Ubuntu got caught spying (uh oh)

[3xOSC]

So I was reading this article just now:

http://www.fsf.org/blogs/rms/ubuntu-spyware-what-to-do

About how Ubuntu is relaying information over to the Canonical servers. That's baaaaaaad, and they should feel bad. Knowing that Mint is built off of Ubuntu, what does this mean for us Mint users? How will we be affected (if it even affects us as all). And if we aren't affected, I want some assurance why.

Sorry I am making assumptions that "oh, Mint is based off of Ubuntu, this is surely gonna happen to us" but I really want to be safe and play my cards right, and to let users know what Ubuntu is doing. I think the saying of one bad apple *might* ruin the batch holds here.

[altair4]

You can turn it off or completely remove this "feature" if you want in Ubuntu: http://askubuntu.com/questions/192269/h ... m-the-dash.

I just did a search in synaptic and Mint does not have the package installed: unity-lens-shopping

Look, Ubuntu has a whole staff dedicated to developing Unity for the expressed purpose of eventually having it deployed here: http://www.ubuntu.com/devices/tv. It's users thinking that they are using a Linux desktop environment are really just beta testers on the road to that goal. This "feature" makes a whole lot more sense when used in this context than on a desktop.

[palo]

I would think that when Richard Stallman says

If you ever recommend or redistribute GNU/Linux, please remove Ubuntu from the distros you recommend or redistribute. If its practice of installing and recommending nonfree software didn't convince you to stop, let this convince you.

The statement will echo quite a bit.

Pat

[Orbmiser]

Thanks for the link and read it. And was my summation of the situation with the direction Ubuntu is taking. Stallman points out other distro's to move to. Unfortunately Mint isn't one of them being backend Ubuntu flavor.

So guess that is one negative aspect of running Mint from the Purists point of view.

[bimsebasse]

Hysterical. You can turn the feature off easily, and online integration is important to many and more and more necessary in a modern OS. Most people aren't tin hat wearers and wouldn't think an integrated shopping lens is something worth making a big fuss about, it's a big deal to a very little minority of open source extremists.

And before Minters get high-horsey, Stallman wouldn't appreciate all the nonfree packages included and enabled by default in Mint - all of which make life a whole lot easier for users but are super evil because restricted in some way or another. He was also very concerned about the major step forward for Linux that is native Steam support No wonder Linux for ages got absolutely nowhere on the desktop with people like Stallman pulling strings.

[Orbmiser]

Watched Revolution OS for the first time last weekend. And was very interesting documentary to watch.

Tho I couldn't wrap myself around Stallman's insistence to all software should be free? And his belief that everyone should be able to share ebooks,music,software,etc... without hindrance? Am a tad confused as haven't read a whole lot about him. And how does he think in the way of how programmers,musicians,authors are to make monies from their craft?

Tho love the Open Software philosophy. I don't have a problem if someone accepts payments or cash for their efforts.
And they decide to pay their rent or bills instead of infusing it back into the Open Source community.

Might have to do some more reading on him. As haven't answered my questions on his stance and beliefs and how far they extend into the society he envisions.
.