EA origin Spyware

Sarkil said:
It's basically the exact same system as Steam - yet no one complains about that. =/
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Big difference though is that Steam is opt-in and asks you very plainly up front if you are happy for it to collect this information.

It's the way EA have buried it in the EULA, not given any easy opt-out route and phrased in much more vague terms what they feel they are allowed to collect that has got peoples backs up.
 
Kenai said:
It's the way EA have buried it in the EULA, not given any easy opt-out route and phrased in much more vague terms what they feel they are allowed to collect that has got peoples backs up.
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The solution is pretty simple, don't use it.
 
Memphis said:
The solution is pretty simple, don't use it.
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I never said it wasn't simple, just pointing out why it's not quite 'the exact same system as Steam'.

For a lot of people I think it's just the principle of not being asked, same as if a mate asked to borrow a tenner you'd probably let them, but if they just took it you'd be a bit annoyed even if the end result of you lending them a tenner is no different.
 
Kenai said:
Big difference though is that Steam is opt-in and asks you very plainly up front if you are happy for it to collect this information.

It's the way EA have buried it in the EULA, not given any easy opt-out route and phrased in much more vague terms what they feel they are allowed to collect that has got peoples backs up.
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I think many people have never seen the Steam popup asking if its ok to send info to Valve and assume that's its doing it anyway.

I got one 2 days ago as i was messing around allot with my setup and loaded up a game that i have not played in a long time and it did not recognise my setup there maybe problem with the gfx cards and drivers with this game.

Send your config to Valve, Yes or No, Or Ignore And Play Anyway.
 
Final8y said:
I think many people have never seen the Steam popup asking if its ok to send info to Valve and assume that's its doing it anyway.
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Many people have never seen it?

I suppose if they've never installed Steam they may not have but i'm pretty sure the Steam Hardware Survey opt in window appears every time you install Steam, so you'd be hard pressed to install Steam and not see it, unless you got someone else to install it for you.
 
Kenai said:
Many people have never seen it?

I suppose if they've never installed Steam they may not have but i'm pretty sure the Steam Hardware Survey opt in window appears every time you install Steam, so you'd be hard pressed to install Steam and not see it, unless you got someone else to install it for you.
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Cant remember seeing that at install as its been a very long time and hardware info is not really an issue but as i said it did ask me 2 days ago and other times in the past.
 
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Final8y said:
Cant remember seeing that at install as its been a very long time and hardware info is not really an issue but as i said it did ask me 2 days ago and other times in the past.
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What you are describing seeing 2 days ago doesn't sound like the Steam Hardware and Software Survey to me, it's a pretty clear and distinct window.

izn82a.png


That's the window that shows you what it's about to upload after you have opted in and let it scan, I can't find a screen grab of the previous window asking if you would like to take part.

It has been doing this for years, whether you remember seeing it or not, the point remains the same - Steam asks you, Origin doesn't. That's part of what people have taken a disliking to.
 
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Kenai said:
What you are describing seeing 2 days ago doesn't sound like the Steam Hardware and Software Survey to me, it's a pretty clear and distinct window.

That's the window that shows you what it's about to upload after you have opted in and let it scan, I can't find a screen grab of the previous window asking if you would like to take part.

It has been doing this for years, whether you remember seeing it or not, the point remains the same - Steam asks you, Origin doesn't. That's part of what people have taken a disliking to.
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I do remember seeing that.
As i said its needs a fresh Steam Install for that to come up because the database info will be still in the steam folder.
Most people will be reinstalling from backs ups, click the steam.exe or install over the top of a steam folder already on a partition.

Anyway none of that matters because everyone had the option to say no at some point.

Its also one time off information and is not permission to continually gather hardware and SW info.

Sometimes if you install drivers or gfx cards that steam is not familiar with you will get a similar popup asking if its ok to send to Valve.

steampng.gif
 
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Just out of curiosity, does anyone have a link showing the information which is uploaded to Origin? I don't mean the folder scanning, but a network trace of the data being uploaded to the Origin servers? I'm quite interested to see what is sent.

[edit] I can't find anything via Google. I might do a scan tonight to see what gets sent out.
 
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Final8y said:
Anyway none of that matters because everyone had the option to say no at some point.
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Yes, that's exactly the point that I am making.

STEAM AND ORIGIN ARE DIFFERENT BECAUSE STEAM ASKS YOU AND IS AN OPT IN SERVICE, ORIGIN DOES NOT, IT JUST STARTS COLLECTING INFORMATION.
 
Not an answer to the OP, but relative so not worth a new thread....

What's the problem with Origin scanning your computer?
I haven't got it but I have steam. Let's say for example steam scans every file I have on my computer, then tells valve what I have, what I don't and what I use frequently etc... So what?
How does that negatively affect me??

Or have I completely misunderstood the concerns people seem to have?
 
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