vbulletin "call home" function in adminfunctions.php

[tubedogg]

I just got my head handed to me over in chit-chat over this after sticking up for you guys (Jelsoft)....In xxxx.php, on lines xxxx-xxxx, there is a function which would appear to call vBulletin's server every time it is run. Would anyone care to officially comment about this?

<code deleted - if you didn't see it by now, too bad --tubedogg>

I checked - that script is still in place on vB's servers. And this code came out of beta 4.1 files.

???

[JohnM]

hmm. piracy detection?

[tubedogg]

I honestly could care less what it's for. I just want to know why I wasn't told it was there (and "If we told you it was there, it would defeat the purpose" is not really what I care to hear at this point). Something like that is sneaky and underhanded and undermines the public trust in a company.

[Steve Machol]

Hmmm....I'd like to know the purpose of that code as well.

[bira]

Ummm.... I feel a bit uneasy about trojan links in general. I find them unethical and dangerous.

HOWEVER, looking at that code it seems it passes ABSOLUTELY NO INFORMATION WHATSOEVER to Jelsoft, other than to establish that my website has a non-lite vBulletin installed on it.

As such, I don't really care about it. Jelsoft has an indication that vBulletin 2b4.1 is installed on my server - so what? How is it in any way damaging to me or infringing my right?

So, bottom line, I'm ambivalent abou this.

[tubedogg]

The number that gets passed to Jelsoft appears to be different per customer. So it appears that they know it's you. Not only do they know a vB with that version is running, it appears that they can tie your customer number to it.

[bira]

Originally posted by tubedogg
The number that gets passed to Jelsoft appears to be different per customer. So it appears that they know it's you. Not only do they know a vB with that version is running, it appears that they can tie your customer number to it.

of course they know it's me, tubedogg.

If I pay for one running version, and then install vBulletin on two different domains, that means I'm "cheating". That is EXACTLY what this is made for!

It does NOT pass information ABOUT your server; it does not pass information ABOUT your users (not even how many) and NOTE THAT IT RUNS IN THE ADMINISTRATION ONLY - which means it can't even be used for statistics gathering of how many pageviews you have!

So it does not infringe ANY privacy whatsoever.

In fact, the more we talk about it the more I am convinced we are doing a lot of noise over absolutely nothing. I see no wrong in this.

Convince me differently, and I'll lead the revolution myself, I promise you

[Locutus]

First of all, check: http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showt...=&threadid=135

if you are still not convinced i would be happy to explain again.

[bira]

The link you provided me with points to a thread about "Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 more..." -- which has nothing to do with this thread. Point?

[tubedogg]

I think you got the wrong thread, Locutus. That's a thread about page numbers...

[Locutus]

hrm.. sorry.. i meant: http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showt...threadid=13519

odd.. ok.. there is a bug here.. try copying the address i inputed here:

http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=13519

and press the "http://" button and with no extra text and it will only submit

http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=135

[bira]

What about if i want to keep the site i use as a private one and i dont want to tell it, why should i be forced to tell?

i'm very sorry but if i were requested to give my URL i will never tell it, no matter how much they would want.. i think telling my URL is huge abuse of privacy.. i have no idea how can people not aggre with this.. people should have a choice to keep private.. same deal goes with proxy..

What a pile of crap! Did you read the license before you paid for vBulletin? Did you see the details you fill in when purchasing vBulletin?

you are REQUIRED to provide the URL of where your BB is installed.

btw.. then why the call back uses a img src tag to load a file from vbb servers?

Because that is the cleanest and easiest way of logging that you are using a licensed vBulletin on a domain, and then cross examining it with the details you declared when paying (if you paid at all).

ratval is indeed your license number, HOWEVER it is NOT your Customer Number and Customer Password -- which are what you need to access the Members area. In fact, it's similar to a userid -- has nothing to do with username and user password.

[Locutus]

Originally posted by bira


What a pile of crap! Did you read the license before you paid for vBulletin? Did you see the details you fill in when purchasing vBulletin?

you are REQUIRED to provide the URL of where your BB is installed.

Hold on a second! no one uses such language do you and you should really show some respect!

and i was NOT forced to give my URL, seeing that i uses the version from the 1.x versions and i was not required to give my URL

Because that is the cleanest and easiest way of logging that you are using a licensed vBulletin on a domain, and then cross examining it with the details you declared when paying (if you paid at all).

ratval is indeed your license number, HOWEVER it is NOT your Customer Number and Customer Password -- which are what you need to access the Members area. In fact, it's similar to a userid -- has nothing to do with username and user password. [/B]

Go read that thread.. this is pointless explaning my self twice.

[bira]

by the way, a reply to the one who said he would never give his URL: check the Lincese Agreement:

All customers must submit the URL where they are using (or plan to use) each license. The URL can be submitted via the vBulletin members area.

[bira]

I read that thread and I don't know what your profession is, but you are dead wrong legally.

Rules of ethics, on the other hand, are not carved in stone and your morals and ethics may be far different than mine.

On this occassion, it seems, they are.

By the way, do you use cookies on your website?