Actually, it is potentially related in that it points out how fucking stupid people can be and how they'll readily believe any bullshit they hear without evidence.
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BIG BROTHER IS EVERYWHERE!!!!!!
I'm making tin foil hats now. Just waiting on the admins to add it to the list of giftable items so I can begin to gift them here.
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This is not true and if you had done even the most basic research beyond your own ignorant Anti-EA/Origin hate you'd have easily seen that.
ALL the news items and hyperbole point to a single video made by a German user. This video showed the following
1) Using procmon it shows the process reads the header of files. This is the equivalent of VIEWING THE FILES IN EXPLORER. It does not read the data on the files.
2) The video then goes into stupid mode by saying it 'knows your diabetic' and 'looks at your taxes' simply because it does a directory listing of Program Files.
3) Unlike the video I did a wireshark analysis of the data sent from Origin. This data DOES NOT CONTAIN any of the information from the directory scan of Program Files.
The video lied and misrepresented its data in a purposeful way to deceive ignorant people. You should not stand for that.
Until anyone can provide a packet dump from Origin showing anything even remotely close to what you anti-Origin people keep claiming it does, you need to stop your ignorant rhetoric. If you want to hate Origin, base this hate on FACTS! But facts are so inconveneint to your anti-Origin hate and to your intellectual dishonesty.
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Desura does that too...if found my indie games on my HD and loaded them into Desure...OMG SPYWARE!!! Steam did it too....I downloaded Nightmare House 2 from Desura and it loaded into Steam without me doing anything
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Nope doesn't worry me at all. I'm not much of a tinfoil hat guy.
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I have nothing to hide..I'm not clueless. If you are so worried about all this play board games. But you'd have to buy those and Toys R Us might be data mining in their store with facial recognition software. They will see you bought Stratego and market more war board games to you.......
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You won't find any IT experts saying Windows is a spyware. When someone tells you such aberrations like omgwtf Windows/Origin/Desura is spyware!!!1111 you can be pretty sure he's a kid with too much time on his hands that thinks he's found breaking news.
These clients and even some OSs check your registries (which to some crazy people translates into being spied). Deal with it or don't install. Or complain on internet message boards, as some kids do ;) May i recommend gamefaqs, neogaf and 4chan?
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I still don't know if you're serious or trolling. Maybe you should take a look at CNET rather than 4chan for expert advice ?
I know - from first hands experience - of a bank that opted against updating their 10,000 computers in their branch offices to Windows Vista and went with Linux instead because of privacy concerns related to Windows 'phoning home'. I doubt the bank's security experts are a bunch of crazy kids. I could be wrong, of course.
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A bank run by crazy people doesn't mean Windows is spyware. As i said, make a thread on 4chan and complain against Windows/Origin/whatever. Don't forget to wear your tinfoil hat as you post it as the aliens have even more powerful spyware than Microsoft (or EA)...aliens have spyware for your brain ;)
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One of my friends is the IT head for one of Fuchs' factories and what he had to say about all these 'theories' is a lot less elegant than what i said ;)
You people are crazy. It's just that simple. I'm really sorry for you if you think M$ is spying on you or M$ is trying to use your computer in any malicious way via their OS.
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While it's true that Windows, Origin and whatnot do have some kind of spyware-like behaviour in the sense that they collect and send some data to their producers without direct input from the user, the fact is that 'security experts' who consider them spyware are reasonably idiotic. Both Microsoft and EA (and others) provide details of what data they'll be using in their EULA, which most people never even bother to read, but just blindly accept. They do it for their own business-related reasons and it's probably justifiable to do so. Spyware provides no notifications of such practices, as a basic, but very relevant criterion.
I'd be hesitant about the practice myself if I had any strong security issues to deal with, but I'm always free to NOT accept their agreement, and thus NOT install their software. Alternatives are available and, if some random corporation simply doesn't want ANY piece of info transmitted to tertiary parties, it usually has enough funds to design its own OS from scratch or it uses one which doesn't do stuff like that.
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"Maybe you should take a look at CNET"
HAHAHA. No.
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Protip: unplug your ethernet cable. Else, deal with it, that's how these things roll.
Personally I don't give a toss whether my registry is checked for existing games (for my convenience) or minor usage statistics are sent back to their HQ, I have nothing to hide anyway, unlike many others. If these things snoop out files or the contents thereof however, I might get cross. But so far my apps are well behaved. I guess many people object out of principle though, like OMG my very EXISTENCE is at stake because "they" know my OS!
