Can some illucidate the issue of why there is no linux client for kazaa... or a multi-network client which includes the fast track network? This has probably been run into the ground and posted elsewhere, but i havent really read anything that makes good sense.

From what I understand, Kazaa utilizes the Fast Track peer-to-peer network, along side at least two other programs, the names of which i've forgotten. I don't understand why individuals can create a program like kazaa lite for windows, but porting it to linux hasnt been done. I would think a wildly popular program like that would be jumped on by numerous linux developers looking for a challenge. After all, who wouldnt want to be the individual(s) who developed the "great file sharing app" for linux?

Is it legal? Is it some sort of closed-source network, where a linux client would have to be reverse-engineered? I'm no programmer... just another bitchy consumer... but I sure cringe at the idea of using wine.

it works flawless in wine. Also, from what I know kazaa makes its living off of installing spyware on the computers that people install kazaa on. Well, that wouldnt happen on linux so thats why there is no kazaa for linux.

Just try wine with kazaalite, you will be happy trust me, works perfect.

Kazaalite still usus the DLL from the original Kazaa to logon to the Fasttrack network. The fasttrack network is closed source. I don't know about the details but they use encryption/authentication methods to make it harder to reverse engineer. So you would be up for a real challenge if you try.
I don't know if it would be legal, but if they go through so much trouble making it difficult for people to make an alternative client then I doubt they would happily welcome the thought of someone reverse engineering their protocol.

but kazaa lite is not written by the original kazaa team so it is possible to write a client for linux.

it pisses me off... i can't see them losing much revenue... if any at all.. from allowing linux developers access to source code for their network shitty... the worst we could do is contribute to the file sharing community... sheesh....there will still be countless lemmings using the spyware windows client, to look at all their pretty ads and whatnot....linux should not affect that....

...as a side note... i wonder if it would be possible to package an implamentation of wine that incorporates the win. kazaa-lite client and is already configured and all that junk... just a thought...