Let's be clear: in the late '90s and 2000s, many people used Gnutella as a base. So, it was the first extensive decentralized P2P network.īut there was an added benefit-Gnutella permitted others to build platforms over itself, which was Lime Group's idea. A series of queries and responses allows for individual computers to talk to each other. Gnutella is a protocol with a straightforward idea. So, he founded Lime Group to build a corporate server using Gnutella. He envisioned an entire marketplace, thanks to how P2P worked. In the case of file transfers, users can share files with others (your peers).īut, for Gorton, it was more than file transfers. But, first, let's quickly talk about the Peer-to-Peer system or P2P.Ī P2P system connects two computers directly. His relationship with file transfers came as a business opportunity. His background instead was a mix of engineering, trading, and investment. In seventh grade, for example, he created a scale model of his school. So, in this article, we'll dive into the rise and fall of Limewire.

The network no longer operates and, still, we can take out valuable lessons from it. But its legacy is also tainted with darkness. It allowed millions to download music, images, software, and videos, as well. Limewire was one of the most popular P2P clients in the 2000's. So clearly, someone pissed off the wrong crowd.

As a reference, the US's GDP in 2019 was $21.433 trillion. Imagine facing a lawsuit for $75 trillion. What was Limewire? This software was part of the P2P revolution in the early 2000s, but its story touches on many topics, including legal issues and controversies.

Limewire music app