371 lines
17 KiB
Markdown
371 lines
17 KiB
Markdown
---
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title: "Audacity and the telemetry pull request"
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author: ["Amolith"]
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cover: ./cover.png
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lastmod: 2023-01-27T13:00:37-05:00
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tags: ["Open source culture", "Audio editing", "Music", "Drama"]
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categories: ["Technology"]
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draft: true
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---
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Five days ago at the time of writing, [Dmitry Vedenko](https://github.com/crsib)
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opened a Pull Request (PR) in [Audacity's GitHub
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repository](https://github.com/audacity/audacity/pull/835) entitled [_Basic
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telemetry for the Audacity_.](https://github.com/audacity/audacity/pull/835)
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About two days later, all hell broke loose. That PR now has over 3.3 thousand
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downvotes and more than one thousand comments from nearly 400 individuals. I
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started reading the posts shortly after they began and kept up with them over
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the following days, reading every single new post. I recognise that few people
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are going to feel like wading through over 1k comments so this is my attempt to
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provide a summary of the PR itself using the community's code reviews along with
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a summary of the various opinions conveyed in the comments.
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When I reference comments, I'll provide a footnote that includes a link to the
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comment and a link to a screenshot just in case it's removed or edited in the
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future.
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## Audacity's acquisition
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I haven't been able to find _much_ information in this area so forgive me if I'm
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scant on details.
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On 30 April, a company called [Muse Group](https://mu.se/) acquired
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[Audacity.](https://www.audacityteam.org/) According to [their
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website](https://mu.se), Muse is the parent company behind many musical
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applications and tools. It was founded by Eugeny Naidenov just days before it
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acquired Audacity. Before all of this, Eugeny Naidenov founded [Ultimate
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Guitar](https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/) (UG) in 1998. The service grew rather
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quickly and now has over 300 million users. UG acquired [Dean Zelinsky
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Guitars](https://deanzelinsky.com/) in 2012, [Agile
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Partners](http://agilepartners.com/) in 2013,
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[MuseScore](https://musescore.org/) in 2017, and
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[Crescendo](http://trycrescendo.com/) in 2018. Muse Group was established in
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2021 and it seems as if all of the services UG acquired were (or will be)
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transferred to Muse Group, as well as UG itself. Immediately following its
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establishment, Muse not only acquired Audacity but also
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[StaffPad.](https://www.staffpad.net/)
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I say 30 April because that's when Muse published their [press
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release](https://mu.se/newsroom/tpost/6dhedma301-muse-group-acquires-audacity-expanding-c)
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and when Martin Keary (Tantacrul) published a video entitled [_I’m now in charge
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of Audacity. Seriously._](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMWNvwLiXIQ) According
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to his comment,[^fn:1] Martin will help with proposing Audacity's roadmap and
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many of its future features as well as working with the community. This has been
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his role with MuseScore since he joined that project and he will be continuing
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it here.
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`-----BEGIN PERSONAL OPINION-----`
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Looking at [his website,](https://www.martinkeary.com/) I also suspect he will
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play a large role in redesigning Audacity's interface. Considering that he was
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instrumental in designing [the best mobile interface I've ever had the absolute
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pleasure of experiencing,](https://www.martinkeary.com/#/ubuntu-touch-os/) I
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have high hopes that this is the case.
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`------END PERSONAL OPINION------`
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## Telemetry implementation
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### Implementation Basics
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A few days after the acquisition, a PR was opened that adds _Basic telemetry for
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the Audacity_. This implementation collects "application opened" events and
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sends those to Yandex to estimate the number of Audacity users. It also collects
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session start and end events, errors for debugging, file used for import and
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export, OS and Audacity versions, and the use of effects, generators, and
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analysis tools so they can prioritise future improvements. Sending this data
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would be optional and the user would be presented with a dialogue the first time
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they launch the application after installation or after they update to the
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including release. This description was mostly copied directly from [the PR
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description
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itself.](https://github.com/audacity/audacity/pull/835#issue-629891447)
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### Frontend Implementation
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This is fairly straightforward and a pretty standard UI for prompting users to
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consent to analytics and crash logging. This section is included because the
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community has strong opinions regarding the language used and its design, but
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that will be discussed later. The screenshot below is copied directly from the
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PR.
