Anyone able to explain how limewire works?

[malabar]

I've just installed limewire, but am having problems navigating the site.

My understanding was that limewire was more or less the same as youtube...as in enter name of song/artist etc and hey presto...up pops an assortment of links to choose from and then select one to watch.

Have just done the same with limewire, but it downloaded my selection, when all I wanted was to see the clip.
I'd really appreciate it if someone could explain to this technologically challenged idiot how the site works (in simple language)...I'm really only interested in using it as I use youtube...watch the clips etc.

I'd really appreciate any help.
@ul1992...a big thank you for a simple explanation that now of course makes perfect sense!

[Trish]

Sorry you can`t use it like You Tube, it`s a file sharing site and you have to download.

It`s also very likely that you`d download viruses along with the files.

[Kasene]

Limewire is what is called in the internet world, a peer to peer application. Everything you are able to download are hosted by other "peers" or limewire users around the world. This is as opposed to downloading a file directly from a server/website.

[ul_1992]

limewire is a file-sharing application. so you can search for a song or a movie and download it to your hard drive.

it is not like youtube in the sense that you can view what you search for. you have to download the content to your hard drive and then you can play it through windows media

[spanner]

It works by shagging your computer up good style. My other half spent the best part of two days trying to remove gay porn from mine after I'd inadvertently downloaded rakes of it when I thought I was downloading "Kate Bush - Live at the Hammersmith Odeon"!!!!

Limewire sucks.

[DaveSmith]

Why don't you cut out the middle man and just install viruses directly on your computer. Limewire was a joke 5 years ago, only collective stupidity has allowed it to continue since then.