Computer Associates International has named Kazaa one of the top “spyware” programs, and in fact is saying that it poses a greater risk than any of the other top five programs on CAI’s spyware list, due to how popular it is.
Kazaa claims that it has been downloaded 214 million times.
In additional, CAI claims that Kazaa has what it calls a “high clot factor”, by which it means how badly the program causes your machine to be slowed down due to, in part, the creation of unnecessary directories and registry data.
Computer Associates International admits that Kazaa does something useful, and that it was awarded the dubious distinction because a) of it’s ubiquity, and b) it sets up your system to allow millions of people to have access to your computer (in order to file share).
I don’t know, dear readers, it is just us, or do you think that CAI is playing fast and loose with the term “spyware” here?
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do not trust kazaa, there are lots of other p2p programs that is not spyware related
KazaaLite k++ No spyware it just works!
I love Kazaa. My customers have paid me thousands of $$$ to remove the software that it leaves behind. Seriously, if installing Software Title A causes Spyware to be installed, then YES, Software Title A is spyware. It doesn’t matter how useful the software is. And now that one of the spyware authors is in bed with a spyware vendor, I would even call that package spyware.
I tell all my clients not to install the “free software” because even my technologically hampered grandmother knew that there is no such thing as a free lunch and these companies are not writing the software for free. There has to be some payback somewhere and the easiest way to get your payback is by installing spyware. And before everyone gets in an uproar about Open Source, remember that they make the source code available for everyone’s inspection and if anyone did put spyware into their package, it would quickly be discovered and removed/reported.
I also doubt that Kazaa lite will continue to be clean. I’ll bet that after it passes the initial muster and gets reported clean that it will be upgraded and then that will cause the same problems that its parent caused.
“Spyware”, “Scumware”, “Malware”…”A rose by any other name…”
“KaZaA Lite” has none of the “extras” that come with KaZaA and works, wonderfully, well…without the “High Clot Factor”. 8-þ
Having ‘disinfected’ nearly 200 PCs (I run a small business), I routinely uninstall KaZaA, since it doesn’t work when all the trash & spyware etc. is removed. I usually suggest that the owner uses a different peer-to-peer program. KaZaA may not be spyware, but it comes pretty close!