FrostWire
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FrostWire 6 on Snow Leopard.
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| Developer(s) | The FrostWire Project |
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| Initial release | September 2004 |
| Stable release | 6.4.2 (December 8, 2016) |
| Preview release | None |
| Written in | Java |
| Operating system | Windows, OS X, Android, Linux |
| Platform | Cross-platform |
| Size | 23.0 MB |
| Available in | Multi-language |
| Type | Peer-to-peer file sharing |
| License | GNU General Public License, Adware |
| Website | frostwire |
FrostWire is a free, open source client first released in September 2004, as a fork of LimeWire. It was initially very similar to LimeWire in appearance and functionality, but over time developers added more features, including support for the BitTorrent protocol. In version 5, support for the Gnutella network was dropped entirely, and FrostWire became a BitTorrent only client.
FrostWire, a BitTorrent client (formerly a Gnutella client), is a collaborative effort from hundreds of Open Source and freelance developers from around the world. In late 2005, concerned developers of LimeWire's open source community announced the start of a new project fork "FrostWire" that would protect the developmental source code of the LimeWire client. The developers of FrostWire give high regard and respect to the GNU General Public License and consider it to be the ideal foundation of a creative and free enterprise market. FrostWire has evolved to replace LimeWire's BitTorrent core for that of Vuze, the Azureus BitTorrent Engine, and ultimately to remove the LimeWire's Gnutella core to become a 100% BitTorrent client that is simple to use.
The project was started in September 2004 after LimeWire's distributor considered adding "blocking" code in response to RIAA pressure. The RIAA threatened legal action against several peer-to-peer developers including LimeWire as a result of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in MGM Studios, Inc. v. Grokster, Ltd..
The second beta release of FrostWire was available in the last quarter of 2005.
Since version 4.20.x, FrostWire was able to handle torrent files and featured a new junk filter. Also, in version 4.21.x support was added for most Android devices.
Since version 5.0 (2011), FrostWire relaunched itself as a BitTorrent application, so those using the Gnutella network either have to use version 4, or switch to another client altogether.
Since version 6.0, FrostWire adds preview files before download.
Since around 2008 some members of the FrostWire community began to notice the distribution of the optional Ask.com toolbar in the Windows installers. On September 9, 2015 the official knowledge base claimed that FrostWire no longer distributes the Ask.com toolbar, and provided instructions on how to remove it.
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