Spyware in Limewire

[blvdeast]

I was told that OS X10.3 couldn't get spyware. I just found out that in the window's version, at least, Limewire installs spyware. What about macs? Do we also get the spyware?

[SilentPanda]

Not yet. And hopefully not ever (knock on wood).

[Crikey]

That's a pretty interesting question. LimeWire is a cross-platform Java-based application for sending and receiving data across the network, so why wouldn't they be able to make the spyware component cross-platform Java too?

I enjoyed using LimeWire back in the day, and if I were still doing P2P I'd probably pay them the $10 or whatever to get the spyware-free version.

Cheers,


Crikey

[Nermal]

Because the spyware is made by a third party, and isn't written in Java.

[rainman::|:|]

Originally posted by Nermal
Because the spyware is made by a third party, and isn't written in Java.

Quite right. The spyware isn't really integrated, but some apps will double-check that the spyware is running, so if you remove it, you disable the original program. i'm of course talking about kazaa.

fortunately i do not believe spyware authors will find it worthwhile to code for Mac for a while... OS X would prove very tricky in some ways, and they just don't stand to make enough money to justify learning how. it's good to be underrated.

paul

[edesignuk]

...can't believe there are people still using Limewire...there are so much better programs/methods of getting what you want these days...:eek:...Limewire is such a POS :p

[TimDaddy]

I've been wondering about this myself. Last year while in CompUSA, I was chatting with the Apple rep. I mentioned something about Limewire, and he said "You'd better be careful with Limewire, it's loaded with spyware!".

[Mav451]

Hah, pretty much any "popular" program out there in the Windows world could contain spyware--and that is the #1 reason not to go to CNet.com to d/l the "latest and greatest" utility to "speed up Windows XP".

I suppose if everyone followed my Firebird (or should i say Firefox) and Spybot:S&D diet we woulnd't have secretaries/workers screwing up the networks at offices across the world.

[Nik_Doof]

Originally posted by Mav451
I suppose if everyone followed my Firebird (or should i say Firefox) and Spybot:S&D diet we woulnd't have secretaries/workers screwing up the networks at offices across the world.

Heh, and alot of IT people would loose there jobs :)

[onealc]

edesignuk - what IS the best alternative to Limewire?

[dontmakemehurtu]

:(

[mainstreetmark]

...or Acquisition (http://www.acquisitionx.com)

[robotrenegade]

Do what dontmakemehurtu, mainstreetmark say. Both of those apps are better anyhow.

[lazyboy922]

how do you get rid of spyware on a pc?

[Mav451]

Lazyboy922: You can start by installing Spybot: S&D; you can find it here:

http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=download

After you install it, make sure you update the detection to Feb 2, 2004 (the most recent). To do this, first run the program (advanced mode).

You will see the main screen--click on Search for updates. Sometimes the update might not start, so just select another mirror and retry. After the update is downloaded and installed, you can being scanning.

Click the Search & Destroy button which looks like 2 windows with a magnifying glass.

After the scanning is finished, click fix selected problems to remove the spyware.

If you still use IE, i highly recommend you go to the Immunize tab. Make sure you get both the Permanent IE immunity and the bad download blocker installed.

Then you are good to go :)

[lazyboy922]

thanks for the indepth help, mav451!

[DaveTheGrey]

http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/

Ad-Aware is also a very nice app to detect and remove spyware from your windoze pc.

Dave.

[CmdrLaForge]

Originally posted by edesignuk
...can't believe there are people still using Limewire...there are so much better programs/methods of getting what you want these days...:eek:...Limewire is such a POS :p

What are you talking about ?

[edesignuk]

Originally posted by CmdrLaForge
What are you talking about ?
What do you mean what am I talking about? We all know Limewire is poop, and there are much better options out there, see www.mac-p2p.com :D

[CmdrLaForge]

Originally posted by edesignuk
What do you mean what am I talking about? We all know Limewire is poop, and there are much better options out there, see www.mac-p2p.com :D

Thanks for the page. But isn't that somehow illegal ?

