OT: Limewire comments

  • Thread starter Thread starter Shenan Stanley
  • Start date Start date
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Shenan Stanley

Rod said:
13yo would like to download "limewire" onto our XP
I have heard gossip it is bad for virii etc.
Dad welcomes comments.
Also if I should use another appropriate NG please advise.
Click to expand...

Limewire is a file sharing application.

Like any other file sharing application, without being extremely careful -
you can easily download something that is a virus but you think is something
else and you run it thinking that and destroy everything. If you want to
get certain types of stuff - it's better to get it from legitimate services
and not depend on random file shares.

Having said that - used wisely and with sufficient caution - anything is
relatively safe to do on the Internet. However - if you do not have decent
AntiVirius software, periodic scans with several different antispyware apps,
good security (like running as a regular user and not administrator on your
system), etc - in other words - use computig common sense... You likely
should not get into things like Limewire, Torrents, etc.
 
Rod said:
Thank you Shenan,
I'll put it on hold,
I am off to puchase XP manual tommorow
I am the administrator, he wants to use it as
a user, but it seems I can only execute
the download as administrator.

Thanks very much for your general comments
appreciated.
Rodney
Click to expand...

Rod,

Something else you should probably bear in mind is that there is some
content on Limewire which is unsuitable for a 13yo. There are filters
available but I duobt they would catch everything.

Ed Metcalfe.
 
13yo would like to download "limewire" onto our XP
I have heard gossip it is bad for virii etc.
Dad welcomes comments.
Also if I should use another appropriate NG please advise.
Thanks
Rodney.
 
Having said that - used wisely and with sufficient caution - anything is
relatively safe to do on the Internet. However - if you do not have decent
AntiVirius software, periodic scans with several different antispyware apps,
good security (like running as a regular user and not administrator on your
system), etc - in other words - use computig common sense... You likely
should not get into things like Limewire, Torrents, etc.
Shenan Stanley MS-MVP
--
Click to expand...


Thank you Shenan,
I'll put it on hold,
I am off to puchase XP manual tommorow
I am the administrator, he wants to use it as
a user, but it seems I can only execute
the download as administrator.

Thanks very much for your general comments
appreciated.
Rodney
 
Rod,

I have Limewire not that I use it very often & find it the safer of all the file sharing
applications as it doesn't come loaded with adware or spyware

There are two file sizes that have replicated many times which are 197kb & 851kb both of
these are viruses from approximately 1999. So, if you don't touch those you are ok that
way

Also, when setting it up have it so no freeloaders rarely can access your system & don't
share out your music just leave the 'C:\Docs & Settings\[Username]\Shared' folder
accessible

In TOOLS | OPTIONS you can also have it so it filters out bad language so your child
cannot download porno type material.

Also, if you don't like the look of a file because it sounds suspicious (eg. 100kb MP3
(full song)) then right-click it as say MARK AS | JUNK

Out of Limewire, Kazaa, Bearshare & so on I prefer Limewire yet it lets all of these P-2-P
networks download from each other.
 
Rod,
Something else you should probably bear in mind is that there is some
content on Limewire which is unsuitable for a 13yo. There are filters
available but I duobt they would catch everything.
Ed Metcalfe.
Click to expand...

Really Ed?
I was assuming it was music files,
at least this is what son was interested in.
Are binaries transferred also?
Very interested.
Thanks Ed
Rodney
Concerned parent.
 
Thanks very much for the comments and tips,
On advice, I had allowed him "U Torrent" but he seems
fixed on "limewire" probably the culture of his school
and peers.
If I allow him, I'll adopt some of your hints, mainly I find
this stuff is retrospective, and I have to trust him,
until I find otherwise.

Thanks for your time in explaining.
Rodney
 
Rod said:
Really Ed?
I was assuming it was music files,
at least this is what son was interested in.
Are binaries transferred also?
Very interested.
Thanks Ed
Rodney
Concerned parent.
Click to expand...

Music IS binary. But that's not really the issue. Hot, wet, nasties are
everywhere: Net, email, newsgroups, etc. The advantage is that your
13-year-old will be safe in his room instead of out drinking and playing
pool.
 
