5 ms·

I am not a fan of the somewhat common rhetoric that "ads are the new user valued content". If HP or Toshiba installed a browser tool bar into IE that gave them

by throwaway2048 14y ago

I am not a fan of the somewhat common rhetoric that "ads are the new user valued content". If HP or Toshiba installed a browser tool bar into IE that gave them everything you searched for, nobody would question calling it spyware. And if it redirected your searches to some sleazy google proxy type site, i dont think anyone would hesitate calling that advertisement.

Irregardless 14y ago
These aren't ads though, and Canonical isn't collecting this data with the intention of serving you ads -- they're just diplaying relevant Amazon results along with normal web results when you do a web search through the dash. It's also very easily disabled, and you still have the option of doing local searches confined to your machine.
- throwaway2048 14y ago
  does anyone actually want amazon product results when searching for local files? Doubtful Does Canonical make money off this arrangement? Definately so there is a display of products/services the user never asked for, that results in a monetary gain by the company pushing them. Id call that an ad.
- jiggy2011 14y ago
  I search my computer for something and it says "hey, you could buy this". sounds like an ad.
- freshhawk 14y ago
  "collecting this data with the intention of serving you ads" "they're just diplaying relevant Amazon results" How are these not ads? Especially when they have affiliate codes? I can't think of a reasonable definition of "ad" that doesn't include this.
- carlisle_ 14y ago
  Ok so when I'm searching for something on my computer I'm presented something other than the files I'm searching for right? From Wikipedia: "Advertising is a form of communication for marketing and used to encourage or persuade an audience (viewers, readers or listeners; sometimes a specific group) to continue or take some new action. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common." Sounds to me it's exactly the definition of advertising.
- mkmkmmmmm 14y ago
  There is no such thing as a "relevant Amazon result" when you are searching your apps and files.

Irregardless 14y ago

These aren't ads though, and Canonical isn't collecting this data with the intention of serving you ads -- they're just diplaying relevant Amazon results along with normal web results when you do a web search through the dash. It's also very easily disabled, and you still have the option of doing local searches confined to your machine.

throwaway2048 14y ago
does anyone actually want amazon product results when searching for local files? Doubtful Does Canonical make money off this arrangement? Definately so there is a display of products/services the user never asked for, that results in a monetary gain by the company pushing them. Id call that an ad.
jiggy2011 14y ago
I search my computer for something and it says "hey, you could buy this". sounds like an ad.
freshhawk 14y ago
"collecting this data with the intention of serving you ads" "they're just diplaying relevant Amazon results" How are these not ads? Especially when they have affiliate codes? I can't think of a reasonable definition of "ad" that doesn't include this.
carlisle_ 14y ago
Ok so when I'm searching for something on my computer I'm presented something other than the files I'm searching for right? From Wikipedia: "Advertising is a form of communication for marketing and used to encourage or persuade an audience (viewers, readers or listeners; sometimes a specific group) to continue or take some new action. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common." Sounds to me it's exactly the definition of advertising.
mkmkmmmmm 14y ago
There is no such thing as a "relevant Amazon result" when you are searching your apps and files.