Uh-oh...

[Mike Coleman]

Tony Hammitt <thammitt at kc.rr.com> writes:
> Synopsis:  There may be 'spyware' on 'doze boxes that is reporting
> all sorts of info on users.  This spyware may be in the form of
> desktop toys.
> 
> Yes, this would be pretty scary for busineses.  Yet another reason
> to use Linux.

The situation is better under Linux.  We have to be careful about thinking
that it's better than it actually is, though.  Any program you run on a Linux
box could potentially be exercising all of the powers that your uid has on the
machine.  For Free Software or Open Source that's from a known source, that
seems fairly unlikely.  For non-open programs like (older) Netscape or the
Macromedia Flash plugin, it's really anything goes.  The only real limit is
the author's sense of ethics and/or fear of eventually getting caught.

(If you haven't already seen it, you might find this interesting:
'http://subterfugue.org/motivation.html'.) 

> We, the Open Source community, should set the standard for
> respecting the privacy of the users.  If we send tracking data
> somewhere, the user should be told and given a chance to object. 
> Just my opinion.

I agree completely, and I think the default should always be to *not* divulge
private information.

--Mike

-- 
Mike Coleman, mkc at mathdogs.com
  http://www.mathdogs.com -- problem solving, expert software development