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I object because they don't NEED to know my registry information or anything else not related to their games, so it should be my decision whether they DO know it. Which they don't, because I don't install spyware(read:Origin). Anyone who wants to put up with the crapsack that is EA, go for it, but don't come crying back after you've been mistreated.
EDIT and yes, I have nothing to hide either
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Diasagreeing with me certainly doesn't make them trolls. Posting "ZOMG FIREFOX IS SPYWARE!" or "Better delete the browser." does, for my money.
Also, just because I've given up on sayíng anything further on the issue at hand doesn't mean I won't participate in pissing contests :)
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"the analysis found that Origin will scan your entire PC and collect certain kinds of data to send data back and forth to EA to check whether serial numbers and product keys match up, whether said keys are up-to-date or whether or not they are legit, as well as activity performed with other software -- apparently for marketing purposes."
Statement from EA made at the same time as the analysis: "Origin captures limited information that is necessary to allow users to buy, download, and play games and gaming content. The information is also needed for online connections with other players and so that extra content and software updates can be delivered directly. The data is also used to detect the occurrence of smaller software errors to ensure they are repaired immediately."
They straight up lie to you about what they're monitoring.
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I'd like to point you to my post that you just replied to. My point is that the software is proven to at least view the activity performed by non-EA software (see the video I posted as well), and they say in a press release at the exact same time that it only sends information related to gaming content.
i.e. they're lying to you about what they're monitoring
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Hard to send something without viewing it first. So WHATEVER, your amazing skill at looking at 2 words in a statement and disregarding the rest has defeated me, and you can change the word "send" in my post to "view". And to be honest, I'm sick of you being a total dick about this. I can actually respect Satoru's posts because they're not filled with derision and condescension. So in that regard, I'll stop replying to you now.
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It seems to me you are a total dick since he only explained that it does not in fact view(read)/send packages about your non EA software.
Reading your dialogue, it seems you misunderstood what he was trying to explain and called him a dick for your lack of reading comprehension. Maybe you should stop replying to anyone, it's for the best :)
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I'm going to keep reposting this because people really are not doing any ACTUAL research
This is not true and if you had done even the most basic research beyond your own ignorant Anti-EA/Origin hate you'd have easily seen that.
ALL the news items and hyperbole point to a single video made by a German user. This video showed the following
1) Using procmon it shows the process reads the header of files. This is the equivalent of VIEWING THE FILES IN EXPLORER. It does not read the data on the files.
2) The video then goes into stupid mode by saying it 'knows your diabetic' and 'looks at your taxes' simply because it does a directory listing of Program Files.
3) Unlike the video I did a wireshark analysis of the data sent from Origin. This data DOES NOT CONTAIN any of the information from the directory scan of Program Files.
The video lied and misrepresented its data in a purposeful way to deceive ignorant people. You should not stand for that.
Until anyone can provide a packet dump from Origin showing anything even remotely close to what you anti-Origin people keep claiming it does, you need to stop your ignorant rhetoric. If you want to hate Origin, base this hate on FACTS! But facts are so inconveneint to your anti-Origin hate and to your intellectual dishonesty.
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Pretty much this.
Why do people even wonder why they are faced with tremendous amounts of sarcasm when they're storming the forums with such biased conjecture? All they're left with now is their own little bubble where they can now feel victimised and still keep on hating on anything that sounds evil just because 'someone said it's bad'.
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By using Valve's online sites and products, users agree that Valve may collect aggregate information, individual information, and personally identifiable information, as defined below. Valve may share aggregate information and individual information with other parties. Valve shall not share personally identifiable information with other parties, except as described in the policy below.
vs
You agree that EA may collect, use, store and transmit technical and related information that identifies your computer. We may also share that data with our third party service providers in a form that does not personally identify you.
so, what's the difference?
Both can collect personal data and share non-personal data with third parties.
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2 Consent to Collection and Use of Data.
