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Spyware Makers Resent Cleaned-Up Versions
Tri0de points to a ZDnet artcle on a programmer who's taken it upon himself to release spyware- and adware-free versions of popular file-sharing programs. "'He's done Grokster and iMesh. And he's not alone. His work, now available through the Grokster and iMesh networks themselves, joins that of other programmers who have previously "cleaned" programs such as Kazaa and Audiogalaxy in a campaign against "adware" and "spyware."
Is the shoe on the other foot?'"
In the case of Kazaa, its actually quite easy to make your own 'lite' version, there are plenty of sites with instructions on how to do this. Taken from a post to usenet:
/* Install KaZaa 1.6 */
1) Install the new KaZaa, then close the application when all finished.
/* Begin Brilliant Digital Uninstall */
2) In Control Panel, click Add/Remove Programs and find "b3d Projector".
Uninstall this application (make sure all browsers are closed or it won't
work)
3) Find a folder called "b3duninstall" located usually directly in your
Windows folder. Delete this folder.
4) Locate the following files:
> bdedownloader.dll
> bdedata2.dll
> bdefdi.dll
> bdeinsta2.dll
> bdeinstall.exe
> bdesecureinstall.cab
> bdesecureinstall.exe
> bdeverify.exe
> bdeverify.dll
They are usually located in your Windows/System, Windows/System32 folder.
Rename each file adding a ".bak" to the end. (or Delete them if you don't
care about backing them up)
-->Note to Borland users: Borland software creates files that start with
"BDE" as well, so be careful.
/* Brilliant Digital Uninstall done, proceed to Cydoor crippling */
5) Download the dummy cd_clint.dll package at
http://www.cexx.org/cd_clint.zip
6) Go to your Windows/System32 folder. Find "CD_Clint.dll" and rename it to
"CD_Clint.dll.bak"
7) Extract the "CD_Clint.dll" file from the package you got in step 5 into
the Windows/System32 folder (thus replacing the old CD_Clint you backed up
in step 6).
/* Cydoor crippled. */
I.O.U One Sig.