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VSCodium – An Open Source Visual Studio Code Without Trackers

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Re: VSCodium – An Open Source Visual Studio Code Without Trackers

#101

Post by paavoova »

specialist wrote: post #88
paavoova wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This has been an issue in the past: https://github.com/Microsoft/vscode/issues/16131 Telemetry not being disabled I have disabled telemetry as described in the FAQ. I have set the following properties in the settings: [..] Now despite of this, when I log my network traffic (with Wireshark) I can see that Visual Studio Code periodically contacts vortex.data.microsoft.com. For the record, Even with: [..] I still see co…

This comment states that's the auto updater endpoint, not telemetry. https://github.com/Microsoft/vscode/issues/16131#issuecommen... Though there's no explanation for why VS Code continues to ping vortex.d.m.c even after updating is disabled. Hmmm.

That comment is replying to another post by bsr203, not the OP.

Re: VSCodium – An Open Source Visual Studio Code Without Trackers

#102

Post by wongarsu »

madprops wrote: post #99
wongarsu wrote: post #92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> MS is hosting the extensions, they could decide what applications get access to them. A better way to do that would be to add some trivial access protection (like a password they didn't accidentially publish). No matter how weak, any attempt to circumvent it would violate anti-hacking laws in most jurisdictions. > "No haha sorry you released as MIT at some point so it's now free forever mate" For you existing code…

>Instead what people usually do is to say "everything I do from now on is closed source. You can maintain a fork of the old version, but good luck keeping up with my version". Or alternatively "everything I do from now on is under [GPL/AGPL/similar restrictive license], if you want to use it beyond that contact me for a more permissive license deal". Yes this is what I was describing as reasonable. "Everything after…

To circle back to the specific case of the VSCode extension URLs, at the time they were "new stuff" they were published in a repository with an MIT license notice, effectively publishing them under MIT. For that version that license applies forever. If they change the URLs and keep the change proprietary that's fine, they just can't take back the past.

Though it should be added that I'm just expressing the common understanding, barely anything surrounding open source licenses was ever actually tested in court. There are also some obvious legal positions that would completely change this: does every change need to state the license, are open source licenses actually legally binding etc. However nobody would ever argue those positions because they are detrimental for everyone (ok, the latter one was once argued in a GPL trial, but the court decided not to decide on that)

Re: VSCodium – An Open Source Visual Studio Code Without Trackers

#103

Post by writepub »

prepend wrote: post #95
writepub wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's mighty dissonant and hypocritical of them to use and benefit from Microsoft's work and investment, and claim that their telemetry is the part they don't trust.

VSCode is OSS right? So microsoft’s Work and Investment was specifically designed to be reused without any direct financial compensation. I don’t quite understand your point. Do you think that it’s hypocrtical to use and benefit from OSS work and investment? It seems important to respect the creator’s intent and if software is released under an OSS license it’s not dissonant or hypocritical or bad to reuse, or even m…

This is a clear case of people exploiting and perpetrating FUD (fear, uncertainty and doubt), riding on Microsoft's historic reputation as not being trustworthy, and turning it to their private benefit.

If you have trust issues with Microsoft, you shouldn't be using software authored by them, as software can have backdoors and security issues hiding in plain sight (heart bleed bug, for instance).

Atom has/had the exact same kind of telemetry, but hasn't attracted this type of hysteria, because GitHub wasn't Microsoft. This is all plain and simple dogma.

Re: VSCodium – An Open Source Visual Studio Code Without Trackers

#104

Post by savant_penguin »

z3t4 wrote: post #16
jameskraus wrote: post #7

I suspect the tracking in VSCode is mainly used to improve the product. It's probably in my best interest, and the interest of the community as a whole to leave tracking on. I mean, I get it, HN is usually a more skeptical and security-focused crowd. At the same time, it's likely MS will just take that information and tailor their bugfixes and features to the things I need most, so by all means I want them to have it…

It maybe starts with simple statistics. But then you want to know what features the user use, then you want to know what other programs they have installed. Then you want to know what the users search for on the web. etc. It's a slippery slope.

