Other Problems
Why Kazaa and other P2P File Sharing Programs Are Bad
If you are serious about protecting your security and privacy, as well as just keeping your computer from crashing, we strongly recommend that you steer clear of all P2P (peer-to-peer) file sharing programs (such as Kazaa), or at least be very cautious when using them. Here is why:
Firstly, using P2P software is an excellent way to download a virus or other malware (such as a keystroke logger).
When I used Kazaa, I was running two different anti-virus programs that I was sure had the latest virus definitions plus the built in P2P virus scanning built into Kazaa. I also was running PestPatrol and Spybot S&D with immunization turned on. Even so, I was pretty suspicious of anything I downloaded. When you choose to download software from a source you know nothing about, you are exposing yourself to much greater risks and even very thorough protection from viruses and malware may not be complete enough.
Secondly, P2P software is "free," but, at least in the case of Kazaa, there is another price associated with it. In this case, the price is spyware and pop-up ad programs. Kazaa will not run unless you install a few other programs along with it. These programs, which served absolutely no use to me, consistently crashed my computer upon startup. I eventually had to use GoBack to restore my hard drive to the day before I installed Kazaa. Only then could I start up my computer without it freezing up. Naturally, I lost two days' worth of work because of having to use GoBack... plus all the stuff I had spent time downloading.
If you really don't want to stop using P2P, but don't want all the spyware that comes with it, try KazaaLite. It has all the pros of Kazaa and none of the hassle. You also should check out some of the open-source apps for BitTorrent, which is a newer kind of P2P.
Last update: 2005-06-24 15:47
Author: Jordana
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