TSR Privacy Violation
BastDawn:
Quote from: cwykes on 2009 April 02, 07:20:40
TSR hosts all my lots for me free of charge and people can find them to download. From a very narrow perspective, that works well for me; it's much less effort than running my own website and dealing with downloaders &/or hackers. They aren't charging me or anyone who downloads my lots.
They aren't charging, but they profit from it nonetheless whenever someone who downloads your stuff sees advertisements on the page -- something that wouldn't bug me much if they just stuck with advertisers to make money.
When I got sick of their greed, I moved to MTS2. Continuing to upload stuff to TSR would have easily been seen as an endorsement.
SendMeLies:
Total noob contribution to the drama: use the right tools.
www.evernote.com and take snapshots. You can share the snapshots. And it is free.
Back to lurking mode.
jfade:
Quote from: LynnMar on 2009 April 02, 21:54:00
I am through with them because I don't want any spyware in my downloads.
Normally I don't get involved in the TSR related drama, but I am sick of the tracking method TSR used a while back (it has since been discontinued so far as I know) being called spyware. Get your facts straight, people! Spyware is much more malicious than what TSR put into the package files. All TSR put into the packages was the user ID, IP address, and date that the package was downloaded. (And they have come out saying they did so here.) That's it, and it had no effect on the packages when placed in the game that I ever saw. Plus, what they stored in the packages is less than what is kept in some cookies you get from nearly every website you go to. So don't call it spyware. Unless you consider cookies spyware, in which case, go ahead, but that doesn't make it right.
Yecats:
Quote from: jfade on 2009 April 03, 20:49:45
Quote from: LynnMar on 2009 April 02, 21:54:00
I am through with them because I don't want any spyware in my downloads.
All TSR put into the packages was the user ID, IP address, and date that the package was downloaded. (And they have come out saying they did so here.) That's it, and it had no effect on the packages when placed in the game that I ever saw. Plus, what they stored in the packages is less than what is kept in some cookies you get from nearly every website you go to.
They put that info IN, but removing it makes the item unusable. By re-downloading their items from the booty, TSR are getting the user name, the ip and the PERSONAL INFORMATION of that downloader, and then breeching privacy laws by posting those details in the forum. Then they ban that user for being a "Pirate".
It may not be "spyware" but it's horrendous that there is something added to the file regardless.
A techie friend of mine has mentioned that the data may be at the beginning or the end of the file, surrounded by junk code in order to disguise it, due to it being harder to insert into the middle than it is to insert at either end. If the "watermark" was removed and replaced with junkdata containing the same checksum the file might work.
jfade:
Quote from: Yecats on 2009 April 03, 22:19:54
They put that info IN, but removing it makes the item unusable.
Bull. You have no idea how package files work do you? As a matter of fact, the Compressorizer removed the watermark when it recompressed the package (initially anyhow, it did change at some point), leaving the package intact and usable.
Quote
By re-downloading their items from the booty, TSR are getting the user name, the ip and the PERSONAL INFORMATION of that downloader, and then breeching privacy laws by posting those details in the forum. Then they ban that user for being a "Pirate".
It may not be "spyware" but it's horrendous that there is something added to the file regardless.
Personal information from an IP and a timestamp. Right. Granted they cross-checked and figured out who it was, and then posted their email address and username in the private staff forum. Hardly a breech of privacy laws. But whatever. If you have a problem with your details being added to the package files you download from TSR for your use, then don't download from the site. :P
Quote
A techie friend of mine has mentioned that the data may be at the beginning or the end of the file, surrounded by junk code in order to disguise it, due to it being harder to insert into the middle than it is to insert at either end. If the "watermark" was removed and replaced with junkdata containing the same checksum the file might work.
Your techie friend doesn't know anything about the package format either, does he?
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