Unix and Linux → Ubuntu Will Now Have Amazon Ads Pre-Installed

"Scheduled to be released next month, Ubuntu 12.10 now includes both Amazon ads in the user's dash and by default an amazon store in the user's launcher. The reason for these 'features'? Affiliate revenue. Despite previous controversies with Banshee and Yahoo, Canonical is 'confident it will be an interesting and useful feature for our 12.10 users.' But are the 'users' becoming products?"

Slashdot article

I run Ubuntu and this story was just a shock, not for a long time. Slashdot> Ubuntu blog and BOOM! It's all misunderstood.

They are not adding ads into the operating system but the actual thing is adding a search-engine kinda feature. Type "Kindle Fire HD" and you will get suggestions from amazon. read on Ubuntu blog: »benjaminkerensa.com/2012 ··· tu-12-10

one major failure is sending search terms to the internet unencrypted. privacy concerns.

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This will contain, not ads, but search results from Amazon. This is part of the integration of Web apps into the Ubuntu desktop. In addition to the Amazon integration into Ubuntu search, there's also a separate Amazon search app. More than 40 other "Web site apps" such as BBC News, Facebook, and Reddit also will be available.

Amazon is the only such app that's being integrated into search. Why? Olli Ries, the Director of Technology at Canonical, explained, that this "more suggestions" results category is there to help users find "content available online in addition to what already resides on their device (thus continuing the maturation of the dash as a viewer to different types of offline and online content). As with the other lenses, a preview section --accessible by right clicking on the result --will allow users to instantly view descriptions, app ratings, music previews, purchasing options when relevant and more, directly from the dash."

And why has Canonical elected to do this? Well it's for the reason you'd think: To make money. Ries continued, "For some of this content, if a user clicks the item and purchases it, it will generate affiliate revenue that we can invest back into the project. … We have found affiliate revenue to be a good method of helping us to continue to invest in maturing and growing Ubuntu."

this is a bad direction and is akin to ISPs, software companies or manufacturers installing toolbars or DNS hijacks. It is most certainly not a helpful feature, except to the pockets Canonical and Amazon.

Fans revolt over Amazon 'adware' in Ubuntu desktop search results

Ubuntu loyalists are furious that shopping suggestions from Amazon will be plonked into desktop search results, shown when users attempt to find stuff on their computers and the local network.

The new deal with Amazon means that, according to punters, if you use Home Lens to find a file called, say, "journal" on your computer, this query will be sent off unencrypted to Canonical's server and return as a link to Amazon for "Taylor Dupree - Journal [2011] $2.79" among various suggestions. Woe betide anyone searching for something more personal or sensitive.

The affiliate deal with Amazon has stirred the hackles of the Ubuntu faithful, who see the new on-by-default "feature" as a sell-out to the etail giant. Upset Ubuntu users fear their data will be skimmed by Amazon and used to sell them things while carefully tabulating their porn-viewing habits.

In response to accusations of privacy violations, Shuttleworth wrote, "We are not telling Amazon what you are searching for. Your anonymity is preserved because we handle the query on your behalf. Don’t trust us? Erm, we have root. You do trust us with your data already."

The "we have root" statement raised some more hackles in the comments section of Shuttleworth's blog. Explaining what he meant, Shuttleworth said, "Every package update installs as root."

In response to accusations of privacy violations, Shuttleworth wrote, "We are not telling Amazon what you are searching for. Your anonymity is preserved because we handle the query on your behalf. Don’t trust us? Erm, we have root. You do trust us with your data already."

they're doing a bang up job of alienating a lot of people in the process