You agree that EA may collect, use, store and transmit technical and related information that identifies your computer (including the Internet Protocol Address), operating system, Application usage (including but not limited to successful installation and/or removal), software, software usage and peripheral hardware, that may be gathered periodically to facilitate the provision of software updates, dynamically served content, product support and other services to you, including online services. EA may also use this information combined with personal information for marketing purposes and to improve our products and services. We may also share that data with our third party service providers in a form that does not personally identify you. IF YOU DO NOT WANT EA TO COLLECT, USE, STORE, TRANSMIT OR DISPLAY THE DATA DESCRIBED IN THIS SECTION, PLEASE DO NOT INSTALL OR USE THE APPLICATION. This and all other data provided to EA and/or collected by EA in connection with your installation and use of this Application is collected, used, stored and transmitted in accordance with EA’s Privacy Policy located at www.ea.com. To the extent that anything in this section conflicts with the terms of EA’s Privacy Policy, the terms of the Privacy Policy shall control.
You can read more about it here:
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/112559-Internet-Explodes-Over-Origins-Invasion-of-Privacy
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It is not. All the videos showing this supposed issue were pure hyperbole and borderline lying to make a stupid anti-EA point. The program on initial install scans Program File to find any EA games it can link to Origin. It only touches the header of these files and does not in any way read the actual contents. Here were the various lies
1) It reads your tax returns. Because some stupid German tax program put the tax files in PROGRAM FILES, Origin again only 'touched' the file to view the header. It did not 'read your tax return'. On top of the fact, what stupid programmer puts the saved tax returns in PROGRAM FILES?! That's what My Documents is for.
2) It's reading my SMS messages! Again they had an SMS program and again for some reason this stupid program stored the user data files in Program Files. Again only headers are read the data contents WERE NEVER READ.
All the other claims were of similar nature. They were taken out of context and the user who took the video blatantly lied about its impact, since you cannot load filemon and not see that the file itself WAS NOT READ.
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This video shows how Origin is scanning folders including folders containing medical data - in this case a special software for diabetes. The software is used by diabetics to log sugar levels and other medical data.
Origin scans the folders and especially reads file attributes like when a file was created and when it has been changed the last time. While the software probably does not read the contents of the files - according to the EULA it will transmit information about the installed software to EA.
EDIT Shamelessly copied from Here
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If you actually LOOK at the video it basically scans Program Files. The video is purposely created to maximize hyperbole while not actually being useful in any way. LOOK IT KNOWS YOUR DIABETIC! This is not the case. IT READS YOUR TAXES! Again absolutely not the case.
This information IS NOT SENT TO ORIGIN. I've done packet sniffing on Origin and it does not do this. The video is highly deceptive and does not actually confirm any of the inflammatory information it purports to.
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It's been said that Origin calls on a windows function that causes the outrageous scanning behavior. It's said to be happening through Origin but all it's doing is instigating a windows function that digs through more then Origin needs it to dig through. Origin doesn't do anything with the extra scanning, and I'm pretty sure i read somewhere that it's not happening anymore now.
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It's funny how some gullible people blindly and mindlessly believe what one or two random sources say, without checking the facts for themselves. Sounds elaborate and technical? Must be serious. Anti-something propaganda always finds some puppets to propagate the misinformation and hate.
We're light years away from academia, where people are encouraged to think critically...
Edit: Not that I'm defending Origin in any way, I don't like it either because I don't like EA, but this whole "OMG SPYWARE DEMONS" is getting to me. Lay off the paranoia, grow up, live and learn to use the internet.
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Thinking the world is out to get you without actual facts to support that fear (because that's what it is) is being sensible in the minds of many. That it makes them paranoid pessimists doesn't seem to register often, but then if that's how they want to go through life, that'd be their choice I guess.
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It was never about the games and organization, Origin was created only to copy all the porn from its users and save those copies directly on the PC of EA's CEO.
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That means Origin will scan all my loli animu if i install it? ALL OF MY WHY
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Not only scan, it will make various copies, burn a full CD of your spanking material and send it to your grandmother along with your holiday pictures.
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No reaction face in the world can know peace from this evil.
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I don't think their ToS says that. Please try again.
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Okay, the part with the money was only a metaphor, but the ToS did not agree with our privacy policy laws. They had to change it three times, so it must have been something wrong. As I said, they don't spy yet, but in my opinion there will be something evil in the future...
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Alternatively, German's laws are overly-restrictive. Given how they treat gaming, I'm going with that one until you show evidence of exactly what the issues were.
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Yup, but the worst Amazon-ratings ever can't lie ^^. We like our privacy-policy, but we hate our youth-protection-policy. Issues for example were: in Germany: A consumers never reads ToS(§ 305 c Abs.1 BGB). If there is something surprising => bad luck for EA. And Origins ToS is surprising.
