Calibre connecting to web site - Page 2

user_none · 04-24-2011, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by w_mark

Regardless of whether the informaiton is in the source code or not, the fact you do NOT state you are doing this in the installation of Calibre (or, apart from that stat page) shows that you are prepared to be untruthful in your implementation.

Use the Mac version as there is no disclosure for you to fret over because there is no installer.

Quote:

Originally Posted by w_mark

As others here have alluded to, if this were a commercial company people would be all over you like a rash for doing this (collecting data without informing your 'customers) - so why are you any different? Just because you hide behind 'open source' does not give you any protection whatsoever.

Because no one here feels there is anything illegal, nefarious, or wrong with the data collection or disclosure.

Quote:

Originally Posted by w_mark

Final point to those saying 'read the source' - he is not distributing source code, he is distributing a compiled and working program...

You do realize that having the source code you can build it yourself and not use the distributed binaries?

Quote:

Originally Posted by w_mark

once it has bene compiled you have absolutely no idea what changes or additional code he has made to the program over and above the published source code.

Decompilation, packet sniffing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by w_mark

Which is why, with no straight answer coming back, the question is still 'what else is Calibre collecting?'

I don't now how to give a more straight forward answer than, again:

Quote:

Originally Posted by http://status.calibre-ebook.com/

Only this ID and the IP address of the computer is stored, no other identifying information is collected.

kovidgoyal · 04-24-2011, 07:18 PM

.

DiapDealer · 04-24-2011, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Only this ID and the IP address of the computer is stored, no other identifying information is collected.

Yes, but what about all the un-identifying information being collected, hmm? That's what I'm worried about.

kovidgoyal · 04-24-2011, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Yes, but what about all the un-identifying information being collected, hmm? That's what I'm worried about.

Psst, dont tell anyone, but calibre secretly scans all the files on your computer, and sends them to me. I then auction of every single file to the highest bidder. And I've been doing this for four years now, which has made me a squintillionare. And calibre records *every single* keystroke and mouseclick you ever made. And if you have a webcam it uses it to figure out what you spend most of your time looking at. Eat that, Facebook!

theducks · 04-24-2011, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

Psst, dont tell anyone, but calibre secretly scans all the files on your computer, and sends them to me. I then auction of every single file to the highest bidder. And I've been doing this for four years now, which has made me a squintillionare. And calibre records *every single* keystroke and mouseclick you ever made. And if you have a webcam it uses it to figure out what you spend most of your time looking at. Eat that, Facebook!

I want your compression algorithm

TCPview.exe shows the connection lasting so short a time that I don't get to read the whole entry , and I read fast.

kovidgoyal · 04-24-2011, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theducks

I want your compression algorithm

Well it's really simple, I just set all the bytes to zero and then run it through standard zip, works like a charm

DoctorOhh · 04-24-2011, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by w_mark

As others here have alluded to, if this were a commercial company people would be all over you like a rash for doing this

No one has "alluded to" what you're saying. In fact I have stated outright the exact opposite. Commercial companies often get away with collecting data and it often takes a lot of time and reverse engineering to expose what the commercial companies are actually doing. Whereas open source projects expose their source code to everyone and any time a open source project attempts anything nefarious the entire community rises up quickly in opposition.

Quote:

Originally Posted by w_mark

(collecting data without informing your 'customers) - so why are you any different? Just because you hide behind 'open source' does not give you any protection whatsoever.

It's understandable to approach a question out of ignorance, that's what questions are for, but as folks try to educate you and you make no attempt to understand what is being put forward you move from ignorant to troll.

Quote:

Originally Posted by w_mark

Final point to those saying 'read the source' - he is not distributing source code, he is distributing a compiled and working program - once it has bene compiled you have absolutely no idea what changes or additional code he has made to the program over and above the published source code.

OMG! how did I miss this.

My eyes are open now.

