RoBeRt BrOwN
09-12-2002, 12:15 AM
Those fascists who did kazaa have bundled it with loads of spyware.
Spyware is Internet jargon for Advertising Supported software (Adware). It is a way for shareware authors to make money from a product, other than by selling it to the users. There are several large media companies that offer them to place banner ads in their products in exchange for a portion of the revenue from banner sales. This way, you don't have to pay for the software and the developers are still getting paid. If you find the banners annoying, there is usually an option to remove them, by paying the regular licensing fee.
Why is it called \"Spyware\" ?
While this may be a great concept, the downside is that the advertising companies also install additional tracking software on your system, which is continuously \"calling home\", using your Internet connection and reports statistical data to the \"mothership\". While according to the privacy policies of the companies, there will be no sensitive or identifying data collected from your system and you shall remain anonymous, it still remains the fact, that you have a \"live\" server sitting on your PC that is sending information about you and your surfing habits to a remote location.....
What's the hype about?
While legitimate adware companies will disclose the nature of data that is collected and transmitted in their privacy statement (linked from our database), there is almost no way for the user to actually control what data is being sent. The fact is that the technology is in theory capable of sending much more than just banner statistics - and this is why many people feel uncomfortable with the idea. *
To still use kazaa but not get spyware use something that's calledKazaalite (http://www.kazaalite.com)
Want to detect if your computer contains spyware thenclick here (http://www.lavasoftusa.com/) for more info and get Ad-aware to eliminate the spyware.
I hope people find this topic useful.
:D
Spyware is Internet jargon for Advertising Supported software (Adware). It is a way for shareware authors to make money from a product, other than by selling it to the users. There are several large media companies that offer them to place banner ads in their products in exchange for a portion of the revenue from banner sales. This way, you don't have to pay for the software and the developers are still getting paid. If you find the banners annoying, there is usually an option to remove them, by paying the regular licensing fee.
Why is it called \"Spyware\" ?
While this may be a great concept, the downside is that the advertising companies also install additional tracking software on your system, which is continuously \"calling home\", using your Internet connection and reports statistical data to the \"mothership\". While according to the privacy policies of the companies, there will be no sensitive or identifying data collected from your system and you shall remain anonymous, it still remains the fact, that you have a \"live\" server sitting on your PC that is sending information about you and your surfing habits to a remote location.....
What's the hype about?
While legitimate adware companies will disclose the nature of data that is collected and transmitted in their privacy statement (linked from our database), there is almost no way for the user to actually control what data is being sent. The fact is that the technology is in theory capable of sending much more than just banner statistics - and this is why many people feel uncomfortable with the idea. *
To still use kazaa but not get spyware use something that's calledKazaalite (http://www.kazaalite.com)
Want to detect if your computer contains spyware thenclick here (http://www.lavasoftusa.com/) for more info and get Ad-aware to eliminate the spyware.
I hope people find this topic useful.
:D