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8476

General Software Discussion / Re: What the hell is OpenCandy?

« Last post by wraith808 on March 31, 2011, 03:29 PM »

I've even seen during the worst of their growing pains that severe detractors have said that the level of knowledge of what you've done seems to be absent.

-wraith808 (March 31, 2011, 01:54 PM)

You completely lost me on that one. Could you maybe rephrase it? 

-40hz (March 31, 2011, 03:13 PM)

If it was tracking your actions, then subsequent actions would be based on that information.  But several detractors have admitted that it doesn't seem to utilize or even *have* that knowledge, just based on observation.  They might actually have it and not be using it- but that wouldn't seem to make sense either.

8477

General Software Discussion / Re: What the hell is OpenCandy?

« Last post by wraith808 on March 31, 2011, 01:54 PM »

So opt out of *what* is my question that still remains unanswered?

-wraith808 (March 31, 2011, 12:21 PM)

3rd party tracking.

-app103 (March 31, 2011, 01:29 PM)

*You* aren't being tracked though.  From what I've seen (and what Renegade has shown from his experiences) it's no more intrusive than a counter on a page.  I've even seen during the worst of their growing pains that severe detractors have said that the level of knowledge of what you've done seems to be absent.

8478

General Software Discussion / Re: What the hell is OpenCandy?

« Last post by wraith808 on March 31, 2011, 12:21 PM »

I said more then I planned to in that post...so maybe I didn't communicate well.

Opt out of *what*?

Exactly, you can't, OC is included.

-cmpm (March 31, 2011, 11:47 AM)

But what do you mean?  Opt out of using the installer extensions?  So perhaps you opt out of using Installshield because you don't like them.  Or wise.  Or INNO or NSIS?  It's an extension that's not installed on your machine.  You can code your own extension that sends the *exact* same information.

So opt out of *what* is my question that still remains unanswered?

8479

General Software Discussion / Re: What the hell is OpenCandy?

« Last post by wraith808 on March 31, 2011, 11:39 AM »

The difference is that there is no opt out of OC when installing.

-cmpm (March 31, 2011, 11:26 AM)

Opt out of *what*?  OpenCandy is more akin to a service than an application.  It doesn't install anything that's not required to have a clean uninstall, nor does it do anything other than during installation if you don't opt-in.  If you go to a site on the internet and it displays a page before you can access the site that has an ad that you choose not to install and even choose not to allow to show by the use of adblockers, it can *still* get information akin to the stated OC information, i.e. that you came to the page, whether you click through to an ad, and whether you click through to the main site.  Is anyone asking pages that do this to disclose that they're keeping track of who lands on the page?  And this is not a hypothetical situation; I know of a few popular sites that I visit that do this exact same thing.

8480

Living Room / Re: The "Cloud" Goes Up in Smoke

« Last post by wraith808 on March 31, 2011, 11:32 AM »

This story will become increasingly familiar as the new internet boomlets burst. First and last, it's about making money, not about providing service. The quaint idea of working capital is never given a thought.

-zridling (March 31, 2011, 10:28 AM)

And this is why I can't embrace storage in the cloud. It's not reliable.

-app103 (March 31, 2011, 10:34 AM)

It's just like everything else though in regards to reliability; you get what you pay for.  I have storage in the cloud on Amazon's servers and my own, and I pay for the storage, so I demand a higher level of service and reliability, and I get it.  What I'm more wary of is quote-unquote free services.

8481

General Software Discussion / Re: What the hell is OpenCandy?

« Last post by wraith808 on March 31, 2011, 10:44 AM »

What is commendable, however, is that they clearly call attention to the fact they are using it right on the download page. Which is more than most publishers are doing. And which is all that 90% of the people who are objecting to OC are asking for: Being told - up front - that it is going to be installed.

Of course, providing the user with notification and an easily selectable option to not have it load at all when you run the installer would be nice...but the makers of OC seem to be quietly adamant that that is not going to happen.

-40hz (March 31, 2011, 02:31 AM)

Nothing is being installed though, unless you install the application in question, right?  And why should that be different than everything else?  It seems to me that they're being held to a different/higher standard based on what people assume that OC is/does...

8482

General Software Discussion / Re: What the hell is OpenCandy?

« Last post by wraith808 on March 30, 2011, 02:49 PM »

Looking at the signatures and comparing it to renegade's shot, I'd surmise (though might be wrong) that it seems like the first one is to get offers, and the second one is to track # of installs of the product.  It gives some interesting heuristics on the client page, and those would require this sort of non-identifying information.

Thinking about it more, IMO the problem arises when identifying or intrusive information is culled and sent.  However, there seems to be a problem on the other (AV) side also- I truly doubt that they are investigating the content of these transmissions.  So they give a negative message based on less than full facts- security by FUD?

