Kazaa users, angered by the network's inclusion of secretly embedded spyware, can now connect to the peer-to-peer network using a hacked version of the application called Kazaa Lite.
Kazaa Lite is a software client that provides access to the same FastTrack network as the peer-to-peer program, Kazaa Media Desktop, but does not require users to install any third-party software or view any banner ads.
Earlier this month Australian company Sharman Networks ignited a controversy when it was revealed that users of its Kazaa Media Desktop were unaware that they had also installed software that would connect them to a secondary, private network called Altnet, that would be operated by Sharman Networks' partner, Brilliant Digital.
In a statement forwarded to Kazaalite.com, a website dedicated to the software program, a Russian programmer known only as "Yuri" outlined his motives for creating Kazaa Lite: "It is not my intention at all to stop Kazaa from earning advertising revenue. In fact, I am thankful to Kazaa for creating their great software and the FastTrack network. I only want to make it clear that Kazaa has to stop misleading the people who use their software."
Kazaa Lite has caught the attention of Sharman Networks, the Australian company that purchased Kazaa earlier this year, and in a statement released Wednesday said that the company, "will vigorously defend our rights and take action against parties engaged in misrepresenting our software. Consumers are being deceived with ripped off and highly suspect code, and we are determined that their rights, enjoyment and machines are not prejudiced."
A spokesperson for Sharman Networks had no comment on whether the company might take legal action against the creator of Kazaa Lite, or any sites that host the software for download. The spokesperson also refused to speculate on what steps the company might take to lock out unauthorized clients from accessing the network.
The very openness of these file-sharing networks -- which allow millions of users to log on simultaneously -- makes it virtually impossible to stop unauthorized clients from interfacing with the network.
While Sharman is upset with the situation, it's these open networks, like Kazaa Lite, that have allowed file-sharing to grow. Napster's meteoric rise in popularity to 80 million users was in part due to programs like AudioGnome and Rapster -– programs that weren't controlled by Napster but allowed users to access its network. WinMX has since gone on to use the Napster protocol to create its own file-sharing network that survived the subsequent shutdown of the Napster network.
This kind of spyware controversy has happened before. The latest version of AudioGalaxy required users to install spyware which irked some users, many of whom turned to unauthorized versions of the program that come without third-party software, like AGStreme, Sputnix, MacSatellite and DopeFlish.
The release of Kazaa Lite comes at a time when Sharman Networks was already in the midst of considering whether to take legal action to stop sites like MP3DownloadCentral.com, Kazaa-file-sharing-downloads.com, and PeerToPeerExchange.org, which dupe Internet users into paying money for the Kazaa Media Desktop and other file-sharing programs (the vast majority of such programs are widely available for free).
Sharman Networks did take the step of asking that Kazaa Lite be removed from CNet's popular Download.com site. Kazaa had been removed from the site on April 4, after CNet determined that its failure to more clearly disclose the third-party software bundled with Kazaa constituted a violation of the site's terms of service.
However, Kazaa Lite's removal from Download.com has done little to stop interest in the software.
Shaun Garriock -- a university student in Scotland who runs the Kazaalite.com website and discussion forum where the software is available for download -- has seen over 80,000 downloads of Kazaa Lite in the three weeks since the site went live. He said he's seen few problems with Kazaa Lite's interoperability with the Fast Track network.
Meanwhile, Yuri argues that Kazaa Lite actually benefits Sharman Networks: "The majority of users of Kazaa Lite abandoned Kazaa long before Kazaa Lite was created, or they previously did not want to use Kazaa because they were aware of its implications. Kazaa Lite users are now part of the network. The increased number of users on the network is beneficial to Kazaa, since a large network attracts new users."