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{{< figure src="~/repos/sites/secluded/static/assets/pngs/audacity-pr/consentdialogue.png" link="~/repos/sites/secluded/static/assets/pngs/audacity-pr/consentdialogue.png" >}}
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### Backend Implementation
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Many of the code reviews include the reviewer's personal opinion so I will
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summarise the comment, provide the code block in question, and link directly to
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the comment in a footnote.[^fn:2]
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```c
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if (!inputFile.Write (wxString::FromUTF8 (ClientID + "\n")))
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return false;
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```
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[Lines 199-200 of
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TelemetryManager.cpp](https://github.com/crsib/audacity/blob/c9264d2478fe2af82aeb6e2a0295b00b3a27ce53/libraries/lib-telemetry/TelemetryManager.cpp#L199-L200)
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save the user's unique client ID to a file.[^fn:3] This allows the analytics
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tool (in this case, Google Analytics) to aggregate data produced by a single
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user.
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```c
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def_vars()
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set( CURL_DIR "${_INTDIR}/libcurl" )
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set( CURL_TAG "curl-7_76_0")
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```
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[Lines 3-6 of
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CMakeLists.txt](https://github.com/crsib/audacity/blob/c9264d2478fe2af82aeb6e2a0295b00b3a27ce53/cmake-proxies/libcurl/CMakeLists.txt#L3-L6)
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"vendor in" libcurl.[^fn:4] This is when an application directly includes
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sources for a utility rather than making use utilities provided by the system
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itself.
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```c
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ExternalProject_Add(curl
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PREFIX "${CURL_DIR}"
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INSTALL_DIR "${CURL_DIR}"
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GIT_REPOSITORY https://github.com/curl/curl
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GIT_TAG ${CURL_TAG}
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GIT_SHALLOW Yes
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CMAKE_CACHE_ARGS ${CURL_CMAKE_ARGS}
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)
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```
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[Lines 29-36 of
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CMakeLists.txt](https://github.com/crsib/audacity/blob/c9264d2478fe2af82aeb6e2a0295b00b3a27ce53/cmake-proxies/libcurl/CMakeLists.txt#L29-L36)
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add curl as a remote dependency.[^fn:5] This means that the machine building
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Audacity from its source code has to download curl during that build.
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```c
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S.Id (wxID_NO).AddButton (rejectButtonTitle);
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S.Id (wxID_YES).AddButton (acceptButtonTitle)->SetDefault ();
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```
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[Lines 93-94 of
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TelemetryDialog.cpp](https://github.com/crsib/audacity/blob/c9264d2478fe2af82aeb6e2a0295b00b3a27ce53/src/telemetry/TelemetryDialog.cpp#L93-L94)
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add buttons to the dialogue asking the user whether they consent to data
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collection.[^fn:6] `SetDefault` focuses the button indicating that the user does
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consent. This means that if the user doesn't really look at the dialogue and
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presses Spacebar or Enter, or if they do so accidentally by simply bumping the
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key, they unintentionally consent to data collection. If the user desires, this
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can later be changed in the settings menu. However, if they weren't aware what
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they were consenting to _or that they did consent_, they won't know to go back
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and opt out.
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There are other problems with the code that include [simple
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mistakes,](https://github.com/audacity/audacity/pull/835#discussion_r628816050)
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[styling that's inconsistent with the rest of the
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project,](https://github.https//github.com/audacity/audacity/pull/835#discussion_r628774985)
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[unhandled return values resulting in skewed
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data,](https://github.com/audacity/audacity/pull/835#discussion_r628500849) [use
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of inappropriate
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functions,](https://github.com/audacity/audacity/pull/835#discussion_r628792423)
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and [spelling errors in the
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comments.](https://github.com/audacity/audacity/pull/835#discussion_r628818054)
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I believe these are less important than those above so they won't be discussed.
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## Community opinions
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There were many strong opinions regarding both the frontend and backend
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implementations of this PR, from the wording of the dialogue and highlighting
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the consent button to devices running something other than Windows and macOS not
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being able to send telemetry and thus skewing the data that _was_ collected.
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### Opinions on the frontend
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Really, the only frontend here is the consent dialogue. However, there are
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_many_ comments about it, the most common of which is probably that the wording
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is not only too vague[^fn:7] but also inaccurate.[^fn:8] The assertion that
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Google Analytics are not anonymous and any data sent can be trivially
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de-anonymised (or de-pseudonymised) is repeated many times over. Below are a few
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links to comments stating such. I searched for the term _"anonymous"_, copied
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relevant links, and stopped when my scrollbar reached halfway down the page.
