Why You Should Avoid P2P

There are other good reasons for avoiding using P2P file sharing software. The software itself is often riddled with spyware and adware, eg: see news.com
Downloaded files often turn out to contain viruses or spyware. In many cases, downloaded files are faulty and do not operate as they are meant to. There has been some speculation that copyright holders have deliberately uploaded "poisoned" copies of files, to discourage users.
Users of downloaded software (and other users of pirate software) may not be able to obtain support from the software vendor when they require it, eg: Microsoft will not provide certain upgrades to Windows XP users unless they can demonstrate that their copy of XP is genuine. This includes updates to its anti-spyware software, so users of illegal copies of Windows can find themselves exposed to a real risk from new spyware.