The version of BearShare offered at Gnutella forums is the BearShare 5.1 Beta (released before BearShare was sold to MusicLab), almost equivalent to the 5.1 Pro version of that time. This version runs on the Gnutella network, not the iMesh network like the much later MusicLab, LLC versions. The BS 5.1 beta is clean, unlike the MusicLab versions.

From memory, it was the 5.2 version where the kill switch was added. Could verify with a forum search I guess. I think 5.3 was never released, I'd need to confirm with my previous private discussions with File_Girl. Though there was a 5.3 version that had been started to be worked on by the BS developer before BS was sold to MusicLab. I recall seeing a BS version development page.

As for this forum being blocked by some lists, yes that has been a known issue for some years. No idea why, the site is clean. Once listed on some block lists, those blocklist maintainers rarely remove them. Thus their list simply grows & grows larger & larger with lots of innocent victims included.

Feel free to try out the BearShare 5.1 beta, else there's several other gnutella clients you can try. LimeWire (or LW Pirate Edition), FrostWire (similar to LW), Phex, Gtk-Gnutella, Gnucleus, Morpheus, ShareAza, etc. Both Phex and Gtk-Gnutella are gnutella clients still being actively developed. LPE has temporarily gone into hiding with a name-change whilst they get their next version out (no idea when they will release it, could be a while.)

Thanks for that information. But I'm not sure we are talking about the same thing.

My problem concerns the hijacking of my browser home page by BearShare. That has nothing to do with "kill switches" (whatever those are) or an inability to download and/or listen to music.

Why would any program want to antagonize potential customers or site visitors, by hijacking their browser home pages? All that does is antagonize people.

I have heard that record companies and others with an interest in enforcing copyright laws, in an effort to discourage people from going to music downloading (P2P) sites, infiltrated such sites and infected them with viruses, malware, etc. Is there anything to that?

And if that's not the answer, what is? Once again - why would BearShare want to antagonize potential customers by hijacking their browser home pages?