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- [r628156527](https://github.com/audacity/audacity/pull/835#discussion_r628156527)
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- [833969780](https://github.com/audacity/audacity/pull/835#issuecomment-833969780)
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- [833969933](https://github.com/audacity/audacity/pull/835#issuecomment-833969933)
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- [r627995927](https://github.com/audacity/audacity/pull/835#discussion_r627995927)
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- [834358022](https://github.com/audacity/audacity/pull/835#issuecomment-834358022)
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- [834377549](https://github.com/audacity/audacity/pull/835#issuecomment-834377549)
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- [834382007](https://github.com/audacity/audacity/pull/835#issuecomment-834382007)
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- [834385463](https://github.com/audacity/audacity/pull/835#issuecomment-834385463)
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- [834405825](https://github.com/audacity/audacity/pull/835#issuecomment-834405825)
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- [834531779](https://github.com/audacity/audacity/pull/835#issuecomment-834531779)
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- [834546874](https://github.com/audacity/audacity/pull/835#issuecomment-834546874)
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- [834638000](https://github.com/audacity/audacity/pull/835#issuecomment-834638000)
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The next most pervasive comment is regarding the consent buttons at the bottom
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of the dialogue where users opt in or out.[^fn:9] Many individuals call this
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design a _dark pattern_. Harry Brignull, a UX specialist focusing on deceptive
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interface practises, describes dark patterns as [_tricks used in websites and
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apps that make you do things that you didn't mean
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to_.](https://www.darkpatterns.org/) The dark pattern in this situation is the
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opt-in button being highlighted. Many community members assert that users will
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see the big blue button and click it without actually reading the dialogue's
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contents. They just want to record their audio and this window is a distraction
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that prevents them from doing so; it needs to get out of the way and the
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quickest way to dismiss it is clicking that blue button. Below is a list of some
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comments criticising this design.
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- [834286641](https://github.com/audacity/audacity/pull/835#issuecomment-834286641)
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- [834358022](https://github.com/audacity/audacity/pull/835#issuecomment-834358022)
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- [834399813](https://github.com/audacity/audacity/pull/835#issuecomment-834399813)
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- [834479968](https://github.com/audacity/audacity/pull/835#issuecomment-834479968)
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- [835250737](https://github.com/audacity/audacity/pull/835#issuecomment-835250737)
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- [835253882](https://github.com/audacity/audacity/pull/835#issuecomment-835253882)
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- [835291066](https://github.com/audacity/audacity/pull/835#issuecomment-835291066)
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- [835445481](https://github.com/audacity/audacity/pull/835#issuecomment-835445481)
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Another issue that was brought up by a couple of individuals was the lack of a
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privacy policy.[^fn:10] The consent dialogue links to one, but, at the time of
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writing, one does not exist at [the provided
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URL.](https://www.audacityteam.org/contact/privacy-policy/) I have [archived the
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state of the
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page](https://web.archive.org/web/20210510012924/https://www.audacityteam.org/contact/privacy-policy/)
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in case that changes in the future.
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### Opinions on the backend
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```c
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if (!inputFile.Write (wxString::FromUTF8 (ClientID + "\n")))
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return false;
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```
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The issue many individuals take with this snippet is saving the `ClientID`. Say
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an individual has an odd file that causes Audacity to crash any time they try to
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open it. Say they attempt to open it a hundred times. Without giving the client
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a unique ID, it could look like there are 100 people having an issue opening a
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file instead of just the one. However, by virtue of each installation having an
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entirely unique ID, this telemetry _is not anonymous_. Anonymity would be
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sending statistics in such a way that connecting those failed attempts to a
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single user would be impossible. At best, this implementation is _pseudonymous_
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because the client is given a random ID, you don't have to sign in with an
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account or something.
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```c
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def_vars()
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set( CURL_DIR "${_INTDIR}/libcurl" )
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set( CURL_TAG "curl-7_76_0")
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```
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Timothe Litt's comment gives a good description of why "vendoring in" libcurl is
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a bad idea[^fn:11] and Tyler True's comment gives a good overview of the pros
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and cons of doing so.[^fn:12] Many people take issue with this _specifically_
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because it's libcurl. Security flaws in it are _very_ common and Audacity's copy
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would need to be _manually_ kept up to date with every upstream release to
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ensure none of its vulnerabilities can be leveraged to compromise users. If the
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Audacity team was going to stay on top of all of the security fixes, they would
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need to release a new version every week or so.