It is ashamed he hasn't made the source available in some format so any average Joe could set it up and run from the source. Maybe making public instructions on setting up that environment might make it easier for me to believe that calibre isn't eating my lunch.

Quote:

Originally Posted by w_mark

Which is why, with no straight answer coming back, the question is still 'what else is Calibre collecting?'

Asked before and answered in post 4, 13, and 16. Since you have trouble reading the section I'll quote it here just for you.

Quote:

Usage statistics

Usage statistics are collected whenever a user starts calibre. Every calibre installation has a unique ID, this ID remains unchanged by upgrades and even an uninstall/re-install. This ID is used to collect usage statistics. Only this ID and the IP address of the computer is stored, no other identifying information is collected.

If there was even a hint that there was any more data being collected, folks would be right next to you in this thread screaming to reign in Kovid and is out of control intrusive practices. As it is though you are pissing into the wind crying foul alone.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

Psst, dont tell anyone, but calibre secretly scans all the files on your computer, and sends them to me. I then auction of every single file to the highest bidder. And I've been doing this for four years now, which has made me a squintillionare. And calibre records *every single* keystroke and mouseclick you ever made. And if you have a webcam it uses it to figure out what you spend most of your time looking at. Eat that, Facebook!

Now that the cat is out of the bag does that mean my blackmail Sandwich of the Week that I have been extorting from you for the last fours years is going to stop?

kovidgoyal · 04-24-2011, 10:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dwanthny

Now that the cat is out of the bag does that mean my blackmail Sandwich of the Week that I have been extorting from you for the last fours years is going to stop?

Nah, since I'm a squitillionaire, with all my ill gotten gains, I can still afford to keep you in sandwiches.

w_mark · 04-25-2011, 12:07 AM

Certainly - but if a developer (any developer) can't be honest about what he is doing.....

As I said - you all sound like the type of people that would jump on companies like Microsoft from a great height if they were to do anything like this, but if 'one of your own' does it, then it's OK. What's good for the goose....

If Kovid can't be honest about it then - well that would make him dishonest wouldn't it? Certainly beginning to sound like he has something to hide.

Dopedangel · 04-25-2011, 12:40 AM

You are just being a troll
The calibre website says

Usage statistics

Usage statistics are collected whenever a user starts calibre. Every calibre installation has a unique ID, this ID remains unchanged by upgrades and even an uninstall/re-install. This ID is used to collect usage statistics. Only this ID and the IP address of the computer is stored, no other identifying information is collected.

Now I don't see why Kovid has to say anything else if you don't believe the statement then their is nothing he can do. But he has provided source code for the paranoid to make their own binaries and so can even disable the stats calibre collects if they want.

DoctorOhh · 04-25-2011, 05:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by w_mark

As I said - you all sound like the type of people that would jump on companies like Microsoft from a great height if they were to do anything like this, but if 'one of your own' does it, then it's OK. What's good for the goose....

You're talking gibberish. Yes we would be upset if any company (Kovid included) was dishonestly gathering data. That is the point, no one here is dishonestly gathering any data.

Quote:

Originally Posted by w_mark

If Kovid can't be honest about it then - well that would make him dishonest wouldn't it?

Kovid has been honest about everything from the start. Kovid put out his entire code base for all to see, you can't get more upfront or honest than that. Just because Kovid chose not to help you blow your own nose does not make him dishonest.

Truthfully, your thought pattern makes very little sense. Here I thought you might be more than a troll. I thought maybe you were someone who actually had a concern.

I was wrong.

Quote:

Originally Posted by w_mark

Certainly beginning to sound like he has something to hide.

What it is beginning to sound like is that I should never have given you the benefit of the doubt. It is beginning to sound like a lot of things that we are too polite to point out. But it is not beginning to sound like Kovid has something to hide.

Heeeeyyyyy! Is it possible that you created this entire thread to deprive me of my Sandwich of the Week. I told you in the 4th grade you can't have my sandwich and you're still upset about it.

