The BitComet BitTorrent client makes some interesting new features and updates in its latest stable release, version 0.87. Unfortunately most of them are pretty bad in my opinion and detract from what a good BitTorrent client’s core mission should be — DOWNLOADING CONTENT!!

The first is the incorporation of a new “resource browser” that seems to be an IE clone, something that makes me as a Firefox user cringe just seeing it open on my screen. The developers cal it a way to “accelerate open web pages” but, first of all, IE is no way to do that, and secondly, why are they now concerned with web browsing?

I think the new sidebar ads may be a hint as to where BitComet is headed. It now sports “IN-CLIENT” ADS that actually made me angry after I installed and opened it up. I mean ads? C’ mon now. It’s hard to say that they should be holier than though considering BitTorrent Inc. has its own video store and Azureus has Vuze yet, at least they haven’t resorted to the lowest common denominator and spammed up their BitTorrent clients with ads and other junk.

Moreover, if you are currently using or were think about using BitComet I urge you to think again and run away as fast as you can. Compared to uTorrent, let alone Azureus, BitComet is the now the “Wal-Mart” of BitTorrent clients: cheap, ugly looking, and probably made in China.

Here are the release notes:

GUI Improved: add an option in BT task properties dialog to add this torrent file to my shared torrent list
GUI Improved: add “view task” command to the context menu of my shared torrent list
GUI Improved: add a filter in the toolbar of peer shared torrent list
GUI Improved: display peer shared torrent file number in peer shared node of fav list
GUI Improved: add an option to enable BT task search for HTTP/FTP download source in preferences dialog
GUI Improved: add commands to import/export task list and global settings under file menu
GUI Improved: add “rename task” function in context menu of task list
GUI Improved: detail error information will be displayed in tooltip when mouse cursor hover on the red-cross icon of a task which encounter error like disk full
GUI Improved: task rating information will be displayed in tooltip when mouse cursor hover on comment region of the task list
GUI Improved: add hotkey Ctrl+Home/End to move selected tasks to the top/bottom of task list
GUI Improved: support scroll information in all panes on which the mouse cursor is hovering by rolling mouse wheel
GUI Improved: add an options in preferences dialog to enable submit video file snapshot after task download finish
GUI Improved: add an options in preferences dialog to enable protection against ARP cheating attack from LAN
GUI Improved: new designed BitComet resource browser to accelerate open web page from BitComet
GUI Improved: improve displayed information layout in task summary pane
GUI Improved: add “minimize to system tray” to system menu of BitComet button in windows taskbar
GUI Improved: delete file check box in task delete dialog is displayed in red color
GUI Bugfix: View/download list/Columns menu does not work after switch UI language
GUI Bugfix: all tasks will be displayed as in queue if enabled auto-start task when download rate below specified value
GUI Bugfix: all tasks displayed in task list will be removed if launch clear recycle bin in recycle bin context menu even they are not in the recycle bin
Core Bugfix: fix a bug sometimes lead to memory leakage
Core Bugfix: handle some BT task with zero-size file incorrectly

digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/software/New_BitComet_release_adds_own_web_browser_and_sidebar_ads’;

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