[macopia]

Originally posted by dontmakemehurtu
anyone here ever hear of poisoned (http://gottsilla.net/about.php)?

Good software...they're always updating.

[edesignuk]

Originally posted by CmdrLaForge
Thanks for the page. But isn't that somehow illegal ?
Of course not. Mac-p2p.com is another of arn's (MacRumros webmaster) sites.

[7on]

I'm pretty sure Limewire is adware, but prolly not spyware. Spyware typically runs all the time recording stuff on your computer to be sent back to the HQ or something. Adware are the banner advertisements in the limewire app itself. If you have spyware on the Mac, I believe it'd be pointed out when you boot (the loading window showing stuff starting up) or definitely be present in you process window once logged in. Either was, I'm sure spyware would require a root password to install to be able to work properly.

This is why I hate that in 10.3.2 that any app can change system level files with only a password. Before, if I'm correct, to change something in root owned folders one had to sudo in terminal, which IMO, is a lot securer.

[mms]

Even better alternative... use iTMS.

[MrMacMan]

Originally posted by mainstreetmark
...or Acquisition (http://www.acquisitionx.com)

You see THIS product I know has spyware.

Dave, the Devolper has added features so that even if you pay for the software he can remotely kill your subscription.

He is also a total a--h--e generally.

If you post about a problem sometimes he just deletes your thread giving you no warning what so ever...

Limewire -- Bloated.
Acquisition -- Dave for one thing...Spyware possibly.
acqlite -- Based on Limewire Code, but Open Source. (acquisition but better
here (http://sourceforge.net/projects/acqlite/) )
Poisoned -- I've had only a glowing experience with Poisoned... very helpful, great application.
mLMac -- Hasn't been mentioned in this thread so far...I like it, but it needs to be more stable.
iTMS -- Well... It supports the RIAA. ;)

[superbovine]

if you are really worried about spyware on the mac you can google around for apps that remove spyware on the mac. considering the money is in putting spyware on windows pc i wouldn't worry about it.

what is a nice feature of both ad-aware and spybot is they review all cookies that spy on you. i haven't find a cookie utility like that on mac. all the others you have to program yourself. spybot and ad-aware know which one are the bad one and toast them.

[rickschmauss]

What do you mean what am I talking about? We all know Limewire is poop, and there are much better options out there, see www.mac-p2p.com :D

Have a look at zeropaid.com for another dose of p2p links. :)

[blue&whiteman]

don't use limewire. its total crap. there is an osx app called aquisition that uses the same network as limewire but is a far far better app in every way.

[1macker1]

limewire isn't that bad, plue it's free.

[blue&whiteman]

limewire isn't that bad, plue it's free.

aquisition is shareware yes, but it never stops working. all you have to put up with is a window every 45min urging you to buy it. I think others will agree with me thats its superior to limewire by far.

[1macker1]

I'm going to test it out today. I've tried poisioned, and it sucked. No one had any files on it. BTW, i was looking for music videos not MP3's.
aquisition is shareware yes, but it never stops working. all you have to put up with is a window every 45min urging you to buy it. I think others will agree with me thats its superior to limewire by far.
Is downloading videos illegal?

[cb911]

anyone use XNap? i've been trying that out... looks alright.

1macker1, not if you delete them within 24 hours, or some nonsense like that. :rolleyes: but yes, same as music. if they're not free videos then i guess you're 'stealing' from the artist/stuido.

[Peyote]

anyone use XNap? i've been trying that out... looks alright.

1macker1, not if you delete them within 24 hours, or some nonsense like that. :rolleyes: but yes, same as music. if they're not free videos then i guess you're 'stealing' from the artist/stuido.



I don't know the specific legal issues, but it seems to me that you don't really have to worry about videos, since they are all very compressed and poor quality in general. The whole reason the RIAA is cracking down on music sharing is that the quality of MP3's is close to perfect (depending on the bit rate of course). Plus since the video files are so large, not NEARLY as much swapping it taking place....so I wouldn't worry about it.




