Xolox and "trusted third party" partners
 

THis might be old (2-3 weeks) news, but after not using Xolox for a couple of weeks I D/L'ed 1.20. First thing I noticed when I launched it was a fastclick server was trying to connect with my system. After I delt with the Fast Click intrusion and verified the server in question was properly blocked, I noticed the nice banner sized window; usually filled with the Xolox logo now had the upper left corner "red-x" place holder. A quick chck showed the place holder was the result of the blocked fast click intrusion. Ad-supported is fine (everybody wants to try and make money), lord knows I'm not going to make a donation. Ad-supported was how several (not always P2P) applications started the slide to spyware. I don't know what data fast click tries to collect, but Ad-Aware will nail any fastclick stuff if you have allowed it on your system. Me I just point all Fast Click servers at ye ole' 127.0.0.1 and never worry about what they try and get.

I totally agree with you others have slowly then slide spyware in, but XoloX made it clear to all they would not add Spyware. If they ever did , you can be sure I'd follow along with everyone else dumping it after lying. But I don't think you'll have to ever see that day.

Cookies from an ad banner ( which most ads send you a cookie ) is not spyware although Ad-aware picks up cookies. You are right, a p2p program has to support itself somehow as long as its not too intrusive. By the way fastclick doesn't collect any info, that cookie it sends is only interested if you have already seen the banner they send. Cookies are a normal part of the net , most cookies are not harmful in any way.

First, even if I get an ad on my system (a rare event) there is no cookie accepted. I agree that MOST cookies are harmless. but rather than risk a harmful one I block all but a very few.

These companies were added to Ad-Awares' ref file for a reason; consumer complaints, court rulings, and the like.

I agree with you as well; however, the history of companies like fastclick, doubleclick, servedby...ect demonstrate a complete disregard for end users. Most of them have gone to full damage control mode in an attempt to save reputations (and more importantly revenue), but that does nothing to restore my trust in them.

I use a HOSTS file with 13,654 servers as of this writing, Opera, with pop-up's off and all but 10 servers in the "blocked cookies" list (even then Opera whacks em on exit), and zone alarm. I have these settings because I have been back-doored by companies like this in the past.

Changing privacy policies and data collection practices AFTER getting caught infecting a system does not restore my trust in them.

I do believe the statement about "no spyware ever" and don't consider the attempted fastclick intrusion to be a violation of this.
The fact that I believe does not imply blind trust tho.

I like Xolox and the features (or actually the LACK of features), and would even be willing to purchase an off the shelf copy (no illusions of that being availible). But, there are to many other choices out there (and I'm not just talking about P2P apps), to put up with what some of the P2P developers try to pull.