I have been reasearching the most of the major P2P software out there and I have found that (in the simplest terms I can think of) the developers of LimeWire, Kazaa, Morpheus, and Bearshare are lying, cheating assholes. This does not apply to every developer and I do believe that some really do mean to bring the best P2P software to the public. But some people just want to take advantage of helpless people. Sure you may be able to download your files but is that all you are really downloading? Hell no! Without the right software, your computer will become overrun with spyware, adware and every other type of crapware meant to exploit you and your privacy. In this world there are very limited precautions you can take to defend against this type of thing. Thats all the ranting I have for now, but I think that it is sad how people try to find every possible way to decieve people. For the most part I feel that nobody can really be trusted.

deepblue

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"THEY WHO WOULD GIVE UP AN ESSENTIAL LIBERTY FOR TEMPORARY SECURITY, DESERVE NEITHER LIBERTY OR SECURITY."
--Benjamin Franklin

This post is not meant ot be offending to the developers of the mentioned software. I know that you have spent a lot money and time developing these programs. This is simply my personal opinion.

deepblue

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"THEY WHO WOULD GIVE UP AN ESSENTIAL LIBERTY FOR TEMPORARY SECURITY, DESERVE NEITHER LIBERTY OR SECURITY."
--Benjamin Franklin

I've done some research and have come to the conclusion that deepblue is a huge fan of America and wants George W Bush to be re-elected.

Actually no, I think that bush is a liar, a thief, and a terrorist. I am simply looking through the sheet that has been pulled over our eyes, and seeing the real world, instead of living in the pretend.
Up with anarchy, sberlin.


deepblue

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"THEY WHO WOULD GIVE UP AN ESSENTIAL LIBERTY FOR TEMPORARY SECURITY, DESERVE NEITHER LIBERTY OR SECURITY."
--Benjamin Franklin

I wouldn´t say that they are assholes, but their "truth" is different from my truth... I can write a whole book about it.

Morgwen

I'm sorry the words are a little strong, but that was the only way to express how I felt about the subject. Thank you for your input.

deepblue

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"THEY WHO WOULD GIVE UP AN ESSENTIAL LIBERTY FOR TEMPORARY SECURITY, DESERVE NEITHER LIBERTY OR SECURITY."
--Benjamin Franklin

As 'scummy' software categories go P2P packages are particularly bad, yup. Of course there are other similar problematic areas - web browsers, personal finance packages and anti-virus software are others that come to mind.

Time and time again it's been shown that the best (although by no-means sure) defence against finding unwelcome functionality(viruses, trojans or bugs) in software you buy is the open-source model. While you personally might not have the time or skill to read the source code of an application and search for them, the fact that it's published at least opens up the possibility that someone might. In fact in a world as large as the Internet, someone's bound to sooner or later.

This is why I and I'm sure others prefer firstly gnutella to other P2P schemes, and in particular LimeWire to some of its gnutella competitors. And yes, an open-source web-browser, personal finance package and anti-virus tool also

I am doing everything I can to defend against this. I have PestPatrol and Norton Anti-Virus, and a firewall. Once again all input is appreciated.

deepblue

I use Gnutella because it is open source.
I use LimeWire because it is open source.
This means that I trust Gnutella the protocol. But it doesn't mean that I trust LimeWire (recent apparition of Limeshop on osx etc...). Spyware is what pop-up windows were two years ago. Spyware serve to take money from you as popup windows takes time from you to close them. (and if time equals money they are in the same class to me). To fight the popup windows I began using browser killing them (mozilla, safari etc..). To fight the spyware I use spybot on windows and process viewer on os x to indentify malacious add ons and trounce them. I guess the story tells only to be alertl, like everyone should be in every aspect in life. I don't mind the spyware if I can kill it, but some newbies pay for that and thats infortunate.

(I'm still a LW fan, because I admire their hard work and innovation protocol wise but I have to be vigilent and that should be a reflex for everybody.)

Maybe 10% of ALL users know what is going on...

Why I think Limewire and other "money making" developers aren´t trustable is because they deny all things which are discovered.

Do you remember the Limeshop/Topmoxie story?

http://www.afterdawn.com/news/archive/3390.cfm

Adam Fisk confirmed that it is true that Topmoxie is redirecting links from other Websites (you can also call it stealing). My trust raised because I thought at least one developer is telling the truth. Now look what happened:

http://www.gnutellaforums.com/showth...e&pagenumber=3

All posts from afisk are deleted! This discussion started in the general Gnutella forum and I moved it over to the Limewire forum because it a LW related thread... a big fault. One of the mighty developer/mods censored this thread. So they know what they are doing (stealing money from other websites) and try to hide it - is this raising your trust?

I can tell long stories about Limewire and much longers about Bearshare and Vincent Falco and their Marketing concepts. You will find many of them here, some are now censored.

To make it short, I don´t trust nobody of this money making clients anymore, this time is over. I only use open source clients which are free of spyware/adware/stealware/crapware and which are free!!! ´

Morgwen

P.S.:
Gnutella is an open "protocol" not open source.