5 ms·

any word on VSCode? should I be worried and switch back to Atom

by sweetp 8y ago

artimaeis 8y ago
Just a quick setting to flip: https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/supporting/faq#_how-to-disable-telemetry-reporting https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/supporting/faq#_how-to-di... And the relevant HN thread: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18209082 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18209082
- sweetp 8y ago
  woah, glad I asked. thanks for the links. I've updated my settings
zarex 8y ago
You're looking for this repo: https://github.com/VSCodium/vscodium https://github.com/VSCodium/vscodium These people make a VSCode build without M$ telemetry/tracking enabled.
- sweetp 8y ago
  looks great, I'll switch. I just disabled the telemetry in VSCode, but don't really trust Microsoft to do the right thing.
  - naikrovek 8y ago
    Then why are you using Microsoft software? "I don't trust my daughter to spend my money wisely. Here, daughter, have some money."
tozeur 8y ago
Serious question: Why do you care Microsoft (or any company for that matter) collects your code editor telemetry? Addendum: Check our Google Analytics, Hotjar, and Facebook ad targeting if you _really_ want to see “violation of privacy”. In reality, companies want to know how users use their products to make them better.
- mikro2nd 8y ago
  > Why do you care Microsoft collects your code editor telemetry? How about, "Because it's none of their fucking business." Microsoft has clearly gone all-in on the SV surveillance-capitalism model of doing business, and this is exactly what motivated their acquisition of GitHub imho.
  - miaklesp 8y ago
    You use the product for free and barking is it their business or not? It's NOT YOUR business. It's their product.
- oarsinsync 8y ago
  I prefer to view it from the other side: Why should anyone collect any telemetry from anything that I use without me explicitly opting in? When I run into a problem, I will opt in as necessary (usually through the process of providing a stack trace / core dump / diagnostics data as requested). Outside of that, my usage habits are my business and my business alone. Nobody needs to know how, when, or why I'm using anything without my explicit permission. Vim/Emacs don't collect telemetry on what I'm doing, both are still great (both included to avoid the holy war). EDIT: Or rather, why should I have to justify my desire for privacy? Why do I have to setup a series of DMZs, proxies, firewalls, or total disconnection, in order to retain that?
- jasonjayr 8y ago
  There was a movie on this very topic about 17 years ago. Right down to a thinly veiled character for Microsoft & Bill Gates. Migel de Icaza even has a cameo. See "Antitrust" https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0218817/ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0218817/
- pdkl95 8y ago
  If you bought a physical tool that I manufactured. Your need the tool to do your work and switching to something else would be expensive in both time and money due to interoperability problems and lost time. Do you care if I stand behind you taking notes about how you use the tool in your work? I promise I won't write down your name in my notes. I just want to know how you use my tool in your work. For research purposes. It's not a "violation of privacy"; I wouldn't take notes on what you're working on - I just want to know exactly how you use my tool in your work. I'll even be careful to not get in your way ("most" of the time). I just want to know how you use my tool so I can make it better. If I did this to you without explicit prior-authorization from you (such as a contract describing what I'm authorized to do), would you allow it? Would you order me to get off your property? Would you call the police to have me arrested for trespassing and possibly corporate espionage? Making tools out of software instead of steel doesn't grant permission to using someone's property without their explicit permission. Also, unauthorized use of private property is still unauthorized even if your goals are useful. Other companies doing the same bad behavior doesn't justify that behavior; trespassing is still trespassing even when a lot of people are doing it.
miaklesp 8y ago
Yes, please switch right now. It will improve the average IQ of the VS Code community.
- sctb 8y ago
  Please stop abusing the community by combining rude, unsubstantive comments with a pro-Microsoft agenda. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
  - miaklesp 8y ago
    I looked through the referenced document, didn't find anything about Microsoft. Are you sure that pro-Microsoft agenda is against the community guidelines?
    - sctb 8y ago
      Such agendas are against the community guidelines because they're against community.

