LimeWire

Lime Wire LLC

Company type	Private
Industry	Software, Peer-to-peer file sharing
Founded	2000 (2000)
Founder	Mark Gorton
Defunct	October 26, 2010 (2010-10-26)
Fate	Ceased file-sharing operations following court injunction
Headquarters	New York City , United States
Products	LimeWire (free and Pro editions)

LimeWire was a no-cost peer-to-peer file sharing application compatible with Windows, macOS, Linux, and Solaris operating systems. Developed by Mark Gorton in 2000, it gained widespread popularity as a platform for downloading and distributing unauthorized content, particularly music files. By 2007, LimeWire was reportedly installed on more than one-third of all computers globally.

The software was available in two variants: a free edition and a premium "LimeWire Pro" version; however, the Pro edition was frequently circulated without permission alongside the standard release. LimeWire functioned on the gnutella network and included support for the BitTorrent protocol.

On October 26, 2010, a federal court in the United States issued an injunction against Lime Wire LLC, mandating the cessation of all file-sharing operations in the case Arista Records LLC v. Lime Group LLC. The subsequent trial to assess damages owed to record companies commenced in January 2011. Initially, the RIAA sought damages amounting to $72 trillion but eventually agreed to a $105 million settlement. Following this ruling, LimeWire halted its software distribution; versions 5.5.11 and later were disabled remotely through a backdoor mechanism, while earlier releases continued functioning unless updated.

Features

Developed using the Java programming language, LimeWire could operate on any device equipped with a Java Virtual Machine. Installation packages existed for Apple's Mac OS X, Windows, and Linux platforms. Support for Mac OS 9 and prior editions was discontinued after LimeWire version 4.0.10. Starting with version 4.8, LimeWire acted as a UPnP Internet Gateway Device controller, enabling automatic configuration of packet forwarding on routers compatible with UPnP.

LimeWire facilitated sharing of libraries through the Digital Audio Access Protocol (DAAP), permitting detection and downloading of shared files over local networks by DAAP-compatible devices such as Zune and iTunes. Beginning with version 4.13.9, connections could be secured via Transport Layer Security (TLS), which became the default setting from version 4.13.11 onward.

Version history

Up until October 2010, Lime Wire LLC, based in New York City, provided two editions: a complimentary basic version and a paid "LimeWire PRO" edition priced at $21.95 for six months or approximately $35 for an annual subscription including updates. The PRO edition offered purportedly faster download speeds and improved search results—up to 66% better—by allowing direct connections with up to ten hosts per file compared to eight hosts in the free variant.

As open-source software inspired by LimeWire, projects like LionShare emerged as experimental initiatives at Penn State University, while Acquisition presented a proprietary interface client tailored for Mac OS X. Researchers at Cornell University created an add-on named Credence, designed to assist users in distinguishing between "authentic" and "questionable" files. In 2005, several contributors forked the project into what became known as FrostWire.

LimeWire followed FrostWire as the second file-sharing client to implement firewall-to-firewall transfer capabilities with its November 2004 release of version 4.2. It also integrated limited support for the BitTorrent protocol, permitting up to three simultaneous torrent uploads or downloads alongside traditional transfers. Version 5.0 introduced an instant messaging feature utilizing the XMPP protocol, enabling users to chat and exchange files within their buddy lists.

From version 5.5.1 onward, LimeWire implemented key activation for its "Pro" edition to deter unauthorized usage; nonetheless, cracked versions such as the "Pirate Edition" circumvented this protection. The 5.5.1 Beta release also featured integration with AVG. The final stable version released was 5.5.16.

Versions preceding 5.5.10 continued connecting to the Gnutella network despite displaying injunction warnings upon startup. Starting with version 5.5.11, an auto-update feature allowed Lime Wire LLC to remotely disable newer releases; however, older versions lacking auto-update functionality remained operational unless users opted to upgrade.

On November 10, 2010, a developer collective named the "Secret Dev Team" launched the "LimeWire Pirate Edition," based on LimeWire 5.6 Beta, aiming to maintain Windows compatibility while eliminating spyware and adware components. This edition unlocked all PRO functionalities and removed security constraints imposed by Lime Wire LLC.

Forks and Alternatives

Various forks of LimeWire appeared with the goal of increasing user autonomy or rejecting certain original design decisions.

FrostWire

FrostWire was initiated in September 2004 by members of the LimeWire community after LimeWire's distributor contemplated integrating "blocking" functionality due to pressure from the RIAA following the Supreme Court ruling in MGM Studios, Inc. v. Grokster, Ltd. This blocking feature would have prevented sharing of licensed content. When legal actions targeted LimeWire for facilitating P2P downloads, users were redirected to FrostWire. Over time, FrostWire completely shifted from relying on the Gnutella network to adopting the BitTorrent protocol.

