Live data from Hacker News

Ubuntu Will Now Have Amazon Ads Pre-Installed

yro.slashdot.org

201–210 of 240 posts

Re: Ubuntu Will Now Have Amazon Ads Pre-Installed

#201
post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What about Firefox which has shipped with Google search default since forever, which Google pays Mozilla for, which Google makes money on? Will you never use Firefox again?

Hmm, that's a valid point. I just have the idea of Linux distributions as being completely free and non-profit oriented. Also I'm used to the OS having no ads by itself, only on webpages. Guess I overreacted.

You may wanna read up on what free software actually is. The free used by the FSF generally denotes that you have access to the source code and are free to modify and redistribute it.

http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html

Re: Ubuntu Will Now Have Amazon Ads Pre-Installed

#202

Why don't they just ask for money from users? Have two versions: an ad supported one which people can easily remove the ads, and a paid version that doesn't come with the ad package by default, and maybe a few extra "premium" perks like wallpapers, themes, whatever that aren't in the FOSS repos together with extra backup space. They could charge on a par with OS X, say a total of $29 for the next two versions.

Agreed. This is what I would like to see done.

Re: Ubuntu Will Now Have Amazon Ads Pre-Installed

#205
post #140

Am I the only one here who thinks this is not disturbing at all? If you don't like it, it's not very difficult to turn off. If you find it too difficult to turn off, maybe Ubuntu is not the right operating system for you.

If this becomes an important money maker for Canonical, you just know that they will find a way to make it hard to turn off. This seems like the first step where they are willfully making the user experience worse rather than better, to fulfill a shortterm end. If this is the only way for Canonical to break even on Ubuntu, that says a lot about the future of desktop Linux in general.

"you just know that they will find a way to make it hard to turn off"

What makes you say that?

Re: Ubuntu Will Now Have Amazon Ads Pre-Installed

#207

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would buy this. Even if Acer would come with Ubuntu instead of their Linpus thing, it would be a huge win. Knowing I get a 100% Ubuntu certified laptop would make me ignore the brand.

I'm a huge fan of System76, in case you are unfamiliar: https://www.system76.com/

I know about them, but they have no presence in Europe.

Re: Ubuntu Will Now Have Amazon Ads Pre-Installed

#208

I don't think Ubuntu has really thought this through. Besides the privacy problems, making your software into adware is incredibly destructive to its image. Ubuntu can no longer be used by any self-respecting or privacy-conscious company or individual. Imagine the CTO of IBM - "So, this Ubuntu is adware? And it sends all our searches to Amazon? Are you kidding me? Get out of my office and get me a list of real OSes,…

I have opened a bug report about the privacy concerns and the negative PR, suggesting a simple fix: put the shopping lens in a separate pane, so users have to opt in.

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/unity-lens-shoppin...

Re: Ubuntu Will Now Have Amazon Ads Pre-Installed

#210

Why don't they just ask for money from users? Have two versions: an ad supported one which people can easily remove the ads, and a paid version that doesn't come with the ad package by default, and maybe a few extra "premium" perks like wallpapers, themes, whatever that aren't in the FOSS repos together with extra backup space. They could charge on a par with OS X, say a total of $29 for the next two versions.

Because very few users would actually pay. You may be generous, but they are not dumb as well.
Post reply on HN