any word on VSCode? should I be worried and switch back to Atom

by sweetp 8y ago

any word on VSCode? should I be worried and switch back to Atom

Just a quick setting to flip: https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/supporting/faq#_how-to-disable-telemetry-reporting https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/supporting/faq#_how-to-di... And the relevant HN thread: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18209082 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18209082

sweetp 8y ago
woah, glad I asked. thanks for the links. I've updated my settings

zarex 8y ago

You're looking for this repo: https://github.com/VSCodium/vscodium https://github.com/VSCodium/vscodium These people make a VSCode build without M$ telemetry/tracking enabled.

sweetp 8y ago
looks great, I'll switch. I just disabled the telemetry in VSCode, but don't really trust Microsoft to do the right thing.
- naikrovek 8y ago
  Then why are you using Microsoft software? "I don't trust my daughter to spend my money wisely. Here, daughter, have some money."

tozeur 8y ago

Serious question: Why do you care Microsoft (or any company for that matter) collects your code editor telemetry? Addendum: Check our Google Analytics, Hotjar, and Facebook ad targeting if you _really_ want to see “violation of privacy”. In reality, companies want to know how users use their products to make them better.

mikro2nd 8y ago
> Why do you care Microsoft collects your code editor telemetry? How about, "Because it's none of their fucking business." Microsoft has clearly gone all-in on the SV surveillance-capitalism model of doing business, and this is exactly what motivated their acquisition of GitHub imho.
- miaklesp 8y ago
  You use the product for free and barking is it their business or not? It's NOT YOUR business. It's their product.
oarsinsync 8y ago
I prefer to view it from the other side: Why should anyone collect any telemetry from anything that I use without me explicitly opting in? When I run into a problem, I will opt in as necessary (usually through the process of providing a stack trace / core dump / diagnostics data as requested). Outside of that, my usage habits are my business and my business alone. Nobody needs to know how, when, or why I'm using anything without my explicit permission. Vim/Emacs don't collect telemetry on what I'm doing, both are still great (both included to avoid the holy war). EDIT: Or rather, why should I have to justify my desire for privacy? Why do I have to setup a series of DMZs, proxies, firewalls, or total disconnection, in order to retain that?
jasonjayr 8y ago
There was a movie on this very topic about 17 years ago. Right down to a thinly veiled character for Microsoft & Bill Gates. Migel de Icaza even has a cameo. See "Antitrust" https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0218817/ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0218817/
pdkl95 8y ago
If you bought a physical tool that I manufactured. Your need the tool to do your work and switching to something else would be expensive in both time and money due to interoperability problems and lost time. Do you care if I stand behind you taking notes about how you use the tool in your work? I promise I won't write down your name in my notes. I just want to know how you use my tool in your work. For research purposes. It's not a "violation of privacy"; I wouldn't take notes on what you're working on - I just want to know exactly how you use my tool in your work. I'll even be careful to not get in your way ("most" of the time). I just want to know how you use my tool so I can make it better. If I did this to you without explicit prior-authorization from you (such as a contract describing what I'm authorized to do), would you allow it? Would you order me to get off your property? Would you call the police to have me arrested for trespassing and possibly corporate espionage? Making tools out of software instead of steel doesn't grant permission to using someone's property without their explicit permission. Also, unauthorized use of private property is still unauthorized even if your goals are useful. Other companies doing the same bad behavior doesn't justify that behavior; trespassing is still trespassing even when a lot of people are doing it.

miaklesp 8y ago

Yes, please switch right now. It will improve the average IQ of the VS Code community.

sctb 8y ago
Please stop abusing the community by combining rude, unsubstantive comments with a pro-Microsoft agenda. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
- miaklesp 8y ago
  I looked through the referenced document, didn't find anything about Microsoft. Are you sure that pro-Microsoft agenda is against the community guidelines?
  - sctb 8y ago
    Such agendas are against the community guidelines because they're against community.