Brilliant Digital Entertainment, a California-based digital advertising technology company, has quietly attached its software to millions of downloads of the KaZaA P2P client. The plan of Brilliant is to remotely "turn on" the software on millions of peoples PCs, hurling them into a huge network of their own. The software will turn the users PC into a node on a network controlled by Brilliant. The network will be used to host and distribute other companies content, such as advertising or music. It is also designed with the possibility of using the users unused CPU power for distributed computing functions, some what like SETI would.

Once the software goes active the PC owner will receive a pop up asking for permission to use their PC in such way as described above. (What is called "opt-in") It's scheduled to go live in about four weeks, targeting user PCs with always-on high speed connections first, with more normal connections/users later.

Brilliant revealed this in their recent S.E.C. filing yesterday.

The Brilliant network will still be KaZaA, so users will not be effected in that way, but will also connect to other P2P networks, ad servers, and file servers independently of the KaZaA software. The piggybacking software has been part of the KaZaA download since February.

Brilliant's software will be able to understand and respond to searches inside KaZaA, since it is based on the same technology. But if it is successful, Brilliant will be able to host content and run "distributed computing" applications over the new network that is entirely separate from KaZaA.

People who allow their computers to be used will be compensated somehow, possibly with gift certificates or free videos, the company's filing said. This is not guaranteed though. If you installed KaZaA and accepted the "terms of service", you have already agreed to let your computer be used without any payment at all. Here is the excerpt from the "terms of service agreement":

"You hereby grant (Brilliant) the right to access and use the unused computing power and storage space on your computer/s and/or Internet access or bandwidth for the aggregation of content and use in distributed computing," the terms of service read. "The user acknowledges and authorizes this use without the right of compensation."

Anybody who declines this provision is not able to install the KaZaA.

Read the full story on C|Net: Stealth P2P network hides inside KaZaA

If you choose to allow your PC to be used, be sure you know what your getting into. This means your PC will be an ad server/file server. Your KaZaA searches will be understood by the Brilliant app, and you may get ads related to what you type. Your PC will be used by the network when your not using it. Think about it......

*bump*

To many KaZaA users out there to let this go by.

wow , i hope i got one of these so i can say NO ! NO ! heheh

that really pisses me off... :mad:

www.grokster.com <-- alternative
www.lavasoftusa.com <-- get ad-aware, remove old spyware crap that hangs around.

Note: Pulled from GrokSter ToS (terms of service)
"12. PRIVACY POLICY

We believe that people should be able to use the Internet
without worrying about the unauthorised or unwarranted
collection of their personal information. We disapprove of
Spyware. Users who install this software can be assured that
this software:

i.does not collect any personal information;
ii.does not collect data by monitoring your behaviour;
iii.does not attempt to connect to the Internet if you
are not connected;
iv.does not bundle any other software;
v.does not automatically update itself; and
vi.does include an uninstaller."

There is information there about using CyDoor for ads...but I could care less about that...since it isn't CONSTANTLY using bandwidth...
but I'm sure Ad-Aware can handle that as well...

(Edited by VxJasonxV at 3:30 pm on April 2, 2002)

I like audiogalexy myself.

Cheers Sam

dont they see the problem with this? all someone has to do is create a virus that attacks these files, and what do you know, what computer affects the entire freaking network cause of the way files are gonna be stored. i hope this fails miserably and everyone uninstalls kazaa.

this blows.

KAZAA BLOWS HOT STEAMING FESTERING ROTTING ACIDIC MONKEY CHUNKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

^^ what jared said

This is a dramatic step DOWN from Morpheus simply blowing monkey chunks. Most serious.