Source: this, you may translate it if you want. But how the first page says, in the moment Origin is okay.
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Those Amazon ratings are impressive, but how many were legitimate complaints about the game and how many were idiots trolling and jumping on the bandwagon?
I'll skim through that page on a translater later. Need to go out now.
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*"By using online sites and products, users agree it may collect aggregate information, individual information, and personally identifiable information, as defined below. It may share aggregate information and individual information with other parties. It shall not share personally identifiable information with other parties, except as described in the policy below.
"Aggregate information" is information that describes the habits, usage patterns, and demographics of users as a group but does not describe or reveal the identity of any particular user.
"Individual information" is information about a user that is presented in a form distinguishable from information relating to other users but not in a form that personally identifies any user or enables the recipient to communicate directly with any user unless agreed to by the user in advance of such communication. This information may be used to improve its products and online sites, for internal marketing studies, or simply to collect demographic information about it's users.*
Replace Its for Valve.....not much difference after all.
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Origin is not a Trojan or Spyware. It's not dissimilar to Steam.
Origin does scan your registry for entries and adds some EA games to it's listing automatically AFAIK, BUT I'm pretty sure it only does that on update or installation of Origin. Not at a regular interval.
Whether the trick picking up games of other people would work, no, registry key adds product key, you can't bind the same product key to two different accounts.
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1/10 for the attempt, -1 for the grammar. SO FOLKS, WHAT'S THE TOTAL SCORE?
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To retort your points
This is not true and if you had done even the most basic research beyond your own ignorant Anti-EA/Origin hate you'd have easily seen that.
ALL the news items and hyperbole point to a single video made by a German user. This video showed the following
1) Using procmon it shows the process reads the header of files. This is the equivalent of VIEWING THE FILES IN EXPLORER. It does not read the data on the files.
2) The video then goes into stupid mode by saying it 'knows your diabetic' and 'looks at your taxes' simply because it does a directory listing of Program Files.
3) Unlike the video I did a wireshark analysis of the data sent from Origin. This data DOES NOT CONTAIN any of the information from the directory scan of Program Files.
The video lied and misrepresented its data in a purposeful way to deceive ignorant people. You should not stand for that.
Until anyone can provide a packet dump from Origin showing anything even remotely close to what you anti-Origin people keep claiming it does, you need to stop your ignorant rhetoric. If you want to hate Origin, base this hate on FACTS! But facts are so inconveneint to your anti-Origin hate and to your intellectual dishonesty.
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My point was that if you want to hate Origin that's fine but base it on something factual. You can argue the whole DLC nonsense, or the fact that the 'store' is somewhat spartan, or the fact the client isn't 'as good' as Steam. You can argue the ELUA is a bit over-reaching. Those are points that can be argued and I have no issue with that. These are things that people have opinions on and they can debate them and I welcome it.
My point was that the 'spyware' argument was entirely invalid because it's solely based upon a single video that does not even show the purported 'spyware' behavior. That was more the 'factual' basis that I was trying to show was invalid. I didn't mean to imply that there was no factual reason to dislike Origin.
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Oh noes, I just installed Origin, and it says I already have EA games like Dead Space 2 even though i got it from Steam, my Demos are all gone now, wtf?
I hate EA for spreading spywares, no, I hate Microsoft, or every company that use that sort of things to protect their interests and stop piracy.
Also, the cops are banging on my door, what am I gonna do?
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My only issue with Origin so far is it doesn't have a dedicated installer/uninstaller and I have to go to Windows' Add or Remove Programs crap to uninstall a game.
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The big issue I have with Origin is the lack of a proper backup feature for your downloads. As of now the best answer I could get from EA is to just backup the program files/xxx game directory - to restore you put the game directory back into program files then Origin will scan the game is present and create registry keys for it again. Boo urns to that.
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i just dont use origin. i never had, never will. i just like steam thats all.
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Today I learned something new about Origin. Apparently, people who bought some EA games (exaples: Mass Effect 2 or Dead Space 2) on Steam and had them installed etc, when they lately run Origin they found out they "received" those games on it.
Apparently, Origin "took a look" into your registry and system files and if he found legal EA games, then he put them on Origin account, without asking anyone if can.
If that's all true, that makes me wonder about two things: how it would react if I used my Origin account on friends PC (would I receive his games that way, would be "so cool"; or even better in some internet cafe ), and if people who had illegal copies (aka "demo") will be visited by sad men with FBI (or equivalent) badge...
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