Kazaa and Limewire: Are They Causing Your Computer to Crash?

Kazaa and Limewire are very popular these days, but it's a good idea to become a little cautious if your computer has all of a sudden started to load up slowly after you have installed one of these programs.

Kazaa and Limewire have many things to offer such as free movies, music, and games. They are free peer-to-peer software that computers users use to download files from other people who have also downloaded the program. For instance, if I have a song on my computer, and someone else that lives on the other side of the country wants that song, he or she will be able to download the song from me if both of us have Limewire or Kazaa installed on our computers.

The above method, which is known as peer to peer sharing was very risky when Limewire and Kazaa first came out. Many people complained that they were getting all kinds of viruses and spyware on their computers. The users started an uproar, and Kazaa and Limewire both had to put in writing on their websites that they in no way bundle other software with theirs. They also claim that they do not install other software on a user's computer without his or her knowledge.

However, what Kazaa does admit to is that it has to pay for itself one way or another. Therefore, Kazaa uses advertising. One of its advertising clients is Cydoor.

What's ironic about the fact that Kazaa uses Cydoor is that during a routine spyware scan, one of the risky pieces of "ware" that scanners often pick up goes by the name of "Cydoor." Therefore, perhaps Kazaa does not install spyware on a person's computer. Maybe all they do is use a client, and the client in turn installs adware. That's just as bad.

Limewire probably uses some sort of advertising to pay for itself as well. However, Limewire does not seem to be as explicit about what clients it uses on its website. In any event, any advertising uses the vehicle of popups so that the ads can be seen. Popups aid in slowing down a computer and who knows what kinds of ads are being displayed.

The ads could be the type with the little "ok" button on them. You click, "ok," and before you know it, your computer is really acting up.

Therefore, even though Kazaa and Limewire claim that they want nothing to do with spyware, in order to pay for themselves, the two peer-to-peer file sharing programs may have become vehicles for it. So if you find you computer is slowing up, look out. It may be because you have one of these programs installed.