IMNSHO, the junk-to-legit ratio on any P2P type of network is so high that
none of them are worth the hassle. I haven't had a P2P app installed on any
of my systems for years. My next door neighbor's using Limewire, and if
it's any indication, the state of P2P has only gone downhill.

If you value your system's security, I wouldn't trust a 13-year old to make
a judgement call, and that would be the end of the discussion in this
household.

Of course you're still free to choose as you please...
 
Rod said:
Really Ed?
I was assuming it was music files,
at least this is what son was interested in.
Are binaries transferred also?
Very interested.
Thanks Ed
Rodney
Concerned parent.
Click to expand...

There's plenty of music files on there but there's also a lot of porn.. I'm
sure the built-in filters will catch a lot of it, but I find it difficult to
believe they'll filter out all of it. If he's using Limewire on a regular
basis he almost certainly will end up downloading something you won't
approve of at some point, quite possibly by mistake.

In terms of virus risks I'd block all of the really risky ones (.exe, .vbs,
etc), make sure you're AV is up to date and make sure his Windows user
account is a limited user.

Ed Metcalfe.
 
"onto our XP"
Does that mean others share the computer?
If so I would suggest not installing any file sharing software.
If you do, make sure other users are "Limited Accounts".
Anything higher increases the existing risk of file sharing.

Unless your 13 YO is more mature than most that age, your families
computer may be at risk, particularly all of the personal data.

Remember what "file sharing" means.
True you can control access, but your 13 YO and possibly others may
accidentally or deliberately make changes.

If any type of file sharing is allowed on the computer, at least make
sure nothing of anyone else's of importance or value is not on the
same computer.
 
Rod said:
13yo would like to download "limewire" onto our XP
I have heard gossip it is bad for virii etc.
Dad welcomes comments.
Also if I should use another appropriate NG please advise.
Thanks
Rodney.
Click to expand...
 
Rod said:
13yo would like to download "limewire" onto our XP
I have heard gossip it is bad for virii etc.
Dad welcomes comments.
Also if I should use another appropriate NG please advise.
Thanks
Rodney.
Click to expand...
When you download ANYTHING from anywhere, run it through the virus scanner
before doing anything with it. That's just common sense.
Regards Mike.
 
Rod said:
Really Ed?
I was assuming it was music files,
Click to expand...
Thanks Ed
Rodney
Concerned parent.
Click to expand...

You should be concerned for a 13 yr old using P2P.

Limewire?

Video, Images, Programs, Audio. Also, every program I ever grabbed was
infected so I go elsewhere for that. However, the Audios have all been
clean and there's a gazillion of them to be had.

As for the Video just do a search for any porn term and you'll see
what's available to your son...
 
Rod said:
13yo would like to download "limewire" onto our XP
I have heard gossip it is bad for virii etc.
Click to expand...

Thanks very much to all who contributed,
I think the nays have it.
It has been rather enlightening for me.

Whilst the point is taken in regards to system
security, it would be one of the last boxes to be ticked for us.
Systems are so disposable these days that, a
reasonable system can be had for under $100
offering the opportunity for the child to have his own
dedicated system, and if, through bad practice,
his system gets compromised, then a valuable
lesson will be learnt, without the parent nag factor.
Living without a computer for a few months should
enforce good practice.

The other matters of illegality and offensive material
are another matter, and will result in me banning
the program, and I thank XP for having the
opportunity as administrator to prevent installation.

I think the intentions are pure enough, my son has been
drumming for the past 3 years, and music is a large and
important part of his life, thanks to you lot, I have been
able to asess the risk and make a judgement.
Thank you
Rodney
 
Rod said:
13yo would like to download "limewire" onto our XP
I have heard gossip it is bad for virii etc.
Dad welcomes comments.
Also if I should use another appropriate NG please advise.
Thanks
Rodney.
Click to expand...
Yes, please post to alt.internet.p2p for comparison of peer-to-peer
clients/networks.
 
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