6 ms·

Where did they actually do nice things? VSCode is still not entirely open source and the official builds have spyware included.

lordofgibbons 5y ago
Thank you for saying this. For those who don't know about the open-source release of VSCode, check out https://vscodium.com/ https://vscodium.com/
- alias_neo 5y ago
  I use VSCodium every day, and recommend it over VSCode to everyone, however, due to microsoft's locked down plugins, particulary the ones related to remote development and debug, there are certain things which can be done with VSCode and not VSCodium. It's worth bearing in mind for those considering switching.
  - rzzzt 5y ago
    SSH FS, a third-party extension seems to work well with VSCodium: https://github.com/SchoofsKelvin/vscode-sshfs https://github.com/SchoofsKelvin/vscode-sshfs
    - pedro2 5y ago
      They mean Microsoft's plugins -- they just work with VSCode on purpose.
      - rzzzt 5y ago
        This one is an alternative to the remote development tooling which doesn't work on VSCodium. It is certainly not a full replacement, but you get to poke around the files on the remote system and run commands over SSH.
    - alias_neo 5y ago
      Yes, but unfortunately if you want to use something like Okteto[0] it requires the microsoft plugin. There are other third party plugins and tools tightly bound to the Microsoft ones making them unfortunately unusable. [0]https://okteto.com/ https://okteto.com/
- canada_dry 5y ago
  Sadly, MS has locked-out the extremely useful and popular PlatformIO from being available in vscodium.
Oddskar 5y ago
It's honestly weird to see "Telemetry" labeled as "Spyware" by a technical people that, quite frankly, should know better. Spyware is NOT the same as gathering Telemetry data. You can also just turn off Telemetry in VSCode in the settings. I think a vast majority of people on HN gather data on customer usage of the products that they build. Because it ultimately makes us able to tailor the products better for our customers. It's just ignorant to put this in the same category as applications that slurp up as much data as they can for e.g. ad-profiles or to sell that data off to the highest bidder.
- indymike 5y ago
  > Spyware is NOT the same as gathering Telemetry data. Telemetry and spyware differ only in the way collected data is used.
  - Oddskar 5y ago
    I would say the intent very much dictates the what and how of Telemetry as well. There's a huge difference between gathering data on feature usage of VSC vs e.g. slurping up the code from its users. A lot of software lets you opt-out from Telemetry gathering when you install it. I would not think Spyware would do this. And I feel like saying it's "only in the way collected data is used" really makes a small thing out of something that is very important. There's a very big difference in doing something maliciously and doing it to genuinely try to make your software better!
    - michaelmrose 5y ago
      Actually there are of course different levels of bad like in any other area of human endeavor. Many criminals who would happily break your car window to steal your laptop wouldn't kill you to sell your Kidneys. Lots of spyware that wants to remain on one side of a less dramatic divide simply provides "options" for example in the installer that are opt in and vaguely defined that no sane individual fully understanding his options would opt for. Such software isn't usually cryptolocking your family pictures instead its frequently grossly violating your privacy and selling your time and attention to third parties who in turn may opt to use this bought and paid for back door into your computer to waste your time or cryptolock your family pictures. Here's a clue. If you have to make a feature opt out because nobody on earth would opt in given time and expertise sufficient to understand your offer then you are victimizing your user. I cannot think of a case where any data collection being anything other than opt in would be acceptable.

lordofgibbons 5y ago

Thank you for saying this. For those who don't know about the open-source release of VSCode, check out https://vscodium.com/ https://vscodium.com/

alias_neo 5y ago
I use VSCodium every day, and recommend it over VSCode to everyone, however, due to microsoft's locked down plugins, particulary the ones related to remote development and debug, there are certain things which can be done with VSCode and not VSCodium. It's worth bearing in mind for those considering switching.
- rzzzt 5y ago
  SSH FS, a third-party extension seems to work well with VSCodium: https://github.com/SchoofsKelvin/vscode-sshfs https://github.com/SchoofsKelvin/vscode-sshfs
  - pedro2 5y ago
    They mean Microsoft's plugins -- they just work with VSCode on purpose.
    - rzzzt 5y ago
      This one is an alternative to the remote development tooling which doesn't work on VSCodium. It is certainly not a full replacement, but you get to poke around the files on the remote system and run commands over SSH.
  - alias_neo 5y ago
    Yes, but unfortunately if you want to use something like Okteto[0] it requires the microsoft plugin. There are other third party plugins and tools tightly bound to the Microsoft ones making them unfortunately unusable. [0]https://okteto.com/ https://okteto.com/
canada_dry 5y ago
Sadly, MS has locked-out the extremely useful and popular PlatformIO from being available in vscodium.

Oddskar 5y ago

It's honestly weird to see "Telemetry" labeled as "Spyware" by a technical people that, quite frankly, should know better. Spyware is NOT the same as gathering Telemetry data. You can also just turn off Telemetry in VSCode in the settings. I think a vast majority of people on HN gather data on customer usage of the products that they build. Because it ultimately makes us able to tailor the products better for our customers. It's just ignorant to put this in the same category as applications that slurp up as much data as they can for e.g. ad-profiles or to sell that data off to the highest bidder.

indymike 5y ago
> Spyware is NOT the same as gathering Telemetry data. Telemetry and spyware differ only in the way collected data is used.
- Oddskar 5y ago
  I would say the intent very much dictates the what and how of Telemetry as well. There's a huge difference between gathering data on feature usage of VSC vs e.g. slurping up the code from its users. A lot of software lets you opt-out from Telemetry gathering when you install it. I would not think Spyware would do this. And I feel like saying it's "only in the way collected data is used" really makes a small thing out of something that is very important. There's a very big difference in doing something maliciously and doing it to genuinely try to make your software better!
  - michaelmrose 5y ago
    Actually there are of course different levels of bad like in any other area of human endeavor. Many criminals who would happily break your car window to steal your laptop wouldn't kill you to sell your Kidneys. Lots of spyware that wants to remain on one side of a less dramatic divide simply provides "options" for example in the installer that are opt in and vaguely defined that no sane individual fully understanding his options would opt for. Such software isn't usually cryptolocking your family pictures instead its frequently grossly violating your privacy and selling your time and attention to third parties who in turn may opt to use this bought and paid for back door into your computer to waste your time or cryptolock your family pictures. Here's a clue. If you have to make a feature opt out because nobody on earth would opt in given time and expertise sufficient to understand your offer then you are victimizing your user. I cannot think of a case where any data collection being anything other than opt in would be acceptable.