Stealware: kazaa et al stealing link commissions

[Mister Frag 0]

From http://slashdot.org/articles/02/09/27/084209.shtml?tid=98

Stealware: Kazaa et al Stealing Link Commissions

Posted by chrisd on Friday September 27, @09:28AM

from the creeps-creepily-creeping-into-your-pocket dept.

goombah99 writes "We all heard about spyware, well now Kazaa, Morpheus and LimeWire are sneaking a new type of nastiness onto your computer, software that - without you even knowing it - redirects commissions for online purchases you make from other vendors you make back to them.

For example, if you buy a CD from an affiliate of Amazon.com, say some charity, the software fools Amazon into crediting the commission to Morpheus, not the charity! The story quotes a LimeWire Developer who admits 'While I agree that this is really a bit of a scam, it is a way for us to pay salaries while not adversely affecting our users.'

The insidious part is the stealware program remains even if you delete the original P2P software. And you supposedly gave your permission when you clicked through the EULA.

[Mister Frag 0]

To illustrate what this means, if you order OFP:R from AvonLady's site through her affiliation with Amazon.com, and if you have this Stealware installed, she'll be cheated out of her commission!

[ralphwiggum 6]

this sucks....

man i wish i downloaded the source codes for Gnutella.....

but the important question is, how do we uninstall that little s.o.b?

[Mister Frag 0]

Uninstall the crap, and then run LavaSoft's Ad-Aware.

[Warin 0]

Actually, none of that is in Gnutella. Gnutella is and has always been spyware, adware, and stealware free. Mainly because it IS open source.

It's not as user friendly as Kazaa, but it's well worth the higher learning curve to avoid all of this nonsense!

And AdAware is a beautiful thing

[Die Alive 0]

I would like to know is why would people who are DL free stuff off Kazaa be buying stuff off Amazon (or other online retailers)? Wouldn't they just steal it off Kazaa?

I stopped using any P2P or filesharing progs for close to a year now. Today, I just went and purchased 10 CDs and a couple DVDs. And tomorrow, I'm going to get a new PC game, don't know what yet, gonna make up my mind when I'm at the store.

-=Die Alive=-

[Warin 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Die Alive @ Sep. 28 2002,03:03)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">I would like to know is why would people who are DL free stuff off Kazaa be buying stuff off Amazon (or other online retailers)?  Wouldn't they just steal it off Kazaa?

I stopped using any P2P or filesharing progs for close to a year now.  Today, I just went and purchased 10 CDs and a couple DVDs.  And tomorrow, I'm going to get a new PC game, don't know what yet, gonna make up my mind when I'm at the store.

-=Die Alive=-<span id='postcolor'>

Actually, it goes beyond that.

Lets say you have Kazaa installed, and you use it to aquire MP3's of songs that you own on CD but are too lazy to rip for yourself (Hey, it's possible ).

From then on, ANY affiliate program you use will end up hijacked by the P2P software. So if you buy a whole whack of your textbooks from Amazon using some sort of charity as a referal, to help get money for said charity. The P2P network would scoop that commision...so your charity gets nothing.

Ad that is just wrong.

[Placebo 29]

I've never used any P2P (find it a concept not worth trusting) and this just validates my thought, shitty business

[Mister Frag 0]

Having earned my living through producing intellectual property for close to 20 years, I have a strong resentment against "sharing" copyrighted works through P2P programs and such.

So although I enjoy music and movies as much as the next guy, I have never downloaded them off the Internet. In fact, I've never even used Napster, or any of the current crop of P2P programs.

It is somewhat ironic that many of the people who are getting quite vocal about this theft of referral commissions by Kazaa et al are often the same people who are willing to rip off the music companies and film studios. That is a very hypocritical behaviour.

[Espectro (DayZ) 0]

Not really.

Many people use kazaa as a sharing service for legal things, or even backup. "Stealing" mp3 music isnt the same as stealing money from charity imo. The music companies got enough money allrdy.

Consider Kazaa as robin hood

[Assault (CAN) 1]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">and you use it to aquire MP3's of songs that you own on CD but are too lazy to rip for yourself<span id='postcolor'>

I do it all the time. I can D/L songs on Cable faster than it takes for me to go upstairs and get my CD.

Mr. Frag, does your source specify which version of Kazaa that the stealware came with? I don't even bother updating it anymore because I bet all they do is add more crap to your computer that you don't need, yet they say the updates 'improve' your 'Kazaa experience'.... What B.S.

I used 'Kazaa Lite' before I re-formated my hard drive. Since then I have tried to D/L it but the site seems to be down.

