TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
RE: MadCap feedback privacy issue - ignore if you're not interested (was: Re: in search for better tools)
Subject:RE: MadCap feedback privacy issue - ignore if you're not interested (was: Re: in search for better tools) From:"Sharon Burton" <sharon -at- anthrobytes -dot- com> To:"'Robert Lauriston'" <robert -at- lauriston -dot- com>, "'Mike Hamilton'" <mhamilton -at- madcapsoftware -dot- com> Date:Fri, 11 Dec 2009 11:08:04 -0800
OK - so it's the fact that a Feedback enabled Flare generated help system is
gathering the data that upsets you? Did I get it right?
BTW - you CANNOT enable this feature in Flare without a Feedback server
specified, so it's a Feedback issue, not a Flare issue. *If and only if* you
have Feedback installed and configured *AND* *if and only if* you then
specify that server in Flare, can this information be gathered.
Mike, your turn. I'm going to shower and then finish knitting my grand
daughter's sweater.
sharon
Sharon Burton
MadCap Software Product Consultant
Managing your content, one topic at a time
www.anthrobytes.com
951-369-8590
IM: sharonvburton -at- yahoo -dot- com
Twitter: sharonburton
-----Original Message-----
From: robert -dot- lauriston -at- gmail -dot- com [mailto:robert -dot- lauriston -at- gmail -dot- com] On
Behalf Of Robert Lauriston
Sent: Friday, December 11, 2009 11:00 AM
To: sharon -at- anthrobytes -dot- com; Mike Hamilton
Cc: TECHWR-L Writing
Subject: MadCap feedback privacy issue - ignore if you're not interested
(was: Re: in search for better tools)
See the following discussion from last November on your forums for a
real-world complaint by one of your customers:
The privacy issue arises when a .chm generated by Flare with feedback
enabled "phones home" with information collected about which topics
the user viewed, which terms they searched for, and which CSH links
they followed without first popping up an "opt-in" dialog.
This has nothing to do with Feedback Server per se. That the data is
aggregated at the receiving end does not make it OK to collect it
without the end user's knowledge or acquiescence.
On Fri, Dec 11, 2009 at 10:36 AM, Sharon Burton <sharon -at- anthrobytes -dot- com>
wrote:
> Perhaps we are not understanding because you're not clearly explaining
what
> your issues are? Sometimes something that's really clear in my head
doesn't
> get explained outside my head very well.
>
> From what I understand from you, you think the issue is that a Flare
created
> help system can enabled so that if and only if there is a Feedback server
> configured, the Flare created help can report blinded aggregate activity?
>
> Am I understanding you correctly?
>
>
> sharon
>
> Sharon Burton
> MadCap Software Product Consultant
> Managing your content, one topic at a time
> www.anthrobytes.com
> 951-369-8590
> IM: sharonvburton -at- yahoo -dot- com
> Twitter: sharonburton
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: techwr-l-bounces+sharon=anthrobytes -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+sharon=anthrobytes -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On
> Behalf Of Robert Lauriston
> Sent: Friday, December 11, 2009 10:18 AM
> To: Bill Swallow
> Cc: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> Subject: Re: in search for better tools
>
> Mike Hamilton's post shows that the company still does not understand the
> issue.
>
> What needs to be fixed is not Feedback but Flare (which generates the
> .chm), and a MadCap Feedback user requested that fix over a year ago:
>
>http://forums.madcapsoftware.com/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=7564
>
> On Fri, Dec 11, 2009 at 9:57 AM, Bill Swallow <techcommdood -at- gmail -dot- com>
> wrote:
>> Robert,
>>
>> On Wednesday, December 09, 2009 at 9:23 AM (posted time in my inbox) you
> wrote:
>>
>> "The only way to make Flare's feedback feature compliant with privacy
>> laws and service agreements that require consent before gathering data
>> would be for MadCap to add an opt-in feature."
>>
>> Then, on Wednesday, December 09, 2009 at 12:34 PM (posted time in my
>> inbox) Sharon Burton replied to you:
>>
>> "We've passed that feature request on to the developers for the next
> release
>> of Feedback."
>>
>> So yes, your objections have been noted, responded to, and delivered
>> to Madcap Development.
>>
>> NOW can we please wet-vac this poor dead horse up and move on?
>>
>> Bill
>>
>> On Fri, Dec 11, 2009 at 12:50 PM, Robert Lauriston <robert -at- lauriston -dot- com>
> wrote:
>>> Actually, MadCap has yet to note my objections.
>>>
>>> If you're annoyed by my diligence in trying to get MadCap to recognize
>>> the problem, stop reading this thread.
>>
>> --
>
>
>
Are you looking for one documentation tool that does it all? Author,
build, test, and publish your Help files with just one easy-to-use tool.
Try the latest Doc-To-Help 2009 v3 risk-free for 30-days at: http://www.doctohelp.com/
Help & Manual 5: The all-in-one help authoring tool. True single- sourcing --
generate 8 different formats and as many different versions as you need
from just one project. Fast and intuitive. http://www.helpandmanual.com/
---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-
