Why in the Heem Haw does Photoshop Phone Home?

[Balin64]

I am sure many of us have seen the quick window that apears at times when starting Photoshop 7: It informs you that it is updating some components and that "no personal information is being transmitted." Can anyone please tell me what is being transmitted? Today, the download hung and the splash screen just sat there with the nicens little download window spinning away the beach ball. After two force quits, I had to disconnect my Mac from my cable modem to get to work. Does someone know what is being transmitted and if it is possible to turn it off? Thanks.

 

[Nermal]

It sends away your serial number to make sure you're not using a pirated one. To stop it, you need to throw away the Web folder, which is buried somewhere (/Library/Application Support?)

 

[Balin64]

Hey thanks!

Interesting, however... is not my name associated with my personal copy of Photoshop and thus "personal"? What is interesting, is that it does not always happen: it must have a timed schedule: sometimes it doesn't give a damn if you're connected to the internet, and on some days it bugs you about not being connected to the internet at start up. Curiously, both my G4 (personal) and iBook (work) copies call home on the very same day... perhaps this is but a midnight rambling...

 

[zim]

If you go to the photoshop menu and select Preferences, you will see an option called Adobe Online... From here you can tell it not to check for updates.

 

[bellis1]

Non-broadband

I have to admit that these "online updates" drive me crazy. I know we are in the 21st century but sometimes people live in areas where the internet is inaccesible or slow. I have tried to turn off all of those internet connections because I am about to move somewhere for a year where the fastest connect speeds are 9600. Stone age, huh? I even had to install Pine because apple mail runs too slow with all of the spam. You can find most of those connection files in library/application support. But it is always a lot easier if they supply you an option in the preferences to just turn it off. If you throw out those files you cannot get those options back unless you reinstall. I think all of those "updates" or "automatic internet connections" should be clearly stated or they will begin to border on spyware. And I am not going to allow anyone to spy on me unless I get a check in the mail for contributing to R&D.

 

[zim]

Re: Non-broadband

Originally posted by bellis1
I have to admit that these "online updates" drive me crazy. I know we are in the 21st century but sometimes people live in areas where the internet is inaccesible or slow. I have tried to turn off all of those internet connections because I am about to move somewhere for a year where the fastest connect speeds are 9600. Stone age, huh? I even had to install Pine because apple mail runs too slow with all of the spam. You can find most of those connection files in library/application support. But it is always a lot easier if they supply you an option in the preferences to just turn it off. If you throw out those files you cannot get those options back unless you reinstall. I think all of those "updates" or "automatic internet connections" should be clearly stated or they will begin to border on spyware. And I am not going to allow anyone to spy on me unless I get a check in the mail for contributing to R&D.

If I recall, I think when you install and run photoshop for the first time it will ask you about updates and if you want to be reminded or not.. could be wrong, either way the option is right in the preferences.

I also agree that it is getting a bit insane with all the auto updates. I like Apples, but adobe's is insane, that is if you have it turned on. Acrobat Reader, for example, got me so annoyed that I have switched to using the QuickTime preview application to view pdfs, I did not even bother to figure out how to shut it off, I think that it is right up front, oh well, funny thing is preview actually seems to render better then adobe's acrobat.

 

[idea_hamster]

Re: Non-broadband

Originally posted by bellis1
...I am about to move somewhere for a year where the fastest connect speeds are 9600....

Zoiks! I know that I've been spoiled because my apt building got T1 lines, but honestly -- 9600 -- that's like using a semaphore. Do people's voices sound lower and drawn out when you talk on the phone? Is there an operator instead of a dial tone?

 

[jbomber]

Re: Re: Non-broadband

Originally posted by idea_hamster
Zoiks! I know that I've been spoiled because my apt building got T1 lines, but honestly -- 9600 -- that's like using a semaphore. Do people's voices sound lower and drawn out when you talk on the phone? Is there an operator instead of a dial tone?

"Carla, be a dear and connect me to Mr. Bradley at the general store."

 

[jbomber]

anyway, just nuke all that info in the adobe web folder AOM, AdobeRegisterdll.something-or-other... you get the picture. ka-boom, problem solved.

 

[TMA]

On the subject of apps phoning home my opinion in quite strong.

It should be made illegal for Applications to 'phone home' or make any use of your network or internet connection. Obviously internet/network type programs are excluded. Applications that can check for updates should have the option OFF by default and should be allowed to ask the user if they wish to turn the feature on ONLY ONCE. (Example; when you first use the App)

Communicating via a computer network should be considered the same as making a phone call or sending a letter and your permission should always be sought first.

 

[mrjamin]

Originally posted by TMA
On the subject of apps phoning home my opinion in quite strong.

It should be made illegal for Applications to 'phone home' or make any use of your network or internet connection. Obviously internet/network type programs are excluded. Applications that can check for updates should have the option OFF by default and should be allowed to ask the user if they wish to turn the feature on ONLY ONCE. (Example; when you first use the App)

Communicating via a computer network should be considered the same as making a phone call or sending a letter and your permission should always be sought first.

couldn't agree more man. does my nut a treat n'all.

 

[Nermal]

Just out of interest, how common is it to be charged by the meg in the USA? I could see how companies like Adobe could get away with it if metered charging is uncommon over there. However, when you're paying US 12c per meg and they push say a 5 meg update, that's 60c they've just used without your permission. Even if it is in the licence, I still don't agree with it.

 

[bousozoku]

Originally posted by Nermal
Just out of interest, how common is it to be charged by the meg in the USA? I could see how companies like Adobe could get away with it if metered charging is uncommon over there. However, when you're paying US 12c per meg and they push say a 5 meg update, that's 60c they've just used without your permission. Even if it is in the licence, I still don't agree with it.

I'm on a dialup account, so the telephone company just gets upset and the ISP asks me not to be connected constantly. I have no real limits--other than my patience.

 

[Daveman Deluxe]

Most dialup accounts will shut down your account if you're connected more than 150 hours in a month, but they still call it unlimited.

I was with an ISP once that would do this every month (there are three folks in my family that use the Internet). I would have to call the ISP every month to find out what was up, and finally after the fifth or sixth month in a row somebody told me.