Tyler

[Assault (CAN) 1]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">The music companies got enough money allrdy.

<span id='postcolor'>

The problem is, you are really 'stealing' money from the artists who write the music. I D/L songs I like, and if I like the album I go out and buy it. I use Kazaa mainly for music I don't listen to often, or use it to get 'one hit wonder' music.

If I really like a band, I support them by buying their CD's.

Tyler

[Die Alive 0]

Record Labels Request Online Sabotage Rights

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">The bill would allow copyright holders to block, disable or impair a P2P node suspected of distributing their copyrighted material without express permission.

It states that a copyright holder may not delete files from users' hard drives, but it limits the rights of users to sue should files be inadvertently deleted.

The bill does not specifically detail which tactics would be legal. P2P industry observers note that possibilities may include denial-of-service attacks caused by a flood of falsely named files; worms and viruses; or hijacking of domain names.<span id='postcolor'>

If you can't beat 'em, hack 'em.

-=Die Alive=-

[DestroyerX 0]

I'm just waiting for the Kazaa Lite version of 2.0.

[Gollum1 0]

It isn´t theft if you weren´t planning on buying the item, i.e no-one loses any money.

[Mister Frag 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Gollum1 @ Sep. 28 2002,13:48)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">It isn´t theft if you weren´t planning on buying the item, i.e no-one loses any money.<span id='postcolor'>

Surely you understand that your argument is complete nonsense, right?

[USMC Sniper 0]

It is theft, if you went into a store and took something off the shelf that you weren't planning on buying, and ran outta the store, that would be theft.

[PFC_Mike 2]

It's stupid how much CD's cost these days. I only buy CD's when I really like the artist and at least half the songs.

[timmy 0]

what is kazaa "lite" i have kazaa 2.0 right now, please tell me more about this lite thing

[Audie Murphy 0]

Sure it's theft. And sure you should support the artist. But why go out and buy something when you can get it so easy and so free on the internet? The only reason I would buy a CD is if I was really not happy with the quality of the CD I downloaded and I REALLY liked the artist.

[Tex -USMC- 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (timmy @ Sep. 30 2002,06:20)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">what is kazaa "lite" i have kazaa 2.0 right now, please tell me more about this lite thing<span id='postcolor'>

it is Kazaa sans spyware

[Mister Frag 0]

Here is more information on Kazaa Lite V2.0 and where to get it. The Ad-Aware program mentioned in the instructions can be downloaded from LavaSoft.

[Renagade 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Mister Frag @ Sep. 29 2002,05:29)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Gollum1 @ Sep. 28 2002,13:48)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">It isn´t theft if you weren´t planning on buying the item, i.e no-one loses any money.<span id='postcolor'>

Surely you understand that your argument is complete nonsense, right?<span id='postcolor'>

There is some logic in it if u thiink about it

[Tex -USMC- 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Renagade @ Sep. 30 2002,09:09)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Mister Frag @ Sep. 29 2002,05:29)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Gollum1 @ Sep. 28 2002,13:48)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">It isn´t theft if you weren´t planning on buying the item, i.e no-one loses any money.<span id='postcolor'>

Surely you understand that your argument is complete nonsense, right?<span id='postcolor'>

There is some logic in it if u thiink about it <span id='postcolor'>

Not really.

You enjoy their product without paying.

They don't get reimbursement.

If I walk out of Best Buy with a color TV without paying, just because I don't plan on buying it, I'm still stealing.

Sure, you don't plan on buying theur product- that would mean you actually have to pay money. Look, it's stealing, it's just lower risk than shoplifting CDs.

[cpl_BOB 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Tex [uSMC] @ Sep. 30 2002,08:20)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">9--></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Renagade @ Sep. 30 2002,099)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Mister Frag @ Sep. 29 2002,05:29)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Gollum1 @ Sep. 28 2002,13:48)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">It isn´t theft if you weren´t planning on buying the item, i.e no-one loses any money.<span id='postcolor'>

Surely you understand that your argument is complete nonsense, right?<span id='postcolor'>

There is some logic in it if u thiink about it <span id='postcolor'>

Not really.

You enjoy their product without paying.

They don't get reimbursement.

If I walk out of Best Buy with a color TV without paying, just because I don't plan on buying it, I'm still stealing.

Sure, you don't plan on buying theur product- that would mean you actually have to pay money. Look, it's stealing, it's just lower risk than shoplifting CDs.<span id='postcolor'>

hmm, Ignorance is bliss.