Windows XP Hacks [Electronic resources] نسخه متنی

Hack 89 File Sharing without the Spyware

Finding and sharing music files
doesn't mean that your system has to be filled with
pop-up ads and spyware. Here's how to share files
and entertainment files without the excess baggage.

If you're a
fan of the Kazaa file-sharing and music-sharing software, you
probably know that the biggest problem with the program is that
it's full of pop-up ads and spyware. The spyware
tracks your activities as you use the Internet, reports on them to an
ad server, and you're then served ads based on your
travels. Additionally, some of the spyware can be even more insidious
and in the future could make use of your computer's
spare CPU cycles without you knowing it.

If you try to track down and disable the program's
associated spyware, as detailed in [Hack #33], you'll
disable Kazaa.

10.5.1 Kazaa Lite

One solution is to get an ad-free and spyware-free version of the
program, called Kazaa Lite, shown in Figure 10-6. In all other respects, it looks and functions
like Kazaa and taps into the same file-sharing network, but it
doesn't carry the ads and spyware.
It's free and available for download from
http://doa2.host.sk.

Figure 10-6. Kazaa Lite

Search and share files with it just as you do with Kazaa. As with
Kazaa, if you're using a high-speed connection and
fast PC, you may find that your PC will be turned into a
supernode,
which means you'll be subject to many searches and
downloads from other Kazaa and Kazaa Lite users. In essence, your PC
becomes a gateway into the entire file-sharing network for nearby
users. This can be problematic and clog your bandwidth. If you
don't want to be a supernode, choose Tools
Options Advanced and check the box next to
"Do not function as a SuperNode."

The program offers other benefits as well. When you run Kazaa, it
calculates your participation levelhow frequently other people
download files from you. Based on that participation level, you may
either have to wait in a long line to download files from others, or
else immediately jump to the head of the download queue. Kazaa Lite
automatically gives you the highest participation level, so that you
need not wait in line to download. Additionally, it will
automatically find several sources for the file you want to download
and then download from all sources simultaneously to save you
download time.

By the way, don't look for the software in a popular
download site such as http://www.download.com. The owner of Kazaa
asked that the software be removed from that site, and the site
complied. Instead, go straight to http://doa2.host.sk/.

10.5.2 Shareaza

Another ad-free and spyware-free alternative to Kazaa is
Shareaza (http://www.shareaza.com), a front-end
peer-to-peer client for the popular Gnutella file-sharing
network.