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```c
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ExternalProject_Add(curl
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PREFIX "${CURL_DIR}"
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INSTALL_DIR "${CURL_DIR}"
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GIT_REPOSITORY https://github.com/curl/curl
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GIT_TAG ${CURL_TAG}
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GIT_SHALLOW Yes
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CMAKE_CACHE_ARGS ${CURL_CMAKE_ARGS}
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)
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```
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The problem with downloading curl at build-time is that it's simply disallowed
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for many Linux- and BSD-based operation systems. When a distribution builds an
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application from source, its build dependencies are often downloaded ahead of
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time and, as a security measure, the build machine is cut off from the internet
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to prevent any interference. Because this is disallowed, the build will fail and
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the application won't be available on those operation systems.
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Note, however, that these build machines would have the option to disable
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telemetry at build-time. This means the machine wouldn't attempt to download
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curl from GitHub and the build would succeed but, again, telemetry would be
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disabled for anyone not on Windows or macOS. This defeats the whole purpose of
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adding telemetry in the first place.
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```c
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S.Id (wxID_NO).AddButton (rejectButtonTitle);
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S.Id (wxID_YES).AddButton (acceptButtonTitle)->SetDefault ();
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```
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There was a lot of feedback about the decision to highlight the consent button
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but that was mentioned up in the frontend section; I won't rehash it here.
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### Broader and particularly well-structured comments
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These are simply some comments I feel deserve particular attention.
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From SndChaser...
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- [834037351](https://github.com/audacity/audacity/pull/835#issuecomment-834037351)
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-
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## The Audacity team's response
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---
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## The privacy policy modification
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<https://github.com/audacity/audacity/issues/1213#issuecomment-875274890>
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[^fn:1]:
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[Link to the
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comment](https://github.com/audacity/audacity/pull/835#issuecomment-836069326)
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and [link to the screenshot](/assets/pngs/audacity-pr/tantacrulrole.png)
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[^fn:2]:
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Note that because I am not a C programmer, these reviews might not be
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entirely accurate and I wouldn't be able to catch the reviewer's error. I am
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relying on other community members to catch issues and comment on them; none
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of the reviews I link to have such comments so I'm assuming they are
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correct.
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[^fn:3]:
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[Link to the
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review](https://github.com/audacity/audacity/pull/835#discussion_r627993755) and
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[link to the screenshot](/assets/pngs/audacity-pr/writeanalyticsid.png)
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[^fn:4]:
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[Link to the
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review](https://github.com/audacity/audacity/pull/835#discussion_r628005925) and
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[link to the screenshot](/assets/pngs/audacity-pr/vendorcurl.png)
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[^fn:5]:
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[Link to the
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review](https://github.com/audacity/audacity/pull/835#discussion_r628008821) and
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[link to the screenshot](/assets/pngs/audacity-pr/externaldependency.png)
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[^fn:6]:
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[Link to the
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review](https://github.com/audacity/audacity/pull/835#discussion_r628124998) and
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[link to the screenshot](/assets/pngs/audacity-pr/defaultconsentbutton.png)
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[^fn:7]:
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[Link to the
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comment](https://github.com/audacity/audacity/pull/835#discussion_r627756976)
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and [link to the screenshot](/assets/pngs/audacity-pr/vaguedialogue.png)
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[^fn:8]:
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[Link to the
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comment](https://github.com/audacity/audacity/pull/835#discussion_r627764300)
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and the screenshot is the same as previous
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[^fn:9]:
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[Link to the
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comment](https://github.com/audacity/audacity/pull/835#issuecomment-834286641)
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and [link to the screenshot](/assets/pngs/audacity-pr/darkpattern.png)
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[^fn:10]:
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[Link to the
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comment](https://github.com/audacity/audacity/pull/835#discussion_r627762185)
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and [link to the screenshot](/assets/pngs/audacity-pr/missingprivacypolicy.png)
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[^fn:11]:
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[Link to the
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comment](https://github.com/audacity/audacity/pull/835#issuecomment-834451187)
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and [link to the screenshot](/assets/pngs/audacity-pr/privatelibcurl.png)
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[^fn:12]:
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[Link to the
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comment](https://github.com/audacity/audacity/pull/835#issuecomment-834010117)
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and [link to the screenshot](/assets/pngs/audacity-pr/vendorproscons.png)
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