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Thread: Pivacy issue in v12.10

  1. #21
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    Re: Pivacy issue in v12.10

    I must admit I'm struggling a bit here apart from not wanting anything on my pc to go to anybody. I have 12.04 so this is not relevant but I don't quite understand what this whole privacy app does for me in 12.04. As a newbie, I've asked lots of questions over the years, on this forum and never been asked to go near or use the privacy app. If I turn every Record Activity button from ON to OFF in the Privacy app on my 12.04 system what is the effect going to be for me?

  2. #22
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    Re: Pivacy issue in v12.10

    Quote Originally Posted by Quarkrad View Post
    I must admit I'm struggling a bit here apart from not wanting anything on my pc to go to anybody. I have 12.04 so this is not relevant but I don't quite understand what this whole privacy app does for me in 12.04. As a newbie, I've asked lots of questions over the years, on this forum and never been asked to go near or use the privacy app. If I turn every Record Activity button from ON to OFF in the Privacy app on my 12.04 system what is the effect going to be for me?
    Here's where things get confusing for you.

    Ubuntu uses a system called Zeitgeist to power its local search capabilities. Zeitgeist does not touch the internet at all, but a lot of people raised a fuss about "I don't want my system logging things", so Zeitgeist's developers wrote the Privacy program.

    If you turn Record Activity off, you are only turning off some of the local recording of some of your actions (done for the purpose of search in the Unity Dash and in some other programs). You can't search your local hard disk using the Dash if you have Zeitgeist off. Some system data will still be logged locally by other pieces of software that are a part of every Linux distribution. Locally logging your actions on your computer is not an invasion of privacy.

    Unity's online searching is not done through Zeitgeist, so the Privacy program will not affect the online search.

    Thatguruguy said it all: The Unity Dash has been transmitting search queries to third parties for over a year, to power the online Music and Videos search. Most of these companies you will be less familiar with than Amazon.

    It's only now, because it's a big company, do people make a fuss. If you don't want the Amazon shopping lens, remove it. I probably will. But don't try to claim that 12.04 or 11.10 never sent search queries to third parties. They did.
    I try to treat the cause, not the symptom. I avoid the terminal in instructions, unless it's easier or necessary. My instructions will work within the Ubuntu system, instead of breaking or subverting it. Those are the three guarantees to the helpee.

  3. #23
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    Re: Pivacy issue in v12.10

    @teslasmoustache, it seems you just created this account to defend your blog post. You only posted one way of disabling the shopping lens, I know of at least 4 ways, I'd like to see a follow up post in your blog, with at least 2 more of them.
    Last edited by cariboo; October 23rd, 2012 at 04:50 PM.

  4. #24
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    Re: Pivacy issue in v12.10

    Quote Originally Posted by cariboo907 View Post
    @teslasmoustache, it seems you just created this account to defend your blog post. You only posted one way of disabling the shopping lens, I know of at least 4 ways, I'd like to see a follow up post in your blog, with at least 2 more of them.
    It's not my blog. You're right though. This is a new account. I had another one a few years ago from when I had some computer issues. I have since forgotten my password. I use teslasmoustache or teslas_moustache all the time. Not that it's any of your business. The OP and I were having a conversation elsewhere and thought it would be good if the issue got more attention.

  5. #25
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    Re: Pivacy issue in v12.10

    Quote Originally Posted by shaunthesheep View Post
    By default Ubuntu 12.10 will record all your keystrokes / search terms when using the Unity Dash and send it to their servers and other third parties.
    If this is true then it's pure evil!


  6. #26
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    Re: Pivacy issue in v12.10

    I use the mini.iso and use the base DEs rather than the default distros for each variant of Ubuntu. I don't like GNOME Shell, so I tend to stick to openbox with no DE or XFCE as I really dislike QT and KDE.
    AMD PII X6 @ 3.63 GHz - 16 GB DDR3 (1600 No OC) - ASUS Crosshair V Formula
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  7. #27
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    Re: Pivacy issue in v12.10

    Quote Originally Posted by Lucradia View Post
    I use the mini.iso and use the base DEs rather than the default distros for each variant of Ubuntu.
    +1 If I choose to use Ubuntu then that's the only way I would roll.

