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EA's Origin might contain Spyware [Update: New EULA]

Sportbilly said:
Nor me. I just don't trust them.
Same here. I don't care if people say that's impractical logic. EA seems to have gotten a lot better than they were last gen, but I don't trust them for something like this. In Valve I trust.
 
SalsaShark said:
uhm, a huge fuzz over something that was certainly an issue and got fixed?

Do you mean the fact that the EULA was vague? I can agree with that. But the only problem here was that one guy actually decided to read the EULA for once, and having never read one before, nor bothering to compare it to anything else, misinterpreted it in the worst manner possible, with the only outcome being a sentence in the EULA saying "the misinterpretation is WRONG", then I don't really see it being worth it.

EA is silly, but this was unjust bad PR.
 
SalsaShark said:
uhm, a huge fuzz over something that was certainly an issue and got fixed?
They didn't change the wording. They just added another paragraph.

If they changed the wording somewhere you might have a case. This extra paragraph just seems reactionary to the way this has been portrayed in the media.
 
Personally I think this is a big overreaction. I'm not a fan of EA or anything but all software EULAs practically give permission for the company to fuck your wife, take your kids, burn down your house, and then piss in your mouth.
 
Grinchy said:
Same here. I don't care if people say that's impractical logic. EA seems to have gotten a lot better than they were last gen, but I don't trust them for something like this. In Valve I trust.
It's pretty much a wash at this point. They started out so far ahead of the consumer confidence game, then all the day one DLC and online pass shenanigans left them about a hair's breadth above Activision.
 
If you read any games EULA, you have no rights, and they can kick you off for any reason they can think of. It's how it is.

The spyware thing, glad it was cleared up.
 
Some people... I think went over the top with this.

Scanning your PC is something even anticheats do actively. Origin could serve that purpouse too. Checking your software could mean they check if your drivers are up to date.

It's just a lot of meaningless wording that shields them against the "i didnt know you did this to me!"

But seriously the first time I read this in that forum (the one that ORIGINated all the fuzz) I was amazed by how obtuse or conspiracionist reading comprehension some people have. They outright jumped to conclusions like: "they check if you have illegally downloaded games by torrent". Sure, the EULA may be giving them right to do this, but it would mean nothing in the end. I highly doubt you'll be sending them logs that detailed, because as soon as some people look into it, they will unveil exactly what you are sending to them, making it the end of origin as a service if anything is beyond the norm.
 
blitzcloud said:
Some people... I think went over the top with this.

Scanning your PC is something even anticheats do actively. Origin could serve that purpouse too. Checking your software could mean they check if your drivers are up to date.

It's just a lot of meaningless wording that shields them against the "i didnt know you did this to me!"

But seriously the first time I read this in that forum (the one that ORIGINated all the fuzz) I was amazed by how obtuse or conspiracionist reading comprehension some people have. They outright jumped to conclusions like: "they check if you have illegally downloaded games by torrent". Sure, the EULA may be giving them right to do this, but it would mean nothing in the end. I highly doubt you'll be sending them logs that detailed, because as soon as some people look into it, they will unveil exactly what you are sending to them, making it the end of origin as a service if anything is beyond the norm.

I think the point is that no one has actually done technical research unto what it is it collects, all we know is that if they want to, they can. since you agreed to installing origin.

I really hope someone is working into intercepting the packages it sends so that everyone can find out for sure what they are snooping around for.
 
zephervack said:
I really hope someone is working into intercepting the packages it sends so that everyone can find out for sure what they are snooping around for.

Why wait when you can start now with other services such as Steam.

Eh, either way, it seems things are more clear and as always, GAF seemingly overreacting.
 
bandresen said:
They didn't change the wording. They just added another paragraph.

If they changed the wording somewhere you might have a case. This extra paragraph just seems reactionary to the way this has been portrayed in the media.

wich, in part, is because of this thread and many others, so i dont see how the thread was unnecesary :/ fan reaction forced them to add that: thread and media in general delivered.
 
After reading the directly relevant paragraphs, I am absolutely gob-smacked that there are people defending EA and Origin on this. I'm not going to cast aspersions on their motives and thought process, I'll just leave it that I'm astonished.

At this point, I almost don't care if EA fix it or not, I have no plans to use Origin. They would have to do something spectacular (after they fix the relevant problems) to convince me that they no longer see their customers as enemies and dopes to steal whatever they can from (whether that's the truth or not, that's how they're coming across).

Comparing EA, with it's long history of villainy to Valve, with it's long history of customer friendly actions is just surprising.
 
SalsaShark said:
wich, in part, is because of this thread and many others, so i dont see how the thread was unnecesary :/ fan reaction forced them to add that: thread and media in general delivered.
But they didn't change the part that people freaked out over. (The software and application part.)
This and most other threads are based on the "my applications are being spied out", not the marketing part which as a side-effect has now been removed.

Overall it's a success, it's just based on made-up allegations.
 
blitzcloud said:
Some people... I think went over the top with this.

Scanning your PC is something even anticheats do actively. Origin could serve that purpouse too. Checking your software could mean they check if your drivers are up to date.

It's just a lot of meaningless wording that shields them against the "i didnt know you did this to me!"

But seriously the first time I read this in that forum (the one that ORIGINated all the fuzz) I was amazed by how obtuse or conspiracionist reading comprehension some people have. They outright jumped to conclusions like: "they check if you have illegally downloaded games by torrent". Sure, the EULA may be giving them right to do this, but it would mean nothing in the end. I highly doubt you'll be sending them logs that detailed, because as soon as some people look into it, they will unveil exactly what you are sending to them, making it the end of origin as a service if anything is beyond the norm.
How about "check for computers personal folders holding amazing game idea/work related folders and possibly sends to EA at somepoint. It's like scanning Pentagon for no reason. And that is considered act of terrorism. Most of softwares ask your permission and/or limit the scanning to certain things. Origin forces it on you and scans everything." Unacceptable.
 
Does anyone know about the crack you can install that lets you play your legal bought game without Origin?

Has anyone tried it? And if so, is it safe and does it run ok?

EDIT: The crack is for use with BF3 Multiplayer
 
mhayze said:
Comparing EA, with it's long history of villainy to Valve, with it's long history of customer friendly actions is just surprising.

really villainy? Do we envision a board room where the CEO is stroking a cat? Luckily if I happen to be near Steam HQ Gabe will be there to greet me with a nice hot cup of cocoa.

The are both mega corporations, Valve currently has the better business model in place but the end goal for both of them is the same.
 
Bitmap Frogs said:
Apologize for the off topic, but what happened to SalsaShark?

Anyone got a link for the thread?

It was nothing overly specific; he copped a six-month ban for being a "terrible poster".

fanboi said:
Posted "first" in Bf3 OT

That may have contributed to the decision to ban him, but it wasn't the particular reason.

Edit: Oh, this thread was bumped to continue a discussion that came to a halt over two months ago. I thought it was to due to this:

I H8 Memes said:
Does Origin really scan your pc this much??

http://s7.directupload.net/file/d/2691/enxmldba_jpg.htm

http://s1.directupload.net/file/d/2691/fglehhsj_jpg.htm


A German friend tells me that it is scanning cell phone records and "steuer" is taxes. Why the hell does it need to scan all of this?
 
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