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“I saw that you spun up an Ubuntu image in Azure”

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Re: “I saw that you spun up an Ubuntu image in Azure”

#381

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I guess I don't understand the quote from Microsoft's statement. Canonical provides "implementation and technical support," right? But they're not allowed to use user data from Microsoft to market those services? How else would that data even be useful for Canonical's "implementation and technical support" services?

> But they're not allowed to use user data from Microsoft to market those services? How else would that data even be useful for Canonical's "implementation and technical support" services? The data on who was doing what would be useful for providing implementation and technical support to people who has already contracted with Canonical for those services, both for providing the service and, depending on price struct…

> The data on who was doing what would be useful for providing implementation and technical support to people who has already contracted with Canonical for those services

So then why should everyone else who doesn't have any contact with Canonical have their data forwarded to them too? This should be opt-in rather then opt-out, let alone always happening with no way to opt out

Re: “I saw that you spun up an Ubuntu image in Azure”

#382
post #282

I installed Ubuntu onto a physical machine recently because I needed to use a Linux package for something real quick. Upon trying to install the incredibly common package I was given some error about it not existing and some nonsense about using snaps. I don't care about learning how to use snaps, I just want to get something done. I quickly installed Debian instead and got back to doing the work I needed to do. It r…

Most likely you tried to run a command, this command was part of a package that has not been installed, and Ubuntu suggested to you to install a specific deb or snap package. There is a usability package 'command-not-found', which is a handler for the shell and runs when the command you tried to run, was not found. You mentioned though that you tried to install a package, the package was not found and got a suggestio…

I didn't try to run a command, I ran this exact script: https://github.com/ct-Open-Source/tuya-convert/blob/master/i...

Actually you could be right - that script does run `python3` after apt-get'ing everything it needs. Anyway..

I didn't look into it any further because I didn't feel like investing any time into learning the 'Ubuntu way'.

I installed Debian instead and it worked perfectly without any grief. It also worked perfectly on PopOS when I used it a few days later on a different machine.

Canonical can make whatever changes they want of course, I've just become increasingly less patient when it comes to machines not acting how I have come to expect. So I'll just stick to what works. Oh man - I'm becoming one of those old dudes...

Re: “I saw that you spun up an Ubuntu image in Azure”

#383

Two or three ago I spun up a quick Windows VM in Azure for about 20 cents worth of testing. Shortly afterwards I had a missed phone call and then a follow-up email from an Azure salesman inviting me to schedule time to discuss my interest in the platform. I declined and asked to be opted out of anything like that in future, and actually received a pretty unprofessional response to that. So even if Ubuntu aren't allow…

Didn't appear to be on the advertising side of things (yet...), but I had a similar experience when renewing some free Azure credits (from Microsoft Dreamspark or whatever they're calling it now).

I kinda figured it was just verifying I was a human, but I've provisioned 10~ or so other VPSes and dedicated servers with a few different providers and never got a phonecall so it was unexpected.

Re: “I saw that you spun up an Ubuntu image in Azure”

#384

Side note... the user on Twitter that originally reported this had his account locked by Twitter for posting the LinkedIn message from the Canonical sales guy. https://twitter.com/LucaBongiorni/status/1359885001844744195

Dumb question but, if his acct was locked, how did he post that?

Locks are temporary in almost every case on Twitter and will automatically release if you do what they want you to do (usually, delete it)

Re: “I saw that you spun up an Ubuntu image in Azure”

#385

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> But Ubuntu as a binary image (or source code) is a very different product than a VM with Ubuntu pre-installed. How? Why? If it's different in any meaningful way from just clicking "next" on the installer then it's no longer Ubuntu, and certainly not Canonical Ubuntu, that's pre-installed. It's become, at best, Microsoft-Ubuntu-Because-Microsoft-Added-Telemetry-For-Azure. Or it's Canoncical-Ubuntu-Configured-By-Micr…

You don't get to decide what is and isn't "Ubuntu", Canonical does. Did you likewise declare that Ubuntu isn't Ubuntu anymore when Canonical dropped Unity? or when they added snap? Or when they added or later removed the Amazon search plugin? When I'm paying for an official Azure version of Ubuntu on Azure, I darn well expect there will be a closer support relationship than the free desktop version.

