If there is a way stop that little spy thingy in Ubuntu, it would be OK. Because I think comparing to Windows spying it's nothing.
The company behind U*buntu called Canonical collects data you search from Dash menu (start menu) and sends it to Amazon. This is enabled by default but dead simple to disable, reason is Canonical is a commercial company and almost never gets donations to be able to stay Alive. This is done by a so called 'search scope' which is a plugin you can enable/disable to get results from all sorts of things like Calculator, Picasa, Photos, Manpages, Web, Google Drive, Amazon, etc. Each can be turned on and off by going to Dash menu and looking at 'Filter results'. Code: webupd8.org/2013/10/how-to-disable-amazon-shopping.html If you want all online results to be turned off without using the above options, you can also use a option from 'System Settings' > 'Security & Privacy' > 'Search' > 'Include online search results'. Also this search result sending is only in Dash menu, which is part of 'Unity', a DE just like KDE and Xfce (U buntu K buntu X buntu). Code: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desktop_environment Also incase you bring in 'Zeitgeist', this is not a spyware data collector: A way to centralize most file/folder locations and some basic info. Easier for people to find stuff when searching in Dash menu, etc. Recent file data not scattered in user folder so much easier for programs to find or cleanup history, else very hard to do. Basically equivalent to Windows search indexing service in some way. It does not send info to evil companies. Futher than that no known data is collected except the ones you give when creating a account at 'Ubuntu Forums' or 'Ubuntu One services'. Not trying to bash (hehe), just trying to clear out some of the paranoide here, though still i found it wrong and bad to enable it by default though.
China is in the position to physically produce almost all of the electronics in the US. Co-developed between US intelligence (NSA ) and Chinese government. China produces only what they order
for sure dude....some clueless fool thinks a kernel patch will guaranty the security of billions of computer systems.
I said compensate, not guarantee. Once again, it seems like your reading comprehension problem is getting the best of you. Don't you have a Mindcraft game to get back to, as you obviously know absolutely nothing about computer and network security?
And that's just from a few of your posts in this thread! Lighten up and take a chill pill! At least you're consistent. This is a great way to post, arrogance and attack anyone and everyone who dares to differ from your opinion, name calling, insults, accusations of Windows fanboy and all the usual venom. Mods saw fit to delete your scathing attack on me in another thread, was I just an idiot or a complete moron, I had no facts to backup what I said, I couldn't read (sound familiar in this thread?) etc, etc. Lighten up and heed your own advice... Cue more venom...
Hackers love un-updated Windows, loopholes galore. Ever wonder why the updates are called "security updates"? Because they close off vulnerabilities in your Windows. Microsoft is beginning to treat telemetry and spying updates as essential core updates, soon you are not allowed to install new security updates without the spyware. You can go ahead and ignore updates, expose yourself to hackers, a good AV and firewall does not guaranteed stop traffic coming from seemingly trusted Microsoft services like svchost where hackers can hide if left un-updated. I prefer to sit here on my linux fully updated. I regularly come across linux screw ups taking time to solve, but it is worth the freedom from spying, at least I can now sleep at night without Microsoft in bed beside me.
Is there a way to turn off the Ubuntu collection of user info? What if we give false info to confuse them? The spying comes from "zeitgeist" and "geoclue", after removing those two packages from Ubuntu, it should be spy-free, correct? I am using Mint now, tempted to try Ubuntu only if the spying can be turned off completely.