Re: [Monotone-devel] Re: [RFC] M.T. phone home

On 6/13/06, Graydon Hoare <address@hidden> wrote:

Nathaniel Smith wrote:

> We all definitely agree that (0) is fine, and that (6) is not.
> Therefore, we probably each have some first number that we think would
> be unacceptable.  When you say "Don't do it", do you mean that for
> you, the line of acceptability falls between (0) and (1), (1) is
> already too much, or, can you expand on where exactly you think the
> line is?

I think that (1) is too far. I'd like to stick to surveys. Maybe surveys
plus a line asking for a voluntary dump of "mtn db info" and your
--full-version string. Maybe a command like "mtn db profile" that runs a
loopback file:// sync with a bunch of internal scoped timers and
counters, and some deeper analysis of the db structure.

I have two lines of reasoning here.

First, I fear setting up any sort of subconscious association between
our tool and privacy invasion. People believe the first and/or worst
rumor they hear. That's not about reasoning, it's about avoiding
irrational rumors and reputations.

Second, I think that it would be hard to implement properly:

  - Get the set of data to record just right
  - Get the sending-to-us system just right
  - Get the interacting-with-user system just right

This will distract a lot of attention from other tasks; each of them is
a sort of mother-of-all-bikeshed topic.

Don't get me wrong: I'd love to see trustworthy, privacy-blinded,
full-system profiling of some sort enabled on computers -- in general --
so that the system-makers could see all the annoyances they unwittingly
foist on users. But I don't think we're there yet, and I don't really
want our tool going down the road exploring it.

-graydon

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From:	Rob Schoening
Subject:	Re: [Monotone-devel] Re: [RFC] M.T. phone home
Date:	Wed, 14 Jun 2006 11:13:21 -0700