> When I'm paying for an official Azure version of Ubuntu on Azure, I darn well expect there will be a closer support relationship than the free desktop version.

Okay, but maybe other people don't want that if it entails their information being shared with a company they haven't initiated a business relationship with?

Re: “I saw that you spun up an Ubuntu image in Azure”

#386

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> * I would find this message to be a lot better - "We see that you've taken advantage of the Ubuntu image* No. That's not better at all. The mere fact that Canonical has specific information to reach me when I am not a direct customer of Canonical is a complete violation of my privacy. Ubuntu is a free product. Canonical should not be able to find out if I (specifically me or my organization) allocates or runs 1 or…

It is a violation of your privacy that you may have already agreed to - presumably MS mentions this in their ToS/privacy policy that this information will be shared. They just conveniently forget to remind you that when you deploy a VM... Another interesting question: aren't you a direct customer of Canonical here? When you buy stuff off of any marketplace or though a reseller, it seems to me you are a customer for m…

I think there's a difference here; you can get Ubuntu got free outside of Azure without being a customer of Canonical, but you can't get an iPhone from Apple for free from them just by going through a different channel

Re: “I saw that you spun up an Ubuntu image in Azure”

#387

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How more reasonable it would have been for Microsoft to provide the publishers details to consumers instead of the other way around. Interesting that this is not so.

Microsoft can earn more money this way (selling data for sales purposes), so their behavior meets my expectations.

But they aren't selling the data

Re: “I saw that you spun up an Ubuntu image in Azure”

#388

I installed Ubuntu onto a physical machine recently because I needed to use a Linux package for something real quick. Upon trying to install the incredibly common package I was given some error about it not existing and some nonsense about using snaps. I don't care about learning how to use snaps, I just want to get something done. I quickly installed Debian instead and got back to doing the work I needed to do. It r…

I seriously don't get the hate... snaps are easy to manage, probably more secure than adding a bunch of PPAs (what many are doing blindly as soon as apt fails them), and I didn't notice any performance hits using them. And it seems like it's probably far easier to simply create and maintain a snap than the alternatives. If this means creators distributing and packaging their programs on their own more often rather th…

You might be right about snaps being great. I'm not giving them a fair shot, you're completely right about that.

Here is the thing from my perspective though - I have never had any trouble with apt that has made me think 'I wish to use something else'. Apt works. It does what I expect it to.

When you're just trying to get something that should be simple done the last thing you want to do is spend a bunch of time learning a new system that you didn't even ask for.

When I try to use a project that includes a quick startup script that is rendered broken by something I don't even want...well I just move on. No big deal really, I'll just use Debian and if eventually I hit a point where I want something else I'll give it a try on my own time/terms. Not in the middle of trying to do something else.

Re: “I saw that you spun up an Ubuntu image in Azure”

#389

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Microsoft can earn more money this way (selling data for sales purposes), so their behavior meets my expectations.

But they aren't selling the data

On the off chance you are not being sarcastic, do you think that Canonical got the data for free?

Re: “I saw that you spun up an Ubuntu image in Azure”

#390
post #8

The register article on this https://www.theregister.com/2021/02/11/microsoft_azure_ubunt... has responses from Canonical and MS, which shed a bit more light on the situation. The Canonical quote is the most illuminating :- "As per the Azure T&Cs, Microsoft shares with Canonical, the publisher of Ubuntu, the contact details of developers launching Ubuntu instances on Azure. These contact details are held in Canonical…

Wow. I just lost a whole lot of respect for Canonical. “If you read the document we expect nobody to read, you’d know that you sold your soul to us. We didn’t mean for you to find that out but one of our salespeople got overeager and tried to sell you your soul back. He will be reprimanded. Can we all forget about this real quick?”

You had respect for Canonical after they put ads in the OS?
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