No subject
Wed Aug 17 18:42:36 UTC 2011
Themes containing the PressTrends tracking code track the following
information only: number of posts published, number of comments, blog name,
theme version, site url, and the number of plugins.
Those data, in that combination, ARE potentially personally identifiable.
>
> This isn't a privacy issue, and the metrics it does gather are extremely
> valuable to theme developers.
>
Whether such data constitute a privacy concern is a matter for each end
user to decide for him/herself.
>
> The only thing PressTrends "tracks" is theme activations of what theme
> version number of the theme is being activated, the average number of
> posts, comments, and plugins, and abandonment rates telling you if people
> have stopped using the theme after 30-days.
>
> I have absolutely no problem disclosing this better in our documentation,
> but to make it an option that has to be enabled makes the data it does
> gather pretty much useless.
>
Useless to whom: the end user, or the developer? If the service is useful
to the end user, then make the usefulness argument to end users. If the
service is *not* useful to the end user, then it absolutely should not be
enabled by default.
>
> It enables us to see if our users are upgrading their themes to the latest
> versions, and gives us insight into those who stop using our themes.
>
> Having to turn PressTrends off by default and then asking users to enable
> it as a theme option makes the data useless because you will only get
> activation numbers from people who enable the theme option which means they
> are already using and configuring your theme.
>
> If this is truly a requirement, this should be in the theme review
> guidelines.
>
Certainly. I will copy the similar policy wording from the Plugin
repository<http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/about/guidelines/>(see
#7: No "phoning home"), and find the appropriate place for it in the
Theme guidelines.
Thanks,
Chip
--14dae934044772f87304bac0a101
Content-Type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
<div class=3D"gmail_quote">On Thu, Mar 8, 2012 at 1:38 PM, Trent Lapinski <=
span dir=3D"ltr"><<a href=3D"mailto:trent at cyberchimps.com">trent at cyberch=
imps.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=
=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
Woh.<br>
<br>
It is truly a shame you guys have already made the decision to restrict Pre=
ssTrends use from WordPress.org without any discussion, or reason.<br></blo=
ckquote><div><br></div><div>Nothing is being restricted. You are free to us=
e PressTrends in your WPORG repository-hosted Theme. We're merely stipu=
lating that you have to *disclose* to end users that the Theme is using thi=
s service, and that you have to allow end users to *opt-in* to use of this =
service.=A0</div>
<blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1p=
x #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<br>
There is absolutely nothing wrong with knowing how many people are using yo=
ur themes, and what version numbers they are using. In fact, I wish WordPre=
ss.org itself provided this kind of data publicly.<br></blockquote><div>
<br></div><div>I refer you to <a href=3D"http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free=
-sw.html">Free Software philosophy</a>=A0[<b>emphasis </b>added]:</div><div=
><br></div></div><blockquote class=3D"webkit-indent-blockquote" style=3D"ma=
rgin:0 0 0 40px;border:none;padding:0px">
<div class=3D"gmail_quote"><div><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"c=
olor:rgb(53,56,42);font-family:FreeSans,clean,sans-serif;font-size:16px;lin=
e-height:20px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">The freedom to run the pro=
gram means the freedom for any kind of person or organization to use it on =
any kind of computer system, for any kind of overall job and purpose, <b>wi=
thout being required to communicate about it with the developer or any othe=
r specific entity</b>. In this freedom, <b>it is the=A0<em style=3D"font-st=
yle:italic">user's</em>=A0purpose that matters, not the=A0<em style=3D"=
font-style:italic">developer's</em>=A0purpose</b>; you as a user are fr=
ee to run the program for your purposes, and if you distribute it to someon=
e else, she is then free to run it for her purposes, but <b>you are not ent=
itled to impose your purposes on her</b>.</span></div>
</div></blockquote><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><div><br></div><div>Simply pu=
t: you, as a developer, do not have the right to this information without t=
he user's informed consent.=A0</div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" s=
tyle=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<br>
There is absolutely no private information that is garnered from PressTrend=
s.<br></blockquote><div><br></div><div>From the <a href=3D"http://presstren=
ds.io/privacy">PressTrends privacy policy</a>:</div><div><br></div></div>
<blockquote class=3D"webkit-indent-blockquote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 40px;b=
order:none;padding:0px"><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><div><span class=3D"Appl=
e-style-span" style=3D"color:rgb(85,85,85);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;fon=
t-size:13px;line-height:20px">Themes containing the PressTrends tracking co=
de track the following information only: number of posts published, number =
of comments, blog name, theme version, site url, and the number of plugins.=
</span></div>
</div></blockquote><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><div><br></div><div>Those dat=
a, in that combination, ARE potentially personally identifiable.=A0</div><b=
lockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px =
#ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<br>
This isn't a privacy issue, and the metrics it does gather are extremel=
y valuable to theme developers.<br></blockquote><div><br></div><div>Whether=
such data constitute a privacy concern is a matter for each end user to de=
cide for him/herself.=A0</div>
<blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1p=
x #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<br>
The only thing PressTrends "tracks" is theme activations of what =
theme version number of the theme is being activated, the average number of=
posts, comments, and plugins, and abandonment rates telling you if people =
have stopped using the theme after 30-days.<br>
<br>
I have absolutely no problem disclosing this better in our documentation, b=
ut to make it an option that has to be enabled makes the data it does gathe=
r pretty much useless.<br></blockquote><div><br></div><div>Useless to whom:=
the end user, or the developer? If the service is useful to the end user, =
then make the usefulness argument to end users. If the service is *not* use=
ful to the end user, then it absolutely should not be enabled by default.</=
div>
<blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1p=
x #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<br>
It enables us to see if our users are upgrading their themes to the latest =
versions, and gives us insight into those who stop using our themes.<br>
<br>
Having to turn PressTrends off by default and then asking users to enable i=
t as a theme option makes the data useless because you will only get activa=
tion numbers from people who enable the theme option which means they are a=
lready using and configuring your theme.<br>
<br>
If this is truly a requirement, this should be in the theme review guidelin=
es.<br></blockquote><div><br></div><div>Certainly. I will copy the <a href=
=3D"http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/about/guidelines/">similar policy w=
ording from the Plugin repository</a> (see #7: No "phoning home")=
, and find the appropriate place for it in the Theme guidelines.=A0</div>
<div><br></div><div>Thanks,</div><div><br></div><div>Chip</div></div>
--14dae934044772f87304bac0a101--
More information about the theme-reviewers
mailing list