Canonical Begins Tracking Ubuntu Installations

[You-]

I assume it was too much for them to participate in smolt instead of making their own solution here?

http://smolts.org/static/stats/stats.html

[ssam]

popcon

i already install popcon on all my ubuntu/debian machines. looks like this sends less info.

[twelvedogs]

it's a great idea

Sounds awesome, having hard stats about the number of ubuntu installs is the first step to getting more software ported.

[droidhacker]

Not to mention that along with the ping, it also means they get to track your IP address. That means that you get some geographical record of where these machines are being used, but unfortunately, it also means that your identity could be compromised.... not that it isn't by regular daily internet usage, but that, at least, you have control over.

[3vi1]

Not to mention that along with the ping, it also means they get to track your IP address. That means that you get some geographical record of where these machines are being used, but unfortunately, it also means that your identity could be compromised.... not that it isn't by regular daily internet usage, but that, at least, you have control over.

Sounds like FUD to me. It only proves the machine was on, not who (if anyone) was using it.

[KAMiKAZOW]

AHAHHAHHHAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAAHAAAAAAAHAAAAHAAAAHAHA

Have you ever even SEEN the web stats? Ubuntu/stock Firefox is 51% of desktop linux, confirmed. Fedora is about three percent. Your entire platform is a rounding error, check statowl.com for yourself.

Web stats = accurate? LOL!

[yogi_berra]

They are accurate for the sites they track. Unless, of course, several billion people have bothered changing their User Agent Strings.

[Elyotna]

I'm kinda surprised by all your messages "great" or "wow we will soon know how many ppl use ubuntu yay yay".

Why did nobody say "WTF they install a program sending info over the internet without asking the user !?". I mean, yeah this program isn't "dangerous" since it doesn't send any real "personnal information", but still, I don't like the idea of Ubuntu, a system that I use, installing software like this without asking me.

It begins with this innocent thing, and then who knows what they will install on our machines..

[Arch]

I don't like the idea of Ubuntu, a system that I use, installing software like this without asking me.

Who said it's not asking? Maybe they put a checkbox into the installer, where you can choose whether you want to participade. ATM it's just a package, isn't it?

[dashcloud]

Not a huge fan, but I also don't see a better solution to the problem Canonical wants to solve: They'd like to see what the conversion rate of OEM Linux machines to something else is.
You can't just ask people about that- it's not like a program where you could have an exit survey.