There's a bit of buzz right now, about the canonical-census package -- a package that only exists in the Canonical Partner archive. Please read Rick Spencer's post for clarification on what the package is and what the package is not (I don't want to further explain it here).
Some Ubuntu users/members/developers have voiced opinions against this idea.
I am all for being counted as an Ubuntu user! I am a proud user of free and open source software, and I want everyone to know it. I'm happy for each of my dozens of Ubuntu desktops, notebooks, servers, and virtual machines to be anonymously counted!
I particularly like that this package is called a "census".
It makes me think of people around the world who are proud to be counted. Do you remember the "purple fingers" of so many thousands of Iraqi people after the first free election in years? I am as proud of my purple desktop as those people were of their purple fingers. Count me in ;-)
:-Dustin
Are you running popcon voluntarily on those systems now?
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JFTR, I don't have any problem with a package in Partner. My objection is to doing it in the default install without consent of the user.
ReplyDeleteI have no problem with the census package with one set of caveats. As long as it is an explicitly optional package that is never installed by default.
ReplyDeleteThe real problem with the census package is that it's installed without the user's consent or even knowledge. Thankfully it's limited to OEM installations. (For now?)
ReplyDeleteFree election after being robbed of independence and killed by bombs. lol. Having said that, Ubuntu census is really a cool thing. Hopefully we'll have a better idea on how many computers Ubuntu does runs, at least for OEMs. :-)
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