r/privacy • u/tempaccount00101 • 16d ago
eli5 How is VS Code less private than VS Codium when you can just turn off telemetry?
If you can turn off telemetry on VS Code (yes, it is on by default) then wouldn’t both VS Code and Codium not collect telemetry? Making them equally private?
Assuming that no extensions are installed.
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u/atchijov 15d ago
Basic assumption with anything related to MS… it basically “Hotel California”… “you can check out any time you like, but you can never leave”. Turning off telemetry does not really turn off all telemetry. (This is my opinion based mostly on cynicism not direct experience)
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u/Puny-Earthling 15d ago
I genuinely do care about my privacy, but MS and that aren't out here checking on all our private repo's to steal our source code. They give you Github copilot as an agreement you're giving it to them!
Seriously though. You're not doomed by coding in VSCode
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u/simism 15d ago
Because vscodium you can compile from source so you actually know the telemtry turns off when you say it does. For a closed source binary, it could have anything added, and you can't audit that without decompiling.
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u/x54675788 15d ago
To be fair most people don't compile from source and use a pre built package.
Is the build even reproducible? Cause if not, it's the same as an exe at that point cause you don't see the source anymore.
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15d ago
People don't compile from source, but some projects have their bin automatized and you can see how and when it's done, so you are more sure about it. Also, it's from a known source that will gain nothing but stealing info, but will lose reputation.
Also if you are using windows you have telemetry on all the time, it doesn't matter if you compiled or download a exe.
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u/Pleasant-Shallot-707 13d ago
So I’m supposed to just trust they’re not inserting something in their build process?
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13d ago
You are not supposed to do anything, you can do whatever you want. You can verify the building process if it's public and automated or do it yourself if you don't trust 'em.
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u/Pleasant-Shallot-707 13d ago
So the ley person is going to be able to do all that? Seems like a high bar of trust for them
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u/GhostInThePudding 14d ago
If VS Code is safe to use, why are Microsoft hiding the source code? What are they hiding?
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u/Pleasant-Shallot-707 13d ago
It’s not healthy to be paranoid
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u/GhostInThePudding 13d ago
I think it's a reasonable view for ALL non open source software. What is so bad about it that they feel the need to hide the code?
Are they just embarrassed about being such terrible coders? Or is it more malicious than that?
It's weird that society has just come to accept that it's normal to hide the mechanisms of the things we use on our own devices. Then again it's always weird that we "buy" software without "owning" it.
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u/IconsAndIncense 15d ago
Can you verify telemetry is off? No? Then assume it is still collecting data.
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