4 ms·

Why not run an operating system which doesn't do this instead? I.e, any major non-Ubuntu Linux distro. Debian's pretty good.

sokoloff 11y ago
I'd like to ask a short diversion question: why specifically not Ubuntu?
- mike-cardwell 11y ago
  https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/10/privacy-ubuntu-1210-amazon-ads-and-data-leaks https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/10/privacy-ubuntu-1210-am... I assume the same sort of stuff is happening on Ubuntu today, but I stopped using Ubuntu on the desktop/laptop when this came out and started using Debian instead.
  - em3rgent0rdr 11y ago
    fact checking: in 2014 Ubuntu make the amazon unity thing opt in: http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2014/03/ubuntu-make-amazon-product-results-opt-unity http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2014/03/ubuntu-make-amazon-produc... but regardless, they've lost too much respect/credibility for including it in the first place, so I wouldn't trust them in general.
seyfulislam 11y ago
Why would you not recommend Ubuntu? It's been several years since last time I use desktop version but it was pretty good then.
- codingvelocity 11y ago
  Ubuntu implemented the Amazon lens by default a few years ago. People got cranky about it.
- mike-cardwell 11y ago
  It used to (not sure if it still does) send stuff which you typed into the Dash, to Amazon - https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/10/privacy-ubuntu-1210-amazon-ads-and-data-leaks https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/10/privacy-ubuntu-1210-am...
  - robotkilla 11y ago
    Linus Torvalds shit all over Ubuntu for the feature (and rightly so)... but I don't see the need to boycott the system (as he does) since it is fairly easy to disable. edit: just wanted to mention that when I first installed ubuntu I forgot to disable the feature, performed some very innocuous searches, and was shown loads of porn results from Amazon. That alone makes the feature completely worthless and frankly dangerous (depending on the environment that you're using ubuntu in).
    - mike-cardwell 11y ago
      I ditched Ubuntu when it became clear that their goals did not align with mine. I care about privacy, so I will not support an operating system which leaks personal data by default, on purpose.
      - _lce0 11y ago
        may I ask what phone OS do you use?
        mike-cardwell 11y ago
        Cyanogenmod. I use privacy guard to limit which apps get access to various sensors and data on my phone. I then use a combination of OrWall, Orbot and OpenVPN so I can choose on a per app basis one of three options: 1.) No Internet access (the default) 2.) Route through Tor 3.) Route via VPN to a server at home and out through my broadband connection (I trust my broadband ISP slightly more than my mobile network provider). This protects me on untrusted WiFi networks too. [edit] I wish I didn't have to do all this, but the smartphone OS market doesn't give me non-leaky OS options in the same way that the Desktop market does.

sokoloff 11y ago

I'd like to ask a short diversion question: why specifically not Ubuntu?

mike-cardwell 11y ago
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/10/privacy-ubuntu-1210-amazon-ads-and-data-leaks https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/10/privacy-ubuntu-1210-am... I assume the same sort of stuff is happening on Ubuntu today, but I stopped using Ubuntu on the desktop/laptop when this came out and started using Debian instead.
- em3rgent0rdr 11y ago
  fact checking: in 2014 Ubuntu make the amazon unity thing opt in: http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2014/03/ubuntu-make-amazon-product-results-opt-unity http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2014/03/ubuntu-make-amazon-produc... but regardless, they've lost too much respect/credibility for including it in the first place, so I wouldn't trust them in general.

seyfulislam 11y ago

Why would you not recommend Ubuntu? It's been several years since last time I use desktop version but it was pretty good then.

codingvelocity 11y ago
Ubuntu implemented the Amazon lens by default a few years ago. People got cranky about it.
mike-cardwell 11y ago
It used to (not sure if it still does) send stuff which you typed into the Dash, to Amazon - https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/10/privacy-ubuntu-1210-amazon-ads-and-data-leaks https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/10/privacy-ubuntu-1210-am...
- robotkilla 11y ago
  Linus Torvalds shit all over Ubuntu for the feature (and rightly so)... but I don't see the need to boycott the system (as he does) since it is fairly easy to disable. edit: just wanted to mention that when I first installed ubuntu I forgot to disable the feature, performed some very innocuous searches, and was shown loads of porn results from Amazon. That alone makes the feature completely worthless and frankly dangerous (depending on the environment that you're using ubuntu in).
  - mike-cardwell 11y ago
    I ditched Ubuntu when it became clear that their goals did not align with mine. I care about privacy, so I will not support an operating system which leaks personal data by default, on purpose.
    - _lce0 11y ago
      may I ask what phone OS do you use?
      - mike-cardwell 11y ago
        Cyanogenmod. I use privacy guard to limit which apps get access to various sensors and data on my phone. I then use a combination of OrWall, Orbot and OpenVPN so I can choose on a per app basis one of three options: 1.) No Internet access (the default) 2.) Route through Tor 3.) Route via VPN to a server at home and out through my broadband connection (I trust my broadband ISP slightly more than my mobile network provider). This protects me on untrusted WiFi networks too. [edit] I wish I didn't have to do all this, but the smartphone OS market doesn't give me non-leaky OS options in the same way that the Desktop market does.