EFF Wants Ubuntu To Disable Online Search By Default

sfcrazy writes "Ubuntu 12.10 met with some controversy before and after its launch about the inclusion of Amazon product listings alongside local search results. Now, the Electronic Frontier Foundation has raised concerns around data leaks and Amazon Ads. The EFF has asked Canonical to update Ubuntu so it disables 'Include online search results' by default. 'Users should be able to install Ubuntu and immediately start using it without having to worry about leaking search queries or sending potentially private information to third party companies. Since many users might find this feature useful, consider displaying a dialog the first time a user logs in that asks if they would like to opt-in.'"

Windows 8

[Anonymous Coward]

Windows 8 interface formerly known as Metro is leaking local searches like a mofo also.
Why should every thing i search locally be shared with the maker of every service and app I subscribe to?
It's batshit insane IMO but at this stage to be expected from the likes of Microsoft, Apple, Google, but Ubuntu?!?!?!!!!!!

Me: "makes me sick motherfucker, how far we done fell"
Shuttleworth: *ahhhhhhhauccccccccccck *Phlew!

http://youtu.be/1wmgghlEagA?t=3m36s

Re:Hmmm

[mynamestolen]

Linux is being used more and more by "unsophisticated" users like me and the group of elderly people I've helped by installing Lubuntu on their tired old computers. Please don't make assumptions for us about this sort of thing. As I understand it, good programmers (and hopefully that included people who make this decision, shouldn't make such assumptions.

Re:Hmmm

[techno-vampire]

I've always felt that Ubuntu is mostly targeting "Windows refugees," that is, people who want to get away from Windows for one reason or another, but don't want to buy a Mac. Unlike some (most?) Linux distros, Ubuntu tries to make everything as easy as possible for the new user including giving it a default look and feel as close to Windows as it can manage. If, as I've seen mentioned elsewhere, Windows 8 is including on-line searches by default, it makes sense for Ubuntu to do the same on the assumption that this is what most of their newest users expect. I'm not saying that this is the right decision, but then, I don't use Ubuntu so I'm not part of their target market.

Re:Someone has to pay

[WaffleMonster]

So why not be nice back and let them have some small Amazon affiliate income? If that's what it takes to keep Ubuntu running, it's fine by me.

I totally agree.

Also Maintaining bash is a lot of work, if sending all ur commands to a small Amazon affiliate is what it takes to keep bash up to date, its fine by me.

Eclipse - the IDE not the movie

[ChicoLance]

Yes, this inclusion into the Dash has gone a bit to far.

I upgraded a machine over the weekend to 12.10, and after a couple of installs of my various packages I like, I went to Unity Dash to search for "Eclipse" to see if I'd already installed the Java IDE or not.

Instead of simply saying "no", it instead gave me returns for all sorts of Twilight movies and books. Amazon probably has it on my wish list already.

I'll search Amazon when I want to search Amazon. When Dash is now the way to launch programs on my box instead of menus, I want it to launch programs.

    --Lance