I'm not so sure that Feral/Aspyr included redshell in their ports. Unity games seem to be much more worrying because they may actually be able to use it on Linux.

Host files are your friend.

http://someonewhocares.org/hosts/

I recommend the sandboxing program named firejail (which is easy to use - you just type firejail, followed by the command you would have otherwise typed, such as steam). (I also recommend sandboxing / not trusting any proprietary program, even if you don't hear or read of some controversy like this one.) (Sandboxing Steam also sandboxes all programs started via Steam.) (If you're using Debian, you can find firejail in its repositories.)

Edit:
Actually, did I misunderstand what it's tracking, exactly?

Quoting: s8as8aI recommend the sandboxing program named firejail (which is easy to use - you just type firejail, followed by the command you would have otherwise typed, such as steam). (I also recommend sandboxing / not trusting any proprietary program, even if you don't hear or read of some controversy like this one.) (Sandboxing Steam also sandboxes all programs started via Steam.) (If you're using Debian, you can find firejail in its repositories.)

Edit:
Actually, did I misunderstand what it's tracking, exactly?

Thanks for the program , will check it out.
It tracks how successful ad campaigns are.
It collects OS , monitor resolution , browsers installed , IP address etc.
They say that it is sent in hash and it won't uniquely identify you , but I do not trust it especially since it is opt-in by default.

More than that, they even explicitly state it tracks what sites you visit and videos you open. The spooks try to deflect criticism by playing with language: "...we are tracking what machines do..." instead of "...we are tracking what users do..."

This only pushes me even further toward simply following a no proprietary anything rule even for games. Are we going to have to start testing every game we buy through wireshark?

Quoting: GustyGhostThis only pushes me even further toward simply following a no proprietary anything rule even for games. Are we going to have to start testing every game we buy through wireshark?

You're right... But "when" the games will be ALL DRM-free, we'll have to open source ALL of them...
It will be hard and I don't expect all of Linux users to be agree with that, unfortunately.

Quoting: Cyril

Quoting: GustyGhostThis only pushes me even further toward simply following a no proprietary anything rule even for games. Are we going to have to start testing every game we buy through wireshark?

You're right... But "when" the games will be ALL DRM-free, we'll have to open source ALL of them...
It will be hard and I don't expect all of Linux users to be agree with that, unfortunately.

Truth be told I'm not against closed source proprietary software.
I can understand why some companies might want to protect their intellectual property.
But more and more in this age everyone seems to want to have your data , from governments to social media and ad companies.
And when I see this under handed data slurp in games of all things I am starting to understand the people who advocate open source only more and more.

Quoting: razing32

Quoting: Cyril

Quoting: GustyGhostThis only pushes me even further toward simply following a no proprietary anything rule even for games. Are we going to have to start testing every game we buy through wireshark?

You're right... But "when" the games will be ALL DRM-free, we'll have to open source ALL of them...
It will be hard and I don't expect all of Linux users to be agree with that, unfortunately.

Truth be told I'm not against closed source proprietary software.
I can understand why some companies might want to protect their intellectual property.
But more and more in this age everyone seems to want to have your data , from governments to social media and ad companies.
And when I see this under handed data slurp in games of all things I am starting to understand the people who advocate open source only more and more.

There's always a middle ground. We need to openly boycott unethical companies who invade our privacy for profit, but there's no reason to punish the rest of them. It's not "open source" vs. "evil".

Quoting: razing32

Quoting: s8as8aI recommend the sandboxing program named firejail (which is easy to use - you just type firejail, followed by the command you would have otherwise typed, such as steam). (I also recommend sandboxing / not trusting any proprietary program, even if you don't hear or read of some controversy like this one.) (Sandboxing Steam also sandboxes all programs started via Steam.) (If you're using Debian, you can find firejail in its repositories.)

Edit:
Actually, did I misunderstand what it's tracking, exactly?

Thanks for the program , will check it out.
It tracks how successful ad campaigns are.
It collects OS , monitor resolution , browsers installed , IP address etc.
They say that it is sent in hash and it won't uniquely identify you , but I do not trust it especially since it is opt-in by default.

From what I've read, it collects enough data to uniquely "fingerprint" each user and track them across the internet. It supposedly doesn't track personal details, but I'm sure it wouldn't be hard to figure out based on the "fingerprint" and someone's browsing habits.

If you class it as spyware then I'm sorry to tell you that 99.9% of websites is infected by the "spyware" known as "google analytics".

As far as I can tell red shell does the exact same thing - provide generalized user/usage statistics, not quite sure why you'd think it sinister that they would like to know how much ram/gpu power/screen resolution/etc the people that actually play their game has. It's useful data that will help the tune the game and prioritize bug fixing; 95% of active players are Nvidia users @1920x1080p ? maybe bugs relating to that needs fixing first.

Quoting: GuppyIf you class it as spyware then I'm sorry to tell you that 99.9% of websites is infected by the "spyware" known as "google analytics".

No need for double quotes there. Anything that gathers data about me or my actions without my express consent is spying on me by any dictionary definition of the word. So yes, google analytics is spyware and that's why I do my best to block it.

