Must Read: Mint 15: Today's best Linux desktop (Review)

Topic: Software

Canonical to kick off tracking of Ubuntu installations

Summary: Canonical is to begin tracking Ubuntu installations by sending a quick "I am alive" message to Canonical on a daily basis.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

By for Hardware 2.0 |

Canonical is to begin tracking Ubuntu installations by sending a quick "I am alive" message to Canonical on a daily basis.

Phoronix has the technical skinny on this:

The canonical-census v0.1 description is simply "canonical-census - send "I am alive" ping to Canonical." When looking at the Debian package source to this Python program, "Send an "I am alive" ping to Canonical. This is used for surveying how many original OEM installs are still existing on real machines. Note that this does not send any user specific data; it only transmits the operating system version (/var/lib/ubuntu_dist_channel), the machine product name, and a counter how many pings were sent."

The ping is sent to Canonical over HTTP and contains the following information:

  • The number of times this system previously sent to Canonical (counter data stored locally, indicating how many days the installation has been active)
  • The Ubuntu distributor channel
  • Product name as acquired by the system's DMI information
  • Which Ubuntu release is being used

This data is sent anonymously.

At present it seems that Canonical is only interested in tracking OEM installations. However, the package is available on Launchpad.net for all.

For those who want to remove this ping, this is what you need to use at the terminal:

sudo apt-get remove canonical-census

What do all your Linux users think about this?

Topics: Software, Linux, Networking, Open Source, Operating Systems, Software Development

Kick off your day with ZDNet's daily email newsletter. It's the freshest tech news and opinion, served hot. Get it.

Talkback

35 comments
Log in or register to join the discussion

  • RE: Canonical to kick off tracking of Ubuntu installations

    If Microsoft were to do something like this then the calls for another trip before a judge would be ringing from the hills.
    Test Subject
    Reply Vote

    • If Microsoft were to do something like this we should be very grateful...

      ...because that would mean that instead of behaving in evil ways they would be doing something completely innocuous...     for a change.
      OS Reload
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Canonical to kick off tracking of Ubuntu installations

        @OS Reload BS. If MS did this, everyone would complain that they were being tracked, that they were looking at their IP and probably much worse. And the truth is that there's absolutely no way you can know that Canonical isn't tracking your IP and thus your location.
        It may not matter, but there's no doubt that people would be up in arms if MS did this.
        notsofast
        Reply Vote

    • RE: Canonical to kick off tracking of Ubuntu installations

      @Test Subject
      Exactly! These linux shills are so ingrained into thinking linux is the end all be all they refuse to see the danger in their own software.
      Loverock Davidson
      Reply Vote

      • As usual trying to stur up trouble

        @Loverock Davidson
        Will you ever grow up
        bobtran
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Canonical to kick off tracking of Ubuntu installations

        @Loverock Davidson Wow, it would seem that Your good friends at Makeyousoft no longer have a monopoly on underhandedness.
        dalerh451960@...
        Reply Vote

    • Think again

      @Test Subject
      Do you really think that M$ doesn't keep track of every machine that connects to update...what world do you live in? Clearly not the real world that the rest of us live in.
      bobtran
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Canonical to kick off tracking of Ubuntu installations

        @bobtran lmfao. seriously, like there isn't even a point of trying to use Windows as "spy gear", once you click "Download Updates"; it's a rap.
        jacky.alcine
        Reply Vote

    • RE: Canonical to kick off tracking of Ubuntu installations

      @Test Subject But they do. Its called Windows Genuine Advantage or something like that...aka your activation process. Did you even stop and think before you said it? Just goes to show how brainwashed the MS crowd is. They don't even remember they are being tracked.

      Oh and you can uninstall this pinging app. Try uninstalling your activation app lmao.
      storm14k
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Canonical to kick off tracking of Ubuntu installations

        @storm14k lmfaooo. i mean, technically RemoveWAT gets rid of activation. but then again, it's for "educational purposes".
        jacky.alcine
        Reply Vote

    • RE: Canonical to kick off tracking of Ubuntu installations

      @Test Subject

      Because Microsoft has a history of doing things underhanded. Burn people enough times and they will never forgive you. Linux on the other hand is being open and up front about it. They haven't lied to their user base nor have they abused their user base with back door updates that were not fully disclosed.

      Microsoft created an air of distrust by their actions. They have no one to blame but themselves. It's going to take a whole lot before people trust them and believe them again. ]:)
      Linux User 147560
      Reply Vote

  • Useless!

    As an Ubuntu Linux user I really couldn't care less about that census.
    OS Reload
    Reply Vote

  • Great!

    Queue the double standard.
    People
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Canonical to kick off tracking of Ubuntu installations

      @People No...queue the sudo apt-get remove ... if you're bothered by it. Now how do you uninstall the Windows activation system?
      storm14k
      Reply Vote

    • RE: Canonical to kick off tracking of Ubuntu installations

      @People -- And you paid how much for Ubuntu? It's not like they are trying to find pirated copies or anything. And you can easily remove it if you are really paranoid.
      kitkimes41@...
      Reply Vote

  • RE: Canonical to kick off tracking of Ubuntu installations

    I can't believe that linux is trying to violate my rights! But I don't expect anything less from the linux community. They want to try to control your every move and this software is just one step closer to allow them to do that. The safest thing to do from this point forward is to remove linux from your systems if you have it installed. This will ensure that you CAN NOT be tracked. I will say NO thank you! I will not be part of any linux tracking scheme.

    linux, the crappiest OS on the planet. I stake my reputation off it.
    Loverock Davidson
    Reply Vote

    • Now that's what I call an endorsement.

      @Loverock Davidson <br><br>The Linux community is very grateful to you for all your efforts in promoting Linux.

      Thanks for staking your reputation against Linux. Keep up the good work!
      OS Reload
      Reply Vote

    • RE: Canonical to kick off tracking of Ubuntu installations

      @Loverock Davidson
      Excellent. Since you, personally, represent pretty much all that is wrong with America today, well said.
      chuckleberry
      Reply Vote

    • Wow, Thanks for the laugh

      @Loverock Davidson

      dude, did u read the post? remove one file and it goes away. Think linux is stealing your information, hack the OS and remove it. Do I think Linux is awesome, yes I do. Does it have flaws? Of Course, all OSs do. Do I think Canonical should have asked us to place thta in and not done it by default? Yes. You know what I'm going to do, not complain that they are stealing my ID and simply remove it. They day other OSs allow full overhauls of their core software, then I'll stop complaining. Windows would kisk @$$ if there were different flavors for the tech geek. Sell a standard one and allow modded versions for those who want it.
      KBot
      Reply Vote

    • You don't have a reputation to stake on this

      @Loverock Davidson <br>You continue to believe that your opinion is actually important. It just goes to show your level of delusion. If and I say if, you could put your agenda away long enough to post an actual non-biased opinion you might have some credibility but you have proven that that is just not possible for you and that's why your opinion is worthless.<br><br>Further.....you claim that you will not use this OS so you entire post is meaningless as usual. Remember, you are the one who is not even capable of installing Linux....how much credibility can you possibly have. This fact alone explains why you will only use windows, you are far to simple minded to run a basic dual boot configuration.It really has nothing to do with the OS itself it is the user that is defective as you prove over and over.
      bobtran
      Reply Vote
CNET Join | Log In | Privacy | Cookies Close