(sigh) I guess it is time to expand the nature of the restraining order.

Manichean · 04-25-2011, 07:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by w_mark

Final point to those saying 'read the source' - he is not distributing source code, he is distributing a compiled and working program - once it has bene compiled you have absolutely no idea what changes or additional code he has made to the program over and above the published source code.

If you don't like it, run Calibre from source and do an audit yourself each time.

Starson17 · 04-25-2011, 03:10 PM

I run Calibre directly from source, as do many others. I also control which programs can access the Internet and which can't.

Kovid tells his users exactly what info he sends and keeps. Given the effort he has put into Calibre, it's not unreasonable for him to track how many unique users he has, and I let Calibre communicate freely. It's on e of the few programs I actually trust completely.

You are free to block communication with his servers, or to read the code you are running or to modify it so it doesn't send anything. Kovid has made it amazingly easy for users to run directly from code instead of the compiled binary. If you want to compile from scratch, you are free to do that, too. I don't know what more anyone could want.

maxsys · 04-25-2011, 05:18 PM

If you don't like it, and you don't like the developers answers, don't use it, i am sure Kovid and others won't lose any sleep over a paranoid user moaning about a free programme that is in my opinion one of the best pieces of PC software i have ever used.

DiapDealer · 04-25-2011, 09:46 PM

I change the Unique ID each time I fire up calibre... just for sh!ts and giggles. Take that you squintillionare, you.

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04-24-2011, 07:18 PM	#17
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,609 Karma: 28549044 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	.

04-25-2011, 12:07 AM	#24
w_mark Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2011 Device: Kindle	Certainly - but if a developer (any developer) can't be honest about what he is doing..... As I said - you all sound like the type of people that would jump on companies like Microsoft from a great height if they were to do anything like this, but if 'one of your own' does it, then it's OK. What's good for the goose.... If Kovid can't be honest about it then - well that would make him dishonest wouldn't it? Certainly beginning to sound like he has something to hide.

04-25-2011, 12:40 AM	#25
Dopedangel Wizard Posts: 1,798 Karma: 30548723 Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Singapore Device: Boyue	You are just being a troll The calibre website says Usage statistics Usage statistics are collected whenever a user starts calibre. Every calibre installation has a unique ID, this ID remains unchanged by upgrades and even an uninstall/re-install. This ID is used to collect usage statistics. Only this ID and the IP address of the computer is stored, no other identifying information is collected. Now I don't see why Kovid has to say anything else if you don't believe the statement then their is nothing he can do. But he has provided source code for the paranoid to make their own binaries and so can even disable the stats calibre collects if they want.

04-25-2011, 03:10 PM	#28
Starson17 Wizard Posts: 4,004 Karma: 177841 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: WinMo: IPAQ; Android: HTC HD2, Archos 7o; Java:Gravity T	I run Calibre directly from source, as do many others. I also control which programs can access the Internet and which can't. Kovid tells his users exactly what info he sends and keeps. Given the effort he has put into Calibre, it's not unreasonable for him to track how many unique users he has, and I let Calibre communicate freely. It's on e of the few programs I actually trust completely. You are free to block communication with his servers, or to read the code you are running or to modify it so it doesn't send anything. Kovid has made it amazingly easy for users to run directly from code instead of the compiled binary. If you want to compile from scratch, you are free to do that, too. I don't know what more anyone could want.

04-25-2011, 05:18 PM	#29
maxsys Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2011 Device: kindle	If you don't like it, and you don't like the developers answers, don't use it, i am sure Kovid and others won't lose any sleep over a paranoid user moaning about a free programme that is in my opinion one of the best pieces of PC software i have ever used.

04-25-2011, 09:46 PM	#30
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 28,891 Karma: 207182180 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	I change the Unique ID each time I fire up calibre... just for sh!ts and giggles. Take that you squintillionare, you.