Quoting: tuubi

Quoting: GuppyIf you class it as spyware then I'm sorry to tell you that 99.9% of websites is infected by the "spyware" known as "google analytics".

No need for double quotes there. Anything that gathers data about me or my actions without my express consent is spying on me by any dictionary definition of the word. So yes, google analytics is spyware and that's why I do my best to block it.

There is a legal and moral difference between "gathering anonymous data" and "spying".

Now don't get me wrong I block analytics as well with privacy badger - not because of the data it gathers but because the gathered data is used across barriers that should be isolated. That is to say I really don't want gaming, porn, business tracked as one especially since it will be used to serve up ads based on it in regardless of context. But I don't mind websites like say gamingonlinux.com gathering info about the browser/distro/etc of their visitors - just with analytics you can't have one without the other.

By contrast I see no indication that red shell pools data between various games for their own needs, or do you have a source that states this?

Quoting: Guppy

Quoting: tuubi

Quoting: GuppyIf you class it as spyware then I'm sorry to tell you that 99.9% of websites is infected by the "spyware" known as "google analytics".

No need for double quotes there. Anything that gathers data about me or my actions without my express consent is spying on me by any dictionary definition of the word. So yes, google analytics is spyware and that's why I do my best to block it.

There is a legal and moral difference between "gathering anonymous data" and "spying".

There's also a legal and moral difference between "gathering data with consent" and "gathering data without consent". Only one of these can be considered spying.

Quoting: GuppyBut I don't mind websites like say gamingonlinux.com gathering info about the browser/distro/etc of their visitors - just with analytics you can't have one without the other.

One reason to love gamingonlinux.com: no analytics. It doesn't even try to gather any data on me, except in the form of an optional monthly survey.

Quoting: GuppyBy contrast I see no indication that red shell pools data between various games for their own needs, or do you have a source that states this?

If someone gathers data on me without my consent (spies on me), I don't care how exactly they want to profit from that data. If you find that "contrast" meaningful, feel free to find out.

Quoting: tuubi

Quoting: GuppyBy contrast I see no indication that red shell pools data between various games for their own needs, or do you have a source that states this?

If someone gathers data on me without my consent (spies on me), I don't care how exactly they want to profit from that data. If you find that "contrast" meaningful, feel free to find out.

Since red shell is included in Unity3D games, which can already do the basic game data gathering by itself, red shell must be adding something to it. I haven't researched what it is exactly, but if the Unity3D stuff is not enough, it's definitely unacceptable.

A few quick side note;

• you seem pretty hung up on the "consent" part - I'm 99% certain that the EULA you agreed to with out reading through it would have a section about you accepting their Anonymous data gathering, so you have in fact given them consent.



• IIRC the classic definition of spyware would require them report on activities outside of the game.


• Sandboxing wont do much against red shell, all the information they are tracking would be available to them anyway

And finally if you really hate that they are analyzing your gaming experience, let them know by refunding the game(s) - just beware that it's not limited to just this one piece of software. Hell every game on steam does it - if in no other way then through achievements, and people seem to be ok with those?

Quoting: GuppyA few quick side note;

• you seem pretty hung up on the "consent" part - I'm 99% certain that the EULA you agreed to with out reading through it would have a section about you accepting their Anonymous data gathering, so you have in fact given them consent.



• IIRC the classic definition of spyware would require them report on activities outside of the game.


• Sandboxing wont do much against red shell, all the information they are tracking would be available to them anyway

And finally if you really hate that they are analyzing your gaming experience, let them know by refunding the game(s) - just beware that it's not limited to just this one piece of software. Hell every game on steam does it - if in no other way then through achievements, and people seem to be ok with those?

Don't they state in the EULA that they won't transfer any user data to third parties? Red Shell is a third party. Case closed.

Quoting: lucifertdarkDon't they state in the EULA that they won't transfer any user data to third parties?

There were 24 games on that list - most of which I do not own, so I certainly haven't read all of their EULAs - but if you have to ASK that I'm guessing that neither did you, so lets just assume that the lawyers did their homework and so It wont say that.

Quoting: lucifertdarkRed Shell is a third party. Case closed.

What?, no! Your previous sentence was a question not a statment, so you can't draw a conclusion from it. Don't they teach tautological consequence anymore? :O

Quoting: GuppyWhat?, no! Your previous sentence was a question not a statment, so you can't draw a conclusion from it. Don't they teach tautological consequence anymore? :O

No they teach social responsibility & acceptance instead.

If I could find the EULA for any of those games, I admit I haven't searched too hard, I'd make sure to read them.

Quoting: lucifertdark

Quoting: GuppyWhat?, no! Your previous sentence was a question not a statment, so you can't draw a conclusion from it. Don't they teach tautological consequence anymore? :O

No they teach social responsibility & acceptance instead.

I can't tell if your joking but if it's true I'm so sorry for you - it honestly the very foundation for science, math and logical thinking in general.

Maybe it's called something else where your from - surely you've come across structures like;

- All humans are mortal
- I am a human

∴ Therefor I am mortal

If this is seriously not something you've come across before you should spend an afternoon reading up on it.

Maybe you were just joking, but given that american schools are banning teaching evolution because they do not understand the distinction between scientific theory and wild speculation. I find it less unlikely that I would have in the past :|