EDIT: Also keep in mind that artists make money from having their videos played on MTV or whatever other channels are out there. They don't make money from selling music videos to the consumer (there are few exceptions). So if a person downloads a video, the artist isn't losing any money, whereas if a person downloads an album of MP3's, their not going to go buy the cd as well, so the artist WILL lose moeny.

[NusuniAdmin]

I was told that OS X10.3 couldn't get spyware. I just found out that in the window's version, at least, Limewire installs spyware. What about macs? Do we also get the spyware?

Programmicly and theoretically (spelt that wrong, sorry) it is near impossible to install spyware on os x. The only way would be if limewire tampered and cracked code for certain apps. The os, well, you need a admin password to change any of the os stuff, which the limewire installer asks for when it installs... If limewire did install spyware on my comp, I would personally pay some hackers to hack their server and destroy it.

[NusuniAdmin]

I'm going to test it out today. I've tried poisioned, and it sucked. No one had any files on it. BTW, i was looking for music videos not MP3's.

Is downloading videos illegal?

Your a fool, no offense, downloading copyrighted material, without notice from the copyright owner, is highely illegal, here is an example, when the owner of a program posts the program on lets say..version tracker, they agree to a "contract" type of thing saying, This program is copyrighted, I am posting it up on this site (and maybe a few others) for downloading, any other website/server that is hosting this download is breaking the law, and I withhold the right to sue. The user also agrees, when they download, "I agree to use this program on this computer, and I will not make copies and sell the product without permission from the owner, nor will I post it on server without permission I should not say anything, because some people who write programs or make movies want it to be on p2p networks, a few of my apps i made ive purposely put on p2p networks, it is a great way to get it out, but if i charged for the app, i would not have posted it. here is my quote (trademark office has not responded back yet if they are going to trademark it for me...), "Get a life; Get a job"

Please note, if you download the keynotes from my little site, it is technically illegal, but apple can never find out. Since when you look at the stream, it reads a 4k quicktime file that then tells quicktime to open the REAL movie via rstp protocol. The address that it loads, actually loads the same file that the links on my site go to. So apple can never find out really. Actually I dont really see why it is illegal, I have actually contacted apple customer service or wutever its called and asked for macworld 2003 keynote on tape or dvd, they only charged me 5 dollars to cover the shipping + handling cost. So technically the actuall keynote was a free buy.

[blue&whiteman]

Your a fool, no offense, downloading ANYTHING copyrighted is highely illegal, here is my quote (trademark office has not responded back yet if they are going to trademark it for me...), "Get a life; Get a job"

he asked a simple question and you call him a fool? you have some issues. work on that..

[NusuniAdmin]

he asked a simple question and you call him a fool? you have some issues. work on that..

Dude, my little 5 year old brother knows downloading movies is illegal, so that person has issues. It is absolute common sense nowadays.

[Peyote]

Your a fool, no offense, downloading ANYTHING copyrighted is highely illegal,


You're saying that downloading anything copyrighted is "highely" illegal, and he's the fool?

I think you're the one that needs to do a little research on copyrighted material, and I don't feel like explaining it to you.

[blue&whiteman]

Dude, my little 5 year old brother knows downloading movies is illegal, so that person has issues. It is absolute common sense nowadays.

lots of smart people in the world don't know certain commonly known things. some people live life away from media and such.

if you keep coming on here and insulting people like that you will be banned by one of the moderators I can assure you.

[NusuniAdmin]

You're saying that downloading anything copyrighted is "highely" illegal, and he's the fool?

I think you're the one that needs to do a little research on copyrighted material, and I don't feel like explaining it to you.

OK then, downloading anything copyrighted, without a notice saying you can dl it from the copyright owner is illegal. And you dont need to explain it,My uncle works at the copyright office, and used to work at the us patent and trademark office

[1macker1]

music videos and movies are 2 different things. no s*it downloading movies are illegal.
Dude, my little 5 year old brother knows downloading movies is illegal, so that person has issues. It is absolute common sense nowadays.

and where your uncle works at has nothing to do with you.