  8. #28
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    Re: Pivacy issue in v12.10

    Quote Originally Posted by cariboo907 View Post
    @teslasmoustache, it seems you just created this account to defend your blog post. You only posted one way of disabling the shopping lens, I know of at least 4 ways, I'd like to see a follow up post in your blog, with at least 2 more of them.
    Cariboo,

    I am the person who introduced teslasmoustache to Ubuntu. I gave him his first install disc, and have had many discussions with him in person about Ubuntu. He was one among many friends, students and associates I've introduced to GNU/Linux through Ubuntu over the years. I also consider him a close friend.

    I've been a forum member since 2005, and an Ubuntu user since 5.04. I'm not sure what your criteria are for being involved enough in the community to have a valid opinion, but I'd think that might qualify. I can attest that the blog in question isn't his, nor is it mine, nor do either of us know the author.

    I'd think it would be appropriate to issue an apology for falsely accusing someone of sock-puppeting the forum. That's just one person's opinion, though.
    Last edited by woodrobin; October 23rd, 2012 at 10:19 PM. Reason: I calmed down and rethought my tone.

  9. #29
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    Re: Pivacy issue in v12.10

    Quote Originally Posted by teslasmoustache View Post
    What if those keywords happen to be "tor" or "freenet"?
    This post has been bugging me. Why would you type "tor" or "freenet" in the Dash? If you want to install a tor client, why wouldn't you just open either the Ubuntu Software Center or Synaptic and install it? Although that would, admittedly, send that request to a server maintained by Canonical. Which, by the way, has been the case since Warthog came out.

    If you want to install freenet, which uses java, you'd presumably go to the freenet website and download it. Although again you're sending and receiving information over the internet in order to do so.

    I personally wouldn't run either tor or freenet from the Dash; if, for instance, I were running tor, I'd have it set up to run automatically every time I turned on my computer. Maybe with a little onion in my indicator bar to let me know I'm connected to the tor network, or something.

    So, again, why would you type either of those particular words in the Dash?
    If you are asking about a problem with your system, make sure to give details about your setup. OTHERWISE, NO ONE CAN HELP YOU.

  10. #30
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    Re: Pivacy issue in v12.10

    Quote Originally Posted by thatguruguy View Post
    This post has been bugging me. Why would you type "tor" or "freenet" in the Dash? If you want to install a tor client, why wouldn't you just open either the Ubuntu Software Center or Synaptic and install it?
    Because:

    It makes perfect sense to integrate Amazon search results in the Dash, because the Home Lens of the Dash should let you find *anything* anywhere. Over time, we’ll make the Dash smarter and smarter, so you can just ask for whatever you want, and it will Just Work.


    The Home Lens of the Dash is a “give me X” experience. You hit the Super key, and say what you want, and we do our best to figure out what you mean, and give you that.
    That's the Word from Mark Shuttleworth.

    Your specific example depends on knowing where to go to install the software, and having the requisite expertise to circumvent the design and purpose of the Dash. In your case, it is an unnecessary step interposed between what you want to do and where you need to go to do it. In other words, you're not the person the Dash was designed for. For you, as for myself and I suspect many others, it is a solution in search of a problem.

    If you're using the Dash in the manner that Mark Shuttleworth seems to intend, it would be your first step on the journey to anywhere you want to go and anything you want to do.

    To me, the Dash is the midichlorians of Ubuntu: it fixes a problem I never had and adds something to the experience that I don't really want or need.

    The amount of performance, privacy or other issues I'm willing to tolerate from something I have no practical use for in the first place is unsurprisingly less than the amount of nonsense I am willing to tolerate from something I find genuinely useful or necessary.

    I think that's another element of the problem: the Dash exists outside of many users' task streams. Putting it outside of their comfort zones too only amplifies the existing problem, moving the Dash from 'do not need' to 'do not want.'

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