, you're probably breaking the law.

But there are some exceptions to the rule. If you don't own a particular artist's CD and you download all the songs without paying for them, you are clearly stealing. But what if you bought the CD, and somehow scratched it to the point it will no longer play? In such circumstances, it should be acceptable to download the exact same files in order to burn a replacement CD. You are not stealing anything because the CD was already paid for. Keep your receipts to prove it!

Some who disagree make the counter argument, that if you own a beautiful serving dish, and it falls to the floor and shatters, you have no right to go back to the store and demand a replacement. So according to that logic, if your CD is damaged, you should have to buy a replacement. But this argument fails to take into account some important distinctions. Clearly to produce a copy of the dish, there are real costs involved. But a digital download of a song you've already purchased doesn't cost or deprive the artist or the record company.

The use of file sharing programs may accidentally allow others to copy private files you never intended to share. Limewire allows you to check what is being shared with others from your computer. It's a good idea to check this every time you start Limewire to make sure you're not allowing access to private information.

It's also possible to download a virus, spyware, or some other malicious file. Be sure to use a high-quality anti-virus and anti-spyware program to protect your computer.