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I don't know why this is being downvoted. Atom automatically downloads updates and also hits a google analytics URL every time you open it. The latter can be p

I don't know why this is being downvoted. Atom automatically downloads updates and also hits a google analytics URL every time you open it. The latter can be prevented if you disable the metrics package but you can't turn off update auto-download. This is unacceptable for what essentially is a text editor.

hollerith 11y ago
Unacceptable to you. I'm OK with it -- at least when (like Atom) the code that does the data collecting is open source. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that using the internet to collect data on usage patterns is a sufficiently powerful technique that if web apps were the only apps able to do it, web apps would probably eventually drive out native apps (and I don't think I would like that).
- drdaeman 11y ago
  I just wrote that some default settings didn't match my personal preferences and asked if someone has a readily available guide on controlling that behavior. I suppose, would I've asked if there's a guide on, say, how to make fonts larger everywhere in the UI - it likely wouldn't raise anyone's eyebrow. Don't really see why disabling any non-explicitly-requested outgoing network connectivity is suddenly a controversial question that drove any up or downvotes.
- ParanoidAct 11y ago
  > In fact, I'd go so far as to say that using the internet to collect data on usage patterns is a sufficiently powerful technique No-one is saying that's a bad thing. What's bad is that it does this automatically without your consent, so long before you can even disable it, it's already leaking data. What's even worse is that it also send potentially sensitive data that appear in exceptions to bugsnag.com and AFAIK, there's no way to disable that by disabling the metrics collection. In fact they don't seem to tell you about it at all. https://github.com/atom/atom/issues/4966 https://github.com/atom/atom/issues/4966
ParanoidAct 11y ago
Don't forget it also automatically sends arbitrary data, possibly sensitive to bugsnag.com when an exception occurs and AFAIK, this is not covered by disabling analytics and possibly not by the privacy policy either. https://github.com/atom/atom/issues/4966 https://github.com/atom/atom/issues/4966

hollerith 11y ago

Unacceptable to you. I'm OK with it -- at least when (like Atom) the code that does the data collecting is open source. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that using the internet to collect data on usage patterns is a sufficiently powerful technique that if web apps were the only apps able to do it, web apps would probably eventually drive out native apps (and I don't think I would like that).

drdaeman 11y ago
I just wrote that some default settings didn't match my personal preferences and asked if someone has a readily available guide on controlling that behavior. I suppose, would I've asked if there's a guide on, say, how to make fonts larger everywhere in the UI - it likely wouldn't raise anyone's eyebrow. Don't really see why disabling any non-explicitly-requested outgoing network connectivity is suddenly a controversial question that drove any up or downvotes.
ParanoidAct 11y ago
> In fact, I'd go so far as to say that using the internet to collect data on usage patterns is a sufficiently powerful technique No-one is saying that's a bad thing. What's bad is that it does this automatically without your consent, so long before you can even disable it, it's already leaking data. What's even worse is that it also send potentially sensitive data that appear in exceptions to bugsnag.com and AFAIK, there's no way to disable that by disabling the metrics collection. In fact they don't seem to tell you about it at all. https://github.com/atom/atom/issues/4966 https://github.com/atom/atom/issues/4966

ParanoidAct 11y ago

Don't forget it also automatically sends arbitrary data, possibly sensitive to bugsnag.com when an exception occurs and AFAIK, this is not covered by disabling analytics and possibly not by the privacy policy either. https://github.com/atom/atom/issues/4966 https://github.com/atom/atom/issues/4966