IMO they could get whatever statistics they wanted, as long as they asked before collecting

Re: VSCodium – An Open Source Visual Studio Code Without Trackers

#105

Post by chii »

savant_penguin wrote: post #104
z3t4 wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It maybe starts with simple statistics. But then you want to know what features the user use, then you want to know what other programs they have installed. Then you want to know what the users search for on the web. etc. It's a slippery slope.

IMO they could get whatever statistics they wanted, as long as they asked before collecting

and also, what they intend to use said statistics for.

Re: VSCodium – An Open Source Visual Studio Code Without Trackers

#106

Post by swiley »

jameskraus wrote: post #7

I suspect the tracking in VSCode is mainly used to improve the product. It's probably in my best interest, and the interest of the community as a whole to leave tracking on. I mean, I get it, HN is usually a more skeptical and security-focused crowd. At the same time, it's likely MS will just take that information and tailor their bugfixes and features to the things I need most, so by all means I want them to have it…

The point behind open source software is that the users themselves can make pull requests when there’s something they don’t like.

A need for telemetry indicates that contributing is too difficult.

Re: VSCodium – An Open Source Visual Studio Code Without Trackers

#107

Post by userbinator »

Stuckinsofa wrote: post #96
kotrunga wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No matter what, it's an opt-out setting that can only be disabled with: "workbench.settings.enableNaturalLanguageSearch": false That's unacceptable.

Can you explain why this search feature is a problem because I don't understand?

Maybe not understanding the problem with a tool that may be used to work on proprietary code containing trade secret information silently and unexpectedly sending information out to the Internet is the reason for software becoming spyware...

Re: VSCodium – An Open Source Visual Studio Code Without Trackers

#108

Post by eridius »

z3t4 wrote: post #16
jameskraus wrote: post #7

I suspect the tracking in VSCode is mainly used to improve the product. It's probably in my best interest, and the interest of the community as a whole to leave tracking on. I mean, I get it, HN is usually a more skeptical and security-focused crowd. At the same time, it's likely MS will just take that information and tailor their bugfixes and features to the things I need most, so by all means I want them to have it…

It maybe starts with simple statistics. But then you want to know what features the user use, then you want to know what other programs they have installed. Then you want to know what the users search for on the web. etc. It's a slippery slope.

Why would Microsoft gathering usage data about VSCode turn into spying on the user's other apps and web searches? There's no connection between the two. Tracking usage of VSCode features has a clear connection towards improving VSCode. Spying on the user's activity outside of VSCode has no connection at all to improving VSCode.

Re: VSCodium – An Open Source Visual Studio Code Without Trackers

#109

Post by eridius »

pissfu wrote: post #55
ryder9 wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

you should read up on slipper slope fallacy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slippery_slope

did you read the article you linked? "Logic and critical thinking textbooks typically discuss slippery slope arguments as a form of fallacy but usually acknowledge that "slippery slope arguments can be good ones if the slope is real—that is, if there is good evidence that the consequences of the initial action are highly likely to occur. The strength of the argument depends on two factors. The first is the strength o…

Where's the link between "collecting data on VSCode feature usage" and "gathering a list of all other apps the user has installed on their system and all web searches the user does"?

Re: VSCodium – An Open Source Visual Studio Code Without Trackers

#110

Post by [deleted] »

kotrunga wrote: post #91
zeusk wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you had actually read that issue, > Lol, probably just an oversight because they made the search a lot better. > So I think it only does this on the settings file and not on other files ;) > https://code.visualstudio.com/blogs/2018/04/25/bing-settings...

No matter what, it's an opt-out setting that can only be disabled with: "workbench.settings.enableNaturalLanguageSearch": false That's unacceptable.

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