It just depends on what you are downloading. There are other peer to peer download programs out there you just gotta know where to look. Kazaa, or Morpheus or even iMesh but here's the lecture that a few of us have been discussing:
If you are gonna download (no matter how long you have been doing it) you put yourself at risk of getting viruses and trojans.
Downloading material that is copyrighted and not purchased by you is pretty much illegal unless given consent of the person or persons that own the copyrights....
mIRC is not a reliable source for downloading materials especially if you download from your own family.
Those are just a few of the many aspects we have all been discussing. All I am gonna say is if you do download material be careful about it...alway check them before opening them...