Exeem opens new file-swapping doors

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Caribbean island of Nevis and a company called IFG Trust Services, which helps set up and administer offshore companies.

Preston confirmed that the company is based in St. Kitts and Nevis, and said its developers are scattered around the world but declined to provide any more information about the firm.

The software itself will be familiar to anyone who has used Kazaa or other file-swapping tools. It has a simple search page, allowing people to "publish" files to the network though a several-step point-and-click process. Once published, files can be downloaded by other people on the network.

"I don't see people who have grown accustomed to BitTorrent, which is different than a traditional peer-to-peer network, going to use this."

--Thomas Mennecke, editor and operator, Slyck.com

According to Preston, the network works similarly to the FastTrack technology underlying Kazaa. A small number of people running the software are randomly selected as "nodes" and then provide a traffic cop function in the network, connecting people who are seeking or providing pieces of the same file.

Like many other file-swapping programs, Exeem comes bundled with several pieces of advertising software, including the Cydoor Technologies adware utility and the LookSmart toolbar, which plugs into Internet Explorer.

The software isn't meeting with universally good reviews around the Net. Some users have already complained about the addition of the advertising software. Thomas Mennecke, who runs the file-swapping news site Slyck.com, said he thinks BitTorrent aficionados will instead stick with the familiar Web-based community sites.

"I don't see people who have grown accustomed to BitTorrent, which is different than a traditional peer-to-peer network, going to use this," Mennecke said.

Peer-to-peer adversaries say the new software will do no more than any previous offing to hide the identity of people trading copyrighted works, such as movies or music, however.

A company called BayTSP, which tracks trading on peer-to-peer networks for movie studios and record labels, has said it has long provided information on BitTorrent users, including specific files shared and IP addresses, to its clients. It will likely do the same with Exeem, its executives said.

"We can still identify all the BitTorrent users," BayTSP Chief Executive Mark Ishikawa said. "Everyone who uses it still has the same issues of getting caught that they've always had."

[bobby_brady]

It's time the MPAA pulled their head out of their a*s

and offer content at reasonable prices on the Internet. Also stop trying to gouge consumers with this BlueRay and HD crap and simply put high def movies on DIVX or XPEG that can fit on a regular DVD.

You want to stop piracy?

You have to find the real cause of it! These people <a class="jive-link-external" href="http://www.electic.com" target="_newWindow">http://www.electic.com</a> have the right idea. You find the groups that put out movies and music and you dont go after Level 3 users. BayTSP, a joke of a company, catches nothing but 12 year old girls and 65 year old grandfathers.

The core group of pirated content providers is very small and some of them have been around since the 80s. I only hope the MPAA pulls its butt and embraces thinking like this. Certainly BayTSP has no clue how to think and employes the same technologies the music industry used...we know how that turned out.

[ledzep75]

I want to Stop over-pricing

There is no reason for movie at the theaters to cost $10 + $10 for a popcorn and a drink. For a family of four the cost is about $60. A CD of music from two or more decades ago costs the same as new CD. The average concert ticket is &gt; $50. A T-shirt is &gt; $25. Even with adjustment for inflation it's still overcharging. Plus, old stuff is suppose cost less not more. The movie industry is atleast trying when you see DVD's 2 for $10 or 4 for $20. The only time a music cd gets below $10 is when it's used or the artist completely sucked.

Will they ever learn?

Time after time, the weasels at the RIAA/MPAA sue a company (or kids and their grandparents) and more and better ones spring up. No matter how many people share these files, I don't believe that it hurts the music or movie industry one bit. In fact, all indications are that the industries are thriving despite the dl'ing. They should go after the real crooks who make and sell thousands of copies who COMPETE with them for their customers. Dl'ers are NOT competing with them, and NOT taking away sales.

I think that their tactics are just turning off more customers, and forcing them to look elsewhere for something better. The phrase "shooting themselves in the foot" comes to mind. I don't even dl music or movies and they're ticking me off to the point I have nearly quit buying CD's and movies all together. I still buy concert DVD's, if I get a good deal, The DTS and 5.1 surround are awesome on a killer system (which I have)

[bobby_brady]

I've stopped buying new CD's

now I just buy used ones on sites such as half.com

[Konrad]

!!WARNING !! eXeem Contains Cydoor and Looksmart Toolbar

Cydoor and Looksmart adware components are bundled with each installation of eXeem. See <a class="jive-link-external" href="http://www.exeem.com/privacy.htm" target="_newWindow">http://www.exeem.com/privacy.htm</a>

There is a distribution of eXeem without the adware features called eXeem Lite. See <a class="jive-link-external" href="http://www.exlite.net/" target="_newWindow">http://www.exlite.net/</a>

[Fray9]

Or

Yes the full version comes with adware and spyware. Fortunately it isnt a required component of the software and can be removed with a spyware remover tool like Adaware or Spybot without losing functionality.

Just removing the spyware after installation was my preferred route since I tend to be more suspicious of third party "lite" versions that I am of the ones that outright say they have spyware in them. But thats just me.

In any case if your as paranoid as I am there is still a third option as I mentioned above ;)

[snharden]

Spyware?

Well duh? The article stated that!!!!!!

[lewissalem]

Scott..

..many people unknowingly install these things because its stuck in the 3000+ word disclaimer that would take an entire afternoon to read.