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Ubuntu 12.10 now includes both Amazon ads in the user's dash and by default an Amazon store in the user's launcher.

http://yro.slashdot.org/story/12/09/22/ ... -installed

I wonder if this will have an influence on its user base. Consider what would happen if Microsoft did that.

It is not ad-ware and the lens will be refined in future releases. Some are making a lot out of nothing.

The definition of "adware" is "paid by advertisement displaying", right?
So it is.

/dev/urandom wrote:

Ubuntu 12.10 now includes both Amazon ads in the user's dash and by default an Amazon store in the user's launcher.

http://yro.slashdot.org/story/12/09/22/ ... -installed

I wonder if this will have an influence on its user base. Consider what would happen if Microsoft did that.

Honestly, I think this sucks right now, but, like exploder said, isn't all bad. Right now it is a new "feature" in a beta, so I think it has time to get better or go away. One of the biggest reasons I haven't completely switched to linux is becasue itunes is on Windows and Mac (although I have a much smaller need for it than I used to). Itunes is a quick and easy way to buy music - having an itunes "replacement" from a well known company like amazon wouldn't be a bad thing. On the other hand, right now they are basically in-your-face results that you might not want. I think during the installation process there should be a checkbox (yes/no), and even if it is checked, the results should be much less intrusive.

Edit: I think that this isn't adware, but it's not so far off - it is very useful IF you buy amazon music a lot. However, if you don't, it is much too intrusive and it is trying to sell you something kind of.

cwwgateway wrote:Itunes is a quick and easy way to buy music - having an itunes "replacement" from a well known company like amazon wouldn't be a bad thing.

You can 1-click-buy music from Amazon. (Admittedly they still lack something like a "music app store". The portable Amazon app store for Android already rocks.)

cwwgateway wrote: I think that this isn't adware

Where is the difference?

I don't understand - the difference between what and what?

The difference between Ubuntu's Amazon advertising crap and ad-ware.

He lies.

We don’t promote any product or service speculatively, these are not banners or spyware.

Amazon images (tracked on their servers, so Amazon knows what your IP is typing into the Dash) are basically (technically) banners, even if they just come as book covers.

they are not paid placement

Of course they are. They make a few % off every product sold by the plug-in. See what he writes later:

Most of them won’t pay Ubuntu a cent

Amazon obviously does.

Mark Shuttleworth is a liar. Period.
And people really trust him?

These do not look like ads to me.

http://benjaminkerensa.com/2012/09/22/l ... untu-12-10

Shuttleworth's own blog explains things best.

http://www.markshuttleworth.com/archives/1182

Really looks like a lot of complaining over a feature that is not really even complete just yet. It looks to me like Canonical would like to make the dash be able to find just about anything you could want eventually and it is all being developed for 14.04. No personal information is given out and ads themselves are not being displayed. It really looks like a lot of fuss over nothing to me.

They advertise Amazon products, so they are advertisements. The fact that they don't look so does not invalidate this.

I think that if you used amazon music stuff you would like this. The way I think about it is if iTunes came to linux, I would like to have an iTunes search plugin in the dash, although only under music. However, it is everywhere, which is bad, but it takes all of five seconds to remove (sudo apt-get remove).

Opt-out adware is still adware IMNSHO.

Mark Shuttleworth can do as he likes with Ubuntu, after all it is his distribution. Complaining about the shopping lens here really amounts to nothing. Canonical is a business trying to be profitable and the shopping lens will generate some revenue. Some will like the convenience and Shuttleworth has said that there are more things coming to the dash. I personally do not find anything wrong with offering these kinds of features. New users may consider things like this innovative. No one is collecting personal information and no ones privacy is in danger. I do not see big sales ads, only an icon of what I might be looking for and the feature can be bypassed by narrowing the search. I could understand complaining if there were big banners coming into the dash but that really is not the case here.

I don't think its a big enough thing to argue over - it doesn't affect linux mint, it is easily avoided, it probably will be changed in beta 2, and it could be useful to some people. If you (being /dev/urandom) think its adware, then you have the ability to not use ubuntu or protest amazon or whatever you like. My one last point is that even if it is adware, it isn't much different from what windows or os x does (apple advertises apps that they get money when they sell). I'm not saying it's right, but it isn't too bad for a new user.

cwwgateway, you have the right idea! This has no effect of any kind on Mint. I participate in Ubuntu development, it benefits Mint and I do have interest in Unity's development as well. Unity is introducing some new ideas and ways of doing things and I would like to see where they are going with the dash. I have the same interest in Cinnamon's development too. People really need to settle down and see where things are going.

If this "feature" is not hard-coded (just an add-on package), then it's as easily removed as doing a sudo apt-get purge or at the very least a way to switch it off (Privacy settings, My Unity, Unsettings, Ubuntu Tweak, etc.).

This "scandal" about Ubuntu becoming an adware distro is much ado about nothing.

If you (being /dev/urandom) think its adware, then you have the ability to not use ubuntu or protest amazon or whatever you like.

I don't use Ubuntu. Still, that does not invalidate my point.

My one last point is that even if it is adware, it isn't much different from what windows or os x does (apple advertises apps that they get money when they sell).

Where does Windows do that?

And POOF, gone are the ads. It's as simple as that.

And if you ever need a new dish washer or something, and want to support Ubuntu development for free (and Mint too, as it derives from Ubuntu): switch it on again temporarily: ....type "dish washer" in the dash, follow the Amazon link and buy that new dish washer at Amazon.

What's the problem?

The problem is that it is opt-out, not opt-in.