[NusuniAdmin]

Definitions, off dictionary.com:

Movie: A sequence of photographs projected onto a screen with sufficient rapidity as to create the illusion of motion and continuity.

Video: Of or relating to videotaped productions or videotape equipment and technology.

See the relationship

And a music video is: A filmed or videotaped rendition of a recorded song, often portraying musicians performing the song or including visual images interpreting the lyrics.

[blue&whiteman]

Definitions, off dictionary.com:

Movie: A sequence of photographs projected onto a screen with sufficient rapidity as to create the illusion of motion and continuity.

Video: Of or relating to videotaped productions or videotape equipment and technology.

See the relationship

And a music video is: A filmed or videotaped rendition of a recorded song, often portraying musicians performing the song or including visual images interpreting the lyrics.

you done now?

[NusuniAdmin]

you done now?

How much did ur viewsonic monitor cost anyways, got my VA520 15" for around 200 (300 before rebate)?

[blue&whiteman]

How much did ur viewsonic monitor cost anyways, got my VA520 15" for around 200 (300 before rebate)?

seems to me that someone so up on rules would not go so off topic since thats a rule here. things like that you send a private msg. anyway I paid 460 canadian with tax. its the P95f+B to be exact. top 19" they make out of 6 models.

[Peyote]

OK then, downloading anything copyrighted, without a notice saying you can dl it from the copyright owner is illegal. And you dont need to explain it,My uncle works at the copyright office, and used to work at the us patent and trademark office


Wrong. Downloading images from a website that are copyrighted isn't illegal, using those images or publishign them is though. See what I mean? Certain materials have different laws. You can't claim to know them all, jackass, and it doesn't matter where you uncle works. His employment has no bearing on your intelligence.

Bottom line people, don't worry about downloading music videos. It doesn't matter if you own a copy of it....then only time you will get in trouble is if you show that copy to 8 or more unrelated people without requiring them to pay you and the producers of the film.

[NusuniAdmin]

Wrong. Downloading images from a website that are copyrighted isn't illegal, using those images or publishign them is though. See what I mean? Certain materials have different laws. You can't claim to know them all, jackass, and it doesn't matter where you uncle works. His employment has no bearing on your intelligence.

Bottom line people, don't worry about downloading music videos. It doesn't matter if you own a copy of it....then only time you will get in trouble is if you show that copy to 8 or more unrelated people without requiring them to pay you and the producers of the film.

OK THEN DOWNLOADING STUFF OFF P2P NETWORKS IS ILLEGAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! notice how i tryed to switch topics, but no, you are an a-hole and you keep wanting to bug me.

[Peyote]

OK THEN DOWNLOADING STUFF OFF P2P NETWORKS IS ILLEGAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Go back to your hidey hole, kid.

[blue&whiteman]

napster and audio galaxy are really the only thing thats ever been shut down. this means plain and simple that they were seen as enough of a threat to be shut down.

kazaa, nutella (or whatever it is), direct connect, hotline etc. etc. are still up and running. some of them for years now. why? because they don't share just music.

all the RIAA stuff going on with kazaa only affects those who share more than 800 songs. this is because those kind of p2p users are mainly the ones who never buy music much if at all. I download music now and then but only for the sole purpose of a preview. a 30 second itunes store sample isn't enough to know for sure.

anything I like I buy. period. whatever I don't like I delete along with the ones I did like after I buy it. I also use this process for movies.

if i'm wrong to do things this way in some peoples minds then let me be wrong. I know for sure though that i'm not doing anything wrong thievery or morally wise.