8483

Site/Forum Features / Re: Suggestion: Kickstarter Featurer

« Last post by wraith808 on March 30, 2011, 02:43 PM »

^ I was just about to suggest that same outlet for culling interesting projects - the newsletter.  There's also http://www.indiegogo.com/.  Maybe both could be sources of interesting projects.  Are we looking towards software projects only, or any projects?

I'd be willing to help if RGDot wants to split the responsibilities... seems like an interesting idea.

8484

General Software Discussion / Re: What the hell is OpenCandy?

« Last post by wraith808 on March 30, 2011, 01:17 PM »

For what it's worth, Nod32 blocked 2 internet connections to OpenCandy when installing the latest Photo Resizer with OC.
Stopping the install of OCSetupHlp.dll and any other programs being offered.

Photo Resizer did install even with nod blocking the connection to OC.

Just for your info...

-cmpm (March 29, 2011, 07:21 PM)

Thanks for that.

This is really a problem. AV vendors should be focusing on developing technologies that prevent the real bad guys and not this kind of silliness.

You'd think that it would be easy to make a dime... Literally.

-Renegade (March 30, 2011, 11:09 AM)

(Playing both sides of the fence )

The problem arises in determining who the bad guys are.  It doesn't seem as if OC is bad, but a lot of the bad guys didn't seem so in the beginning either.  Communication is communication, and some people are paranoid about *anything* communicating that they don't know about.

But then again, if this is to meter impressions and click through, then does that act of metering have to be explicitly OK'd?  And if so, does that break the system?  Maybe on the OC disclaimer, they should state that it connects to the internet to track views- but then again, are we to the point where that is necessary?

8485

Official Announcements / Re: March 2011 DonationCoder.com Fundraiser Celebration -- Pledges?

« Last post by wraith808 on March 30, 2011, 08:59 AM »

^ That's actually a very good idea, IMO.  I know people have a lot against Adwords, but what about another advertising engine?  I saw one that was highly recommended for transparency and the general awareness of the company- though of course I can't find it now.  I think it was discussed here before...

UPDATE: Project Wonderful is what I was referring to - http://www.projectwonderful.com.  I can't currently get to it, though... not sure if my ABP is being too zealous or not.

It's discussed here, and on App's blog post here.

8486

General Software Discussion / Re: What the hell is OpenCandy?

« Last post by wraith808 on March 30, 2011, 08:53 AM »

Well, no offers of other software came up and Photo Resizer installed and works.
Searching for opencandy or OCSetupHlp.dll came up with no results.

-cmpm (March 29, 2011, 07:40 PM)

Not for offers of other software.  From looking at the agreement, they have the same concept as other advertisers, i.e. impressions and click through.  I wasn't saying that it was to get more offers, but to track impressions.  Did it say what the request was?  That (other than asking) would seem to be the way to figure out what it was trying to do...

8487

General Software Discussion / Re: What the hell is OpenCandy?

« Last post by wraith808 on March 29, 2011, 07:26 PM »

For what it's worth, Nod32 blocked 2 internet connections to OpenCandy when installing the latest Photo Resizer with OC.
Stopping the install of OCSetupHlp.dll and any other programs being offered.

Photo Resizer did install even with nod blocking the connection to OC.

Just for your info...

-cmpm (March 29, 2011, 07:21 PM)

Not sure, but I'd think that's probably for metrics and payment...

8488

General Software Discussion / Re: What the hell is OpenCandy?

« Last post by wraith808 on March 29, 2011, 06:40 AM »

On the contrary, I'd think with the changing landscape, it would have to evolve.  There will always be attempts to game the system, let alone defects and situations that aren't caught in development, so you'd have to be able to be agile for these situations.  All companies do it; some are less honest than others about the practice...

8489

DC Website Help and Extras / Re: Delete as well as Modify Button for own post?

« Last post by wraith808 on March 29, 2011, 06:38 AM »

I understand why the removal of the delete was implemented, but would it be possible to do like some other forums and let you delete for either (1) a set amount of time after posting or (2) until someone replies?

Just a thought...

8490

Announce Your Software/Service/Product / Re: Pre-launch of Super Simple

« Last post by wraith808 on March 25, 2011, 10:36 PM »

Nice site!  Very well done! 

The transparency is nice also!

8491

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: O'Reilly Japan Relief eBook Sale - 2011-03-22

« Last post by wraith808 on March 23, 2011, 12:57 PM »

^ Wow, thanks!  I thought from the phrasing it was only for the one day...

8492

Living Room / Re: Android tablets to rival iPad

« Last post by wraith808 on March 23, 2011, 12:54 PM »

My biggest quibble is with battery runtimes. I'd consider getting a tablet if they could just provide a battery that would last for a 'standard' workday (i.e. 8hrs under normal use) without needing to be plugged back in.
 