LimeWire Pirate Edition/WireShare

In November 2010, an anonymous programmer known as Meta Pirate released a modified version of LimeWire Pro named LimeWire Pirate Edition. This variant eliminated the Ask.com toolbar, advertisements, spyware, backdoors, and any dependencies on Lime Wire LLC's servers.

Lime Wire LLC disclaimed any connection with this release, asserting they had not authorized it and were complying with a court injunction issued on October 26, 2010.

Following accusations from the RIAA alleging Lime Wire's involvement in the development of LimeWire Pirate Edition, Lime Wire promptly took down its website under court orders. Meta Pirate chose not to challenge the shutdown to preserve anonymity.

Subsequently, the project was forked again into WireShare to maintain support for the Gnutella network and uphold the original objectives without adware or spyware. WireShare continues to receive active development.

MuWire

MuWire was launched in August 2020 by a former developer of LimeWire. It is a free software application resembling LimeWire but utilizes I2P to anonymize both connections and file transfers. The developer acquired ownership of the limewire.com domain after its expiration, redirecting visitors to MuWire’s website for roughly two years before transferring it to an unrelated third party.

Criticism

Prior to April 2004, LimeWire’s free edition included LimeShop—a variant of TopMoxie—spyware that tracked users’ online purchases and redirected commission payments to Lime Wire LLC. Uninstalling LimeWire did not remove LimeShop. This issue was resolved in 2004 when all bundled software was eliminated starting with LimeWire version 3.9.4.

Early releases of LimeWire (before version 5.0) carried risks of inadvertently exposing entire user computers due to misconfigurations that could share sensitive personal files. Later versions addressed this by disabling automatic sharing of private documents. In 2005, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission issued warnings regarding peer-to-peer file sharing dangers such as identity theft and legal liabilities.

A well-known 2007 incident involved identity theft through LimeWire when a criminal accessed shared financial information and committed online credit card fraud. Investigations revealed that approximately 30% of randomly sampled downloaded files contained malware. In mid-2008, a Macintosh trojan exploiting vulnerabilities in Apple Remote Desktop propagated via LimeWire, impacting users running Mac OS X Tiger and Leopard. From version 5.0 onward, LimeWire reduced malware risks by excluding executable files from default search results.

Despite previous criticism over bundled software, in 2010 LimeWire introduced a browser toolbar powered by Ask.com that was installed by default unless users opted out. Additionally, LimeWire utilized cryptographically signed IP block lists (simpp.xml), which became integral to the now-defunct cybersecurity company Tiversa, accused of leveraging network data to coerce clients into purchasing their services.

Downfall

A June 2005 report by The New York Times revealed that Lime Wire LLC had contemplated halting the distribution of LimeWire following the MGM v. Grokster decision, which granted courts broad authority to enforce the inducement doctrine. Nevertheless, LimeWire remained operational until it faced litigation from Arista Records, culminating in a 2010 verdict. Judge Kimba Wood of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York held both LimeWire and its founder, Mark Gorton, responsible for copyright violations, unfair competition, and inducement. Later that year, following another defeat against the RIAA, LimeWire was mandated to disable critical software features due to infringement concerns. The RIAA also pursued compensation for damages suffered by record companies. In response, LimeWire announced it would discontinue distribution and support of its P2P software but planned to maintain other operations.

In early 2011, the RIAA initiated legal action seeking statutory damages amounting to $72 trillion—exceeding three times the world's annual GDP—based on projections of thousands of downloads for each of LimeWire's 11,000 tracks. By May 2011, Gorton agreed to a settlement totaling roughly $105 million payable to thirteen record labels. Mitch Bainwol, then chairman of the RIAA, described this resolution as a significant step toward transforming online music into a legitimate market that appropriately compensates artists.

Name reuse by unrelated companies

In 2022, an unrelated entity revived the LimeWire brand for a music-centric NFT platform, a development publicly opposed by original founder Mark Gorton. The NFT marketplace debuted in July 2022 with its inaugural collection from American producer and rapper 7 Aurelius.

By September 2023, LimeWire broadened its scope into generative artificial intelligence by acquiring BlueWillow, allowing users to create and share AI-generated images and videos. In 2025, LimeWire further expanded by purchasing snapdrop.net and sharedrop.io, services that enable instant file transfers over local networks.

See also

• Comparison of file-sharing applications
• Open music model

Comparable legal decisions

• AllOfMP3
• Grooveshark
• Kazaa
• Mininova
• Megaupload
• Napster

External links

• LimeWire Resurrected By Secret Dev Team (2010), TorrentFreak