 THE search mechanism used by the Kazaa file-sharing network could contain malicious code, the Federal Court heard yesterday.
| I tried Kazaa once. I regard it as malicious code. |
Counsel for the record companies, John Nicholas SC, said in recent years there had been a spate of viruses and other "sinister" applications and code transferred via the internet. Under cross-examination by Mr Nicholas, expert witness KPMG forensic director Rodney McKemmish agreed it was possible the Kazaa file-search mechanism could contain malicious code. "But the running of code is a separate issue," Mr McKemmish said. Kazaa is the world's most popular internet file-sharing software. It allows users to swap digital music files over the internet. But the record companies that license the music claim Kazaa is the world's biggest music piracy system. They are suing Sharman Networks, which develops and distributes the software, for copyright infringement.
| I have nothing against peer-to-peer file sharing, and the music companies are fighting a losing battle against it. But Kazaa in itself was (presumably still is) a dirty program, chock full of spyware, adware, and who knows what else. I download my music — mostly 20s and 30s jazz that nobody seems to like but me — from newsgroups. |
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