Limewire Gets Ads, And Accusations of Spyware

Gerard J. Pinzone writes: "Limewire 1.8 now comes with mandatory banner ads. The reasons given by one of their developers, Christopher Rohrs, for the new ads are that 'Bandwidth alone from www.limewire.com, www.limewire.org, and router.limewire.com is around $10,000 month! And we need to pay developer's salaries--like mine--to keep driving innovation on the Gnutella network.' On top of all this, the banner ad software Limewire is using is "Cydoor". Many users are complaining that this is spyware. Here is a link to the message in the Gnutella forums where this topic is being discussed"

Comments

Sick of entitlement

[PureFiction]

And we need to pay developer's salaries--like mine--to keep driving innovation on the Gnutella network.

Gnutella and peer networks in general are going to continue evolving and innovating regardless of whether you specifically are involved.

If there is one thing I hate about all these projects it is the lame excuses for significant and broad invasions of privacy by people who cannot build a decent business model.

Instead they take a short cut, sell privacy invasion for a quick fix, and say that it is all for the good of the user.

Just because it makes money does not mean spyware is a proper or even tolerable method of funding work on your project or business, regardless of what it is.

Peer networks are about empowering and utilizing individuals communicating at the edge of the network. Invading their privacy like this defeats the purpose and sells everyone short.

Isnt a bitch giving things away for free?

[rebelcool]

Of course, if they charged for their software, then there would be no need for ads or spyware.

AdAware, ZoneAlarm, Popup Stopper

[stonecoldt]

In the old days you worried about viruses. Now, the companies themselves try to take control of your desktop in order to shove ads down your throat. It's a shame you can't trust software developers anymore but at least there's programs like Ad Aware, ZoneAlarm, Popup Stopper, etc that help you fight back. (And negative ratings on download.com help punish spyware-pushing companies too.)

No porn for mustang matt?

[Anonymous Coward]

Quit being such a fucking fag.

Porn rules.

Re:An Obsession with Spyware!

[H310iSe]

1) spyware is sneaky - you can't just kill it / uninstall it unless you know ... about as much as your average 1st year tech support guy.

2) as The Register recently reminded me outbound filtering is useless against any program that has executed on your computer (because it's easy to piggyback your information on another service that already has outbound permissions) - I'm not sure any spyware does this but...

3) it's fine if someone want to try to track me from somewhere else but my computer in my home is ... well, it's mine, and in my home, it's my private home thing and it's a castle or something (under american law, after all, I can shoot someone if they break into my home so if a spyware sneaks into my computer and stealthily steals (?) from me can't I shoot the CEO of Disney who buys the information to see if I'm a good candidate for the re-release of Snow White?) so THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE HERE UNLESS I INVITE THEM IN (kinda like a vampire, no?)

4) have I mentioned spyware is sneaky? real sneaky - it won't tell you it's installed, it won't (always) register w/ uninstall, it runs all sneaky like and sneaks and stuff.

Poor limewire - they should make money but why can't they do it like NPR, just bug all the limewire users for a week a year for donations?

Re:Mandatory, eh?

[K8Fan]

Sure, I could scan my system regularly with OptOut but that would mean trusting Steve Gibson...

Two problems with this though:

1. Steve Gibson no longer produces OptOut.
2. Who would have a problem trusting a guy who has expended so much effort pointing out the problem in the first place?