If I had to guess it's for screen sharing.
How come the OS doesn't provide the list instead of each app enumerating all the proecesses itself?
Ask HN: Why does Zoom Desktop examine all processes and arguments?
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Re: Ask HN: Why does Zoom Desktop examine all processes and arguments?
#42And for people giving ways to prevent it, can you please provide some context for those of us who aren't OS experts?
"Zoom does not work on my computer*, can we try X instead?" With X = something the other end does not need to install, like Jitsi Meet for instance *no need to explain that's because you uninstalled it and blocked its domain on your computer.
A bit difficult when your org has decided to use Zoom for large meetings.
Although I nearly universally would be happy to skip those meetings, so…
Re: Ask HN: Why does Zoom Desktop examine all processes and arguments?
#43And for people giving ways to prevent it, can you please provide some context for those of us who aren't OS experts?
If you care about protecting your IP or your company from state sponsored actors it's better to avoid Zoom due to it's ties with the CCP [0]
[0] https://techcrunch.com/2020/06/11/zoom-admits-to-shutting-do...
Re: Ask HN: Why does Zoom Desktop examine all processes and arguments?
#44And for people giving ways to prevent it, can you please provide some context for those of us who aren't OS experts?
If you must use zoom, use it in a browser; uninstall their app.
I must have uninstalled their app on my Macbook ten times now but somehow it keeps coming back. I’ll click a link to join a meeting and the app launches.
Re: Ask HN: Why does Zoom Desktop examine all processes and arguments?
#45Earlier quoted context omitted.
Discord leaks which apps you're using to other people?
It “leaks” which apps you’re using if the developer explicitly talks to the discord client. Discord provides an SDK for game developers etc which can talk to discord client and show the game you’re playing and optionally let you invite people to your lobby straight from the discord chat. It doesn’t scan anything or open any processes, it just opens an IPC socket.
There's even an Emacs mode for that!
Re: Ask HN: Why does Zoom Desktop examine all processes and arguments?
#46If I had to guess it's for screen sharing.
How come the OS doesn't provide the list instead of each app enumerating all the proecesses itself?
You're looking at the API.
Also, screen-sharing can't be the reason, because X windows don't have anything to do with processes on the machine.
Re: Ask HN: Why does Zoom Desktop examine all processes and arguments?
#47Earlier quoted context omitted.
"Zoom does not work on my computer*, can we try X instead?" With X = something the other end does not need to install, like Jitsi Meet for instance *no need to explain that's because you uninstalled it and blocked its domain on your computer.
A bit difficult when your org has decided to use Zoom for large meetings. Although I nearly universally would be happy to skip those meetings, so…
You can call in by phone
Re: Ask HN: Why does Zoom Desktop examine all processes and arguments?
#48Re: Ask HN: Why does Zoom Desktop examine all processes and arguments?
#49Re: Ask HN: Why does Zoom Desktop examine all processes and arguments?
#50Zoom has a popular feature which allows for screen sharing a single application window instead of the entire desktop. I assume this is how its discovering running applications with GUI windows open in a cross-platform manner. Perhaps there is a better API for this? Its not a common use-case that an app would need to know all of the other open windows, but it seems like a perfectly valid use case, and frankly handy for sharing a PPT without fear of an embarrassing email showing up in during a meeting.