Re: FreedomBox

[Chris Gray <christopher_gray@symantec.com>]

It's a huge leap from missing a privacy policy on a website to 
gathering or misusing 
information.  To imply that one suggests the other is, at best, a cheap 
shot.

The fact of the matter is that some of the things the Freedombox web 
browser does are very useful, innovative and unique.  The Freedombox 
approach addresses a market segment extremely well.  The access to 
Windows introduced by Freedombox is another significant contribution to 
the technological landscape for blind and visually impaired people 
today.  I'm glad some people are out there making such contributions 
and trying to make a real difference in technology.

Chris

On Mon, 18 Apr 
2005, Michael Whapples wrote:

> Date: Mon, 18 Apr 2005 21:14:23 +0000
> From: Michael Whapples <mikster4@msn.com>
> Reply-To: Speakup is a screen review system for Linux.
>     <speakup@braille.uwo.ca>
> To: speakup@braille.uwo.ca
> Subject: Re: FreedomBox
> 
> As Kenny pointed out most places have a privacy policy, I can't find one on 
> the freedombox website. Using your example of google, if you look for it you 
> will find a privacy policy for that. The amount of information required to 
> sign up for a trial account with freedombox is quite alot, and is personal, 
> why should I want to give it out with out knowing how it will be used. With 
> out seeing a privacy policy, I may be agreeing that the information submitted 
> can be handed on to other companies for advertising purposes. I am not saying 
> this how the information is used, but there is nothing that tells me how it 
> will be.
> Mike
> Ann K. Parsons writes:
>
>> Hi all,
>> 
>> I suggest, respectfully, that unless you have documented evidence of
>> wrong doing, you cease and desist from libeling a product or its
>> creators/maintainers.  It is not a wise thing to speculate like this.
>> Moreover, it damages people's reputation. 
>> I don't have any evidence for or against all this hoopla except that I
>> haven't gotten any more spam than normal since I joined Freedom Box.
>> I'm not a techie, and I can't make judgments about this kind of
>> thing. 
>> However, I would venture to say that since any web site you go to for
>> shopping, for pleasure and so on does track your activity, what's the
>> beef here? 
>> Though I am not a techie, I can speak to the talents of Freedom Box's
>> head programmer who, when forced to do so, was instrumental in
>> protecting the security of GrassRoots MOO, and that was even before he
>> went to college.  If he says there isn't any activity that he knows
>> about that is tracking you, then I'll believe him. 
>> C'mon guys, the problem with all this speculation is that it's
>> probably not true, and if it is, is probably much less harmful than
>> you think.  What is harmful is spreading unsubstantiated rumors.
>> Rumors are just that, rumors.  Heck, guys, google tracks you when you
>> go there, probably.  So do the other search engines.  What you gonna
>> do, stop searching the net? 
>> You can get all revved up about this if you want to, but I'd rather
>> see Freedom Box help those for whom it was designed.  It's a good
>> product.  It works well.  It shouldn't be plagued by rumors.  If you
>> don't like it, then don't buy it.  I don't buy grape juice cuz I don't
>> like it.  I buy orange juice and v8. 
>> Ann P.
>> 
>> -- 
>> 			Ann K. Parsons 
>
>
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-- 

Chris Gray, Sr. Technical Writer        Symantec Corporation
415-738-2649 voice 
415-348-9636 fax             		San Francisco, CA 94107