KaZaA (thing)

Beware Kazaa, for in the latest evolutions it is smarter. First you download not the actual client files, but an install program that contains a stripped down FastTrack client. This connects to the network and downloads the actual client package, then initiates the install. Somewhere in the install it shows you the super-cryptic EULA, with bold red letters telling you maybe you should read it. Somewhere after that is a list of software to install. It lists the Kazaa client, and over 6 spyware programs with cute and punny names, that young siblings and/or children don't know better to avoid. Even if you uncheck these programs Kazaa tries to sneak one past you. After the install, the first time Kazaa runs a little applet will open in minimized state and with "b3d installer" in little type. If you open this up you will see the Brilliant Digital logo and a very quickly moving progress bar above a list of files being downloaded. The only button is "Cancel" so if you press your spacebar quickly you should cut it off. Should.

For, thinking I was the victor, I went on to download some of those 700 MB DivX files mentioned in previous writeups. Hey, I've never seen Pulp Fiction, I'll get that one. At some point when I wasn't looking, Kazaa restarted the install process. So now I have a Brilliant Digital client that blares low-bitrate music during "amazing 3D advertisements" and competes with the United Devices client for my spare CPU cycles as part of Brilliant Digital's "Nobody minds if we take their free CPU time for our own purposes" scheme. They could at least tell us what we're processing. I would call this Heinous, Dastardly, and Lame. But the fact is:

• I've saved hundreds of dollars in Blockbuster rental costs and inevitable late fees
• Kazaa is made by Sharman Networks, whose only product is Kazaa. They need to eat too, and eating costs money.

So really don't we come out even? The latest versions don't have a problem with losing downloads, and searches have gotten much faster with more results returned. Kazaa is really a great program, and like my mom says about privacy "We've got nothing to hide", which is somehow maddening. And if you (like me) want privacy for your porn habit and credit card numbers, boot over to your Linux install. What? You don't have one? Try Mandrake.

stewacide says check out eDonkey, which does all the stuff Kazza does without resorting to spyware. I don't have any experience with it, so click the link to read about it!