Kazaa

[marine02]

What is Kazaa, I keep reading references to it?

[Catty]

It's one of the biggest and most popular p2p (person to person) file transfer downloads. It's free, and lets you download and type of file from another person's computer as long as they're also signed up and signed in at the time. It's illegal though, and there's a lot of controversy going on at the moment because the BPI have decided to crack down on users and will be raiding houses etc. Oo-er...

[IndieSinger]

Small point - Catty is exactly right except p2p stands for peer-to-peer if it matters. Kazaa has a pay-for option (I think it's about $30) and a free option (but you have to put up with adverts). Alternatively, you can try and find Kazaa Lite, its even more illegal sister, which has nothing to do with Kazaa, but they nicked all the programming code. It's better (searches more networks than Kazaa, has better search options etc.) and free with no adverts. Unfortunately, Kazaa (the official one) caught up with them and it has disappeared. However, it IS available on some file pages and hopefully, some kind soul will point you in the direction of where you can still download Kazaa Lite.

(Cue kind soul)

[johntheplamf]

One of my mates (Not Me, Honest Guv), Put Kazaa Lite onto cd, and so far, I think everyone He/She knows has downloaded it (Except Me....ahem)

[Disco Fever]

Well IndieSinger Kazaalite hasnt disappeared as im running it at the min but i did save to disc the small p2p program as i cant find it on the net anymore but if you want to try and look its called klitekpp242e and last found it on Google, good hunting.

[Greedyfly]

I have only just got Kazaa lite - can we clear up the whole legal side of this please?? - where do I stand downloading single tracks here and there legally???

[IndieSinger]

I know, Disco Fever, I've still got it and it's working better than ever, but I meant it's disappeared from "official" download sites due to its illegality. However, I think it was AB user j2buttonsw who kindly posted the link to the file for other people to download from right here on this very AB site. Although that link no longer works. So... where are ya' j2buttonsw..?!

[marine02]

Thanks for the answers everyone, especially Catty and IndieSinger. I'm a bit worried by Catty's reference to the BPI raiding houses though!!

[smorodina]

Here it is, along with lots of other useful software: http://rohs.nl/software.php

[LeMarchand]

Re legal issues, pretty much anything you will want to d/l from Kazaa/Lite will be breaking copyright laws. That said, they're very hard to enforce, hence the popularity of such programs. KazaaLite (at least the version I saw) actually comes with a warning that use of the program is illegal, as it is based on stolen code. There are now various sites where you can d/l music legally, but they are rarely (if ever) free, and at the moment tend to be a lot more restricted in their range than the P2P apps.

[sft42]

Why has no one yet mentioned the superior WinMX?

http://www.winmx.com

As for legality....your breaking a shed load of copyright laws be in no mistake about that...if you have any qualms back away now.....but these are Civil matters and have to be presued throught the courts by the BPI and suchlike so you are not, I repeat NOT, going to have cops kicking in your door unless you start selling off the CD's that you have downloaded.

[DrWu]

I agree, WINMX is rather splendid (allegedly!)

[marine02]

Thanks for all the subsequent answers, smorodina, LeMarchand and sft42

[Catty]

Soulseek is also brilliant...

[Mandi_C]

You can download free audio, video, softwear ect. from it! Its really good!

[stephy--babe]

well kazaa is not a good downloadin software 2 download because u can catch many bad viruses on your computer i downloaded it once and i got over 100 viruses i have winmx and i dont have any problems u r better off with that software

[sparklehorse]

Not to be confused with a 'kazoo' of course, one of them little tubes that you go dodooddodododododo into.