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?'"

Comments

Spyware outside the states, legal?

[Anonymous Coward]

Those of you in the states might not realize it, but in some other countries (include my country, Namibia), spyware in general is considered illegal. Brings up an interesting question for using Kazaa in this country, distributing the spyware version is illegal, but modifying copyrighted code is likewise illegal... a rock and a hard place?

Some helpful legislation regarding the matter passed down from Windhoek:

"... futhermore that it is unlawful to include features in software which circumvent the users privacy without express permission from the user, methods of automatically obtaining permission (such as the inclusion of excessive end user license agreements [EULA]) are also unlawful unless done so in such a manner as to cause hot grits to be poured onto a naked and petrified natalie portman."

Re:An embarrassment to open source / free software

[Vladimir Pizdenko]

Yes. You can read the GPL in www.GNU.org, first read this and you will see youre self.