Thanks UKB, fool and ferral.

I hope we can continue this conversation one more round.

I've already got Norton Internet Security installed, and I update it regularly. I think my machine is pretty secure. I looked at peerGuardian2. It looks like it adds one more layer of spyware and firewall-like protection, and it's free, and opensourced, so it's probably a good thing. But I'm not sure it's going to give me a lot more protection than what I have already.

Am I missing something?

It seems peerGuardian2 offers unrealistic hope of protection from RIAA lawsuits for p2p users. The copyright police are going to appear like ordinary p2p users -- even to peerguardian2. The copyright police mainly identify p2p users from their IP addresses. It isn't possible to cloak your IP address and still share files on a p2p network.

The way to download anonymously is to use a wifi hotspot -- not your own, of course -- that is not password protected. That's almost unbeatable. The IP address cannot be traced to the p2p user in that case. But there might be a few flaws in that method.

One possible flaw is the one I mentioned. It seems likely that a little hacking of an opensource Gnutella client, such as Limewire, could easily reveal the path name of each shared file on the network. If the path name contains identifying information, that could be a problem for the p2p user who wants to remain completely anonymous.

As more and more p2p users get anonymity from unprotected wifi hot spots, the RIAA is going to be looking for other ways to identify p2p users. It just seems sensible for p2p users who use wifi hotspots to think about the path names of their shared files.

But I'm not an expert. Maybe I've misunderstood something. Comment?

KH

Well, I do actually not think that PG2 tries to create unrealistic hopes (remember what I've written in my first reply: ".....to give me some placebo protection feeling." I guess, it's actually we who want to find a sort of reassurance for maybe not being caught (always assuming we DO download things illigally). At the end of the day, if you use a p2p client to illigally download stuff, and the RIAA or whoever wants to get you busted, believe me pal, then they will bust you because they have the money and the resources to do so. But ask yourself a question, how big is the chance that the RIAA is picking you to make an example, or the guy living next door? And what does busted mean anyway? The electric chair? Well, rather not (but, hwo knows, with such a president ). My philosophy is: If can't do the time, don't do the crime!! (Yes, and some of my friends call me Al C.)

Highkite

This thread has developed into two distinct flavours, which should not be confused with each other, and those flavours are protection and anonymity.

Now, your firewall, anti-virus, PG2, etc. only offer protection, the makers of these programs have never ever said that your PC would become anonymous when using their software while surfing the internet. I believe that you, like many others, have read into these protective programs facilities that just aren't there. Therefore, don't confuse protection with making you or your PC anonymous.

As for anonymity, if you take your laptop and sit outside a company's wi-fi station then you most definitely will remain anonymous but if you are spotted you are likely to be arrested, unless you are using a students' wi-fi set up.

Also remember, ISPs have ways of throttling back P2P traffic without affecting the rest of their internet traffic, so if certain wi-fi stations show excessive P2P traffic it can be cut without a moments notice.



UK Bob