Kazaa
| Kazaa
|
|
|---|---|
.png)
|
|
 File sharing client |
|
| Basic data
|
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| developer | Sharman Networks Ltd (today) |
| Publishing year | March 2001 |
| Current version | 3.2.7 (November 26, 2006) |
| operating system | Microsoft Windows |
| category | peer to peer |
| License | Funded by malware , proprietary |
| German speaking | Yes |
| www.kazaa.com | |
Kazaa was a proprietary file sharing program . Based on a peer-to-peer system, users can exchange music files, videos, text documents and pictures over the Internet .
protocol
The protocol used, called the FastTrack protocol (named after the FastTrack company), is decentralized according to the manufacturer and does not require a central server to connect and search the network. After the closure of Napster , the system secured a large number of users thanks to this and the Supernode architecture ( fast computers manage the search ), which it had at the time compared to the also decentralized Gnutella . The protocol is proprietary and is not yet fully known due to encryption algorithms.
history
Kazaa was developed by the Swede Niklas Zennström and the Dane Janus Friis , who released the software in March 2001. Later, when the legality of the system was questioned, "Sharman Networks" took over the system. Since both this company and the companies involved have a distributed and not very transparent structure, it has not yet been closed.
In September 2003, the Recording Industry Association of America began suing users of Kazaa and other peer-to-peer file sharing programs for perpetrating copyright infringement.
For the first time and only once, on May 6, 2004, a user of the Kazaa Internet exchange was fined 400 euros by the Cottbus District Court for copyright infringement. Among other things, the defendant's computer was used as the basis.
On June 11, 2004 the company "FastTrack Consumer Empowerment" lost an objection procedure against the registration of the brand name Kazaa before the European Trademark Office . In September 2005 Sharman Networks lost an Australian lawsuit and was convicted of modifying the software so that Australian users could no longer exchange copyrighted material with it. The ARIA should be able to create a list of blocked content, which the Kazaa client then uses. The manufacturer did not initially meet this requirement. Instead, a banner appeared on the official site at the end of the deadline, stating that Australian users are no longer allowed to use the software.
In July 2006, a settlement was finally made with the US Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and the music industry association IFPI, and the software was provided with filter functions for works protected by copyright.
Since 2007, Kazaa Media Desktop has been available for download from the official website without spyware or malware. Nevertheless, it still contains a toolbar and advertising files, such as links on the desktop, advertisements in the software.
In February 2009 a new version of the Kazaa.com website went online. Kazaa can now be used for a fee of 19.98 USD per month and gives customers a flat rate for downloading songs. However, these are protected by DRM and can be used on a maximum of three PCs at the same time. Playback on portable MP3 players is not possible, and the DRM process blocks the downloaded songs if the user cancels his membership with Kazaa.
In August 2012 the music distribution was stopped.
criticism
The original software Kazaa Media Desktop contains spyware as well as adware from Cydoor , which reversibly slow down a system considerably or even damage it to such an extent that its functionality is impaired.
In contrast, the unofficial Kazaa-Lite variants can be used without installing or running the malware.
Kazaa / Sharman is controversial because it makes money with the help of software that supposedly only serves to preserve copyrighted works without paying the creators. The p2pnet.net portal was also legally forced to remove critical articles about Sharman.
The software is also criticized because each participating computer can also be used for other purposes by the Kazaa manufacturer Sharman Networks.
Web links
- Kazaa pays severance payments and installs filters. heise.de
- Fasttrack FAQ netzwelt.de
- Sharman Networks vs. ARIA. slyck.com (English)
- Kazaa - Alone in the World. slyck.com (English)
- General file sharing FAQ on netzwelt.de
- Sharman Networks' new business model ( Memento from May 29, 2010 in the Internet Archive )
Individual evidence
- ↑ Everyone's a TV star. In: Neue Zürcher Zeitung. January 19, 2007, accessed December 27, 2019 .
- ^ RIAA sued 261 file sharing users heise online, September 8, 2003
- ↑ USA: New threats against music exchangers heise online, October 18, 2003
- ^ Judgment of the AG Cottbus from May 6, 2004 (PDF; 39 kB)
- ↑ Defeat for Kazaa in the name dispute . heise online