-40hz (March 23, 2011, 09:16 AM)

Today is the third full workday that I've been using* mine, and I haven't plugged it in yet.  And my battery is at 42%.

*Using includes books (writing a presentation), remote desktop, taking notes, calendar, e-mail, and browsing...

8493

Living Room / Re: Android tablets to rival iPad

« Last post by wraith808 on March 23, 2011, 10:41 AM »

^ Well, the thing is, while this isn't my gaming machine, I do want decent graphic performance (which the 550 ti gives me) in case my gaming rig goes down.  And you can't get a laptop with discrete graphics that don't suck without spending more than $800. (I wanted to set $500 for my limit, but I decided to add the extra $300 and skip lunch a few days... )

8494

Living Room / Re: App Store, Appstore, Tomato, Tomato, Potato, Potato

« Last post by wraith808 on March 22, 2011, 10:57 AM »

^ To make you burn even more, consider this... Amazon will probably settle with Apple, thereby creating precedent...

8495

Living Room / Re: Software is Boring, Apps are Fun (Hint: Apple Discussion again)

« Last post by wraith808 on March 22, 2011, 10:54 AM »

+1 for create vs. consume.

-Renegade (March 22, 2011, 06:51 AM)

I agree to a certain point- though the lines are becoming blurred for me.  I use my ipad more and more during creation for ancillary benefits to the process, i.e. having reference up while I create on something else.  Though that's definitely consumption- it does feed into the creation process...

8496

Living Room / Re: Android tablets to rival iPad

« Last post by wraith808 on March 22, 2011, 10:38 AM »

but it needs to be about 1/2 the price.

-Deozaan (March 21, 2011, 09:27 PM)

Isn't that true for all the real good stuff

-Ath (March 22, 2011, 05:07 AM)

Yes, it would be nice for all the real good stuff to be half price, but that doesn't mean that all the good stuff is overpriced. I do think the Xoom is way overpriced. For about $800 I could have a pretty nice Core i7 2600K desktop machine. A comparatively limited dual core tablet should only cost around $400 IMO.

-Deozaan (March 22, 2011, 06:19 AM)

I've been pricing out a new machine... show me how you can have a pretty good Core-i7 for $800, please.


For $799 I have a core i5 spec'd out, and no, it's not a gaming machine.

Gigabyte GTX 550 Ti Antec 650W PSU Thermaltake A30 case G.SKILL 2x2GB memory kit Seagate 500GB HD Seagate 1TB HD Intel Core i5-2400 Sandy Bridge Gigabyte GA-H61M-D2P-B3 Lite-on 24X DVD Writer

Total $799.41

8497

General Software Discussion / Re: DC member apps being promoted

« Last post by wraith808 on March 22, 2011, 10:31 AM »

See: https://www.donation....msg242377#msg242377

8498

Found Deals and Discounts / O'Reilly Japan Relief eBook Sale - 2011-03-22

« Last post by wraith808 on March 22, 2011, 10:27 AM »

One day only- all proceeds of the sale go to relief for Japan (if that makes you feel better about buying more eBooks)

http://oreilly.com/

Coupon Code: DDJPN

It doesn't apply to only the books on the sale page- I tested it with other books from O'Reilly and it worked on those also.

8499

Living Room / Re: Fascinating story about the consequences of sharing your art in the Internet age

« Last post by wraith808 on March 21, 2011, 05:01 PM »

One thing I do know however. Art & music are not necessities. If the creators of such works make the cost of acquisition too expensive - or the terms of use too onerous - people will just stop buying. And once that happens (or more to the point: once that goose that lays the golden eggs finally starves to death) the artists will either have the choice of doing something else with their lives - or accepting the buyer's terms.

-40hz (March 21, 2011, 04:25 PM)

Though not necessities in the normal definition of the term, to many of the industries that ride on the back of art and music, they are necessities.  And if they can make money in perpetuity off of the sale of that work, then why shouldn't those that they choose not to hire, but instead contract with for their services?

8500

Living Room / Re: Fascinating story about the consequences of sharing your art in the Internet age

« Last post by wraith808 on March 21, 2011, 02:33 PM »

mwb1100: I think you have just brought a very interesting addition to this conversation!
From what I understand from her flickr page, that girl isn't even a photographer, her intent sure was not to share her work with the world.

What if your "cool" facebook profile picture got used in a publicity campaign all over the world? There are no rules against it, right? (Now that I think about it, the facebook profile picture doesn't even have a copyright notice anywhere).

ps: sorry for going slightly offtopic, but I find this also very interesting

-jgpaiva (March 21, 2011, 02:29 PM)

I think a big part of this issue is not being aware of what the licenses mean... and also the flow of rights, since the photographer released it as CC... so then shouldn't the photographer be liable for any issues arising from the model since that was where the break in the link was?