[NusuniAdmin]

napster and audio galaxy are really the only thing thats ever been shut down. this means plain and simple that they were seen as enough of a threat to be shut down.

kazaa, nutella (or whatever it is), direct connect, hotline etc. etc. are still up and running. some of them for years now. why? because they don't share just music.

all the RIAA stuff going on with kazaa only affects those who share more than 800 songs. this is because those kind of p2p users are mainly the ones who never buy music much if at all. I download music now and then but only for the sole purpose of a preview. a 30 second itunes store sample isn't enough to know for sure.

anything I like I buy. period. whatever I don't like I delete along with the ones I did like after I buy it. I also use this process for movies.

if i'm wrong to do things this way in some peoples minds then let me be wrong. I know for sure though that i'm not doing anything wrong thievery or morally wise.

Yes it is incredibly annoying when the itunes sample is 30 seconds when there is no singing, so you have no idea if it is the correct song.

[Les Kern]

how do you get rid of spyware on a pc?

Buy a Mac.... and buy your software.

[PickledSquirrel]

Have been running limewire for months, untill I saw some interesting advice on this thread. Have just installed acquisition, and must say its amazing compared to LW. Feels like switching from rusty bicycle to limo.
Niiiiiice.

-will be trying out poisoned in a moment. Happy! Happy! Joy! Joy!

[fanofdool]

Not only is it rude to bash people for using a certain program, it's really stupid.

I have downloaded EVERY Mac P2P program I've been able to find.

And I still use Limewire.

Why? I don't care about spyware or adware. I care about finding what I'm looking for. Poisoned, Acquisition, etc give me VERY FEW results for my searches! Limewire always gives me three times as many options. Do some of the DLs fail? Sure. But I'd rather have a DL fail with 20 other results to try again from, than a DL fail with only two or three other results to attempt.

The other programs just do not produce the results for me.

As for ITMS.. That's great, if you want to support the RIAA. I have no interest in supporting an organization who sues grandparents and 12 year olds. I may not download Metallica or whatever, but the RIAA's practices sicken me. "Oh no, I only got 4 million dollars instead of 5!" BIG DEAL! I can't believe record executives and recording artists make millions of dollars for usually mediocre songs, while TEACHERS, people responsible for almost EVERYONE'S jobs, make CRAP. It's screwed up and I refuse to support some whining bigshot. I'd never have bought the records anyway, so it's really a matter of greed on their part when it comes to me.. They'd have never had me buying a $15 CD in the first place.

ITMS is also very limited. I listen to a lot of Japanese pop and rock.. They have none of that. Their musical/opera/classical music section is also very small, and many popular artists haven't signed with them. It's a nice idea.. But there are too few choices, and the people behind it are a-holes.

I just tried Poisoned again and searched for a popular artist and got.. 5 results. Limewire gave me about 200. That's just sad.

So, dislike Limewire all you want, but when it comes down to it, it doesn't give me many results. So why WOULDN'T I use Limewire? Because you think it's a POS? Sorry, I'd rather use a program that actually WORKS for me than meet your approval.

[Inkmonkey]

Not only is it rude to bash people for using a certain program, it's really stupid.

Whoa! Sensitive much? I don't think anyone bashed you or anyone using Limewire. They only bashed the software. Last I checked, software doesn't have feelings.

[munkle]

Whoa! Sensitive much? I don't think anyone bashed you or anyone using Limewire. They only bashed the software. Last I checked, software doesn't have feelings.

Yeah and where did the rant appear from?!! Been holding it in for awhile! :p

[Josh]

Limewire used to be OK...now I cant find a decent download of the file Im looking for.

Ive downloaded it from Limewire in the past, but now I cant....bahh.

[NusuniAdmin]

So, dislike Limewire all you want, but when it comes down to it, it doesn't give me many results. So why WOULDN'T I use Limewire? Because you think it's a POS? Sorry, I'd rather use a program that actually WORKS for me than meet your approval.

You just said it does not give you many results and then you said "why wouldn't i use limewire".......your really contradicting yourself

[Inkmonkey]

Yeah and where did the rant appear from?!! Been holding it in for awhile! :p

I think it's called misplaced aggression. :mad: