GSi VariSpeed

[vurt]

You will never see a banner that tells you how you enlarge your penis.

aw

[kidslow]

I just installed and tested this on a Mac. Using Little Snitch I am able to block all outbound Internet connections from the plugin, with no ill effect. Still runs.

If you had a mind to, you could also prevent the counter from iterating and thus never see the pop-up. I am assuming the failed connection count gets maintained in the file ~/Library/GenuineSoundware/VariSpeed/memory.bin ... so I changed the permissions of that file and its directory to read only with no apparent ill effects.

The hue and cry here seems rather overblown, especially considering how many plugins I am aware of that make network connections. If you are really so private, you would be running an application firewall like Little Snitch already. I would not know what to recommend as an equivalent under Windows but I definitely recommend the snitch.

Thank you ZioKiller for making VariSpeed freely available.

[Kr3eM]

Collecting usage data is one thing, but pushing ads? Yeah, no thanks.

Can you please tell me where did you read that "it's pushing ads"? The word "advertising" is never used.

The EULA says "a promotional screen may be shown with useful information about other GSi products, offers, or news worth checking out." which is different from "pushing ads". No ads, just this page. It's different from the average app that shows you a banner with undesired ads compulsively.

Does it launch in the plugin or does it launch the default browser? Does it ask the user before it does?

[ZioKiller]

Does it launch in the plugin or does it launch the default browser? Does it ask the user before it does?

It launches in the same are within the plugin's window where the EULA was previously shown. This answers both your questions, because if you don't agree with the EULA you just don't run (or don't install) the software.

[VariKusBrainZ]

Whats intersting is like any true experiment the idea is to gather information to move from thesis to hypothesis and in this instance unexpected data was collected via an unexpected method, if the experimenter even picks up on that

[ZioKiller]

The EULA shown before the installer starts copying the files

0install.png

The EULA that shows up only the first time

1eula.png

The evil "ad"

2promo.png

[ZioKiller]

Whats intersting is like any true experiment the idea is to gather information to move from thesis to hypothesis and in this instance unexpected data was collected via an unexpected method, if the experimenter even picks up on that

Exactly my same thought. Only, my thought was in italian.

[Kr3eM]

Does it launch in the plugin or does it launch the default browser? Does it ask the user before it does?

It launches in the same are within the plugin's window where the EULA was previously shown. This answers both your questions, because if you don't agree with the EULA you just don't run (or don't install) the software.

I have not installed it so I have not seen the where the EULA was shown... but I assume what you are saying is that it is within the plugin. *(wrote this after the screenshots was posted)

Personally I classify such behaviour as Adware, specially if the content is not local... although not technically an issue for me since my workstations is offline, it's not compatible with my principles.

But Thanks for answering.

[MichelePicaro]

I worked on a recording software that I wanted to make free but after your statements I changed my mind. I will not give my free time to those who consider it a deception to grant a small contribution (not money) to help those who have spent whole days writing codes on keys.

[onerob]

The plugin is really good - thanks. Love the filters. I don't mind too much about gathering statistics. The only thing I think is a bit odd is collecting the user name. Is this just a by-product of the way the code gets its data, or are you actually wishing to see people's user names for some reason?

[ZioKiller]

Personally I classify such behaviour as Adware, specially if the content is not local

So... how do you consider Cubase, Studio One, Sony Vegas... all those costly applications that show their promotional screens when you launch them?

Cubase is "connecting... " to something that's not local.

cubase.png

Studio One informs me about a great discount they have.

studioone.png

Should we consider all these "adware"?
I don't want blame on these great companies and their products, but I have never seen such a reaction when someone installed Cubase and saw their ads in the Steinberg Hub. And now people are blaming me on a free plugin? Come on...

[Dozius]

Collecting usage data is one thing, but pushing ads? Yeah, no thanks.

Can you please tell me where did you read that "it's pushing ads"? The word "advertising" is never used.

The EULA says "a promotional screen may be shown with useful information about other GSi products, offers, or news worth checking out." which is different from "pushing ads". No ads, just this page. It's different from the average app that shows you a banner with undesired ads compulsively.

I consider promotional material to be ads, regardless if it's for your own products or not. I apologize if this sounded like I was accusing you of collecting ad revenue from third party ads or something.

I mean, do what you want. I was just pointing a light at the information in your EULA and FAQ so people could make an informed decision. If you are upset that people are choosing not to use your product after reading your policies, maybe consider changing your policies.

[Dozius]

No personal information is collected. And no, computer name and user name are not personal information.

This is not exactly true, by the way. If my user name happens to name_surname, this is now personal information.

See the email example on this page. The email that contains the combined name and surname is considered personal information, while the email without name and surname is not.

https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/law-topic ... al-data_en

edit: Just to be clear, I am not a lawyer and this is a tricky subject. Personally, I don't want my computer name and my user name collected and stored together by just whoever wants it. Your opinion may be different.

[Kr3eM]

Personally I classify such behaviour as Adware, specially if the content is not local

So... how do you consider Cubase, Studio One, Sony Vegas... all those costly applications that show their promotional screens when you launch them?

Cubase is "connecting... " to something that's not local.

Studio One informs me about a great discount they have.

Should we consider all these "adware"?
I don't want blame on these great companies and their products, but I have never seen such a reaction when someone installed Cubase and saw their ads in the Steinberg Hub. And now people are blaming me on a free plugin? Come on...

I'm not going to argue with you, I said personally...and it's by the actually design and function of it to run non local data without user control. I don't care for products doing these things and I don't use them to the extent possible... I have nothing against you or your products I just disagree with the need for things like this to exist. If the real intent is to get user data information then there's better ways in my opinion...if your goal is to advertise your products like the big companies you mention I guess? you are on the right track.

If there's no option to turn off such things in the applications you mention I consider them worse than Adware. I have and will continue to do my best to avoid anything like such. To put it blunt, it's like giving a doors salesman the key to your house to come and go/do as he please ...and there's never just one of them.

And now people are blaming me on a free plugin? Come on...

Please don't assume I'm blameing you for something, consider it free user feedback, companies apparently pays people to gather such things...

...and I will end by quote an earlier post since I couldn't not have said it better myself.

If you are upset that people are choosing not to use your product after reading your policies, maybe consider changing your policies.

[ZioKiller]

Right now I was modifying the server script that reads and stores the data into the database and I just dropped the columns Computer_Name and User_Name. Now I'm not sure wether they should be considered personal or not, since most of the User_Name entries were just empty, others contained unreadable characters.

Anyway, while these fields are still sent by the plugin (under SSL encrypted connection), they're now ignored by the server.
I have also modified the Q&A (that was copy/pasted earlier in this thread) so that it now reflects the data that is actually received and stored.