Revealed - Arkadia uses clickbait for Facebook

So, with the downtime I stare at the startup client and it's connection to facebook bothers me extremely. I am interested in the text "Are you chosen to become a smuggler..." but I don't use facebook, don't like facebook and don't appreciate being linked to facebook by my client loader. Please use some other site, some other option or don't link anything at all. Facebook is a bad thing for everyone. Please consider this request.

 

I don't use Facebook either, and can't imagine that any sane smuggler of any kind would, but we are seemingly in the minority.
If your firewall / spyware / malware and tracker software works as designed you simply see the failed connection attempt and move on.

 

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. You don't like facebook, that is fine. However the messages on the clientloader display the news for the planet. Arkadia chose to go for Facebook, all their messages can be read from the clientloader in full as far as I can see. That you don't like facebook doesn't mean it's bad. Yes it's a bit of clickbait meant for sharing etc on Facebook to advertise the game. Almost all advertisement on the web is made out of clickbait. Still doesn't mean it's bad, I think it's good they are using some clickbait to get people to try out the game.

 

Facebook is great for me. My mum can spy on me without it being creepy. I can stay in touch with people I like, and share film, music and literature recommendations without ever having to actually talk to them. That's awesome.

Also I get to look at cats.

 

Facebook isn't bad, you would be downgrading bad if compared to facebook. If some enterprise wants to know your daily behavior to show you ads, to sell you something or simply to eyesdrop is worst than bad. You can tell by Google, the greatest evil on earth

 

Regardless one's sentiments on Facebook (which I share with OP), if you're not a user and therefore aren't logged in anyway, accidentally landing on someone's Facebook page or reading there for information isn't doing much harm. If a company finds the format useful, I don't think it's worse than any ole Wordpress site and it saves money for development. And we always complain MA and the PP's don't do enough marketing, then it makes no sense to slate them for trying to tap into the social media slaves.

As for browsing out of the client loader, most annoying thing is that it ignores preferred browser setting and insists on opening Internet Explorer. I always take the link from the context menu and open it where I have my plugins like Ghostery etc.

 

I have no problem with MA or the PP using Facebook or any other modern media to promote the game. More players equals more income equals the continued ability to develop the game we all love.
I would ask however that they do not take this one step further and force us to use facebook, or other services in order to follow storylines, acquire points or other game related services.
In my opinion the move by MA to vote for 'president' in a way that excluded many players from participating, yet in effect allowed new players, non-players and even alt accounts to vote was a disgrace, and one we certainly need to avoid in the future.

So YES lets promote the game
But please keep game related content in game or in the appropriate game forums, so all players are equal.

 

This is where you and most other people are wrong. I chose not to use facebook because it has evil intentions and underhanded methods of tying people to activities. I don't go to facebook or sign in or volunteer to be tracked - so why should I give them information about when I'm loading my entropia client on my machine. I want the option to not have them track my habits ever but they do it without my knowledge or consent - and that includes you too. There is no reason the client loader has to point to facebook it has all the web to chose from. What's the matter with linking to here for instance. Or the Arkadia website which would make even more sense. You facebook users can use the hell out of facebook for all I care but I don't want anything to do with it on any level.

And yes I also have issues with the client loader opening Internet Explorer.

 

probably one of the oldest issues at all ... mindark was never told about a standard browser

and yes, i fully agree - all companies suck

 

I tried to point out that this isn't so much of a concern as long as you're not a user yourself. Only when you're logged in do you expose yourself to their full profiling. They will know you've been there a casual surfer if you subsequently register from the same IP address or by a few habitual patterns, but this is about as far as it goes short of advanced methods and permissions limited to authorities (whom I consider a lot more evil than corporations I can still chose to deal with or not - but it gets really hairy where they become intertwined). Ghostery takes care of the remaining tracker tools, AdBlock goes without saying I suppose (I whitelist sites I wish to support).

 

Ghostery and Adblock are great. I run those. Problem is - I don't use Internet Explorer which is opening the facebook page in the client loader. Just google "facebook tracks you" . You don't need to be logged in OR EVEN HAVE AN ACCOUNT!

Anyways - I appreciate all your responses and hope Arkadia Devs take into account the consensus.

I see I'm not the only one to notice - http://arkadiaforum.com/threads/facebook-on-and-the-clientloader.10614/

Maybe to edit drivers/etc/hosts file?

So, I guess we have to do our pwn work around! OK Challenge accepted!

 

Can you configure your firewall to block relevant apps from contacting the FB ip address?

 

Was easier than I thought - I looked around for config files then discovered that I can just disable IE in the programs and features area of the control panel W00T 2 birds with one stone. Now, Ark devs can just ignore the problem altogether. we all win. yay

edit: gah
O jesus - doesn't work - now I got to try to block facebook

edit:
Can't block facebook at all? what the flying hornytoad is THIS!>??!?!?!? Blocking facebook stops the client loader from loading?!?! Ark Devs: you need to allow me to block facebook!

 

Rename iexplore.exe to idontexplore.exe?

 

In all sympathy Aloisius, I really think you're overworking this. The company would be stupid to not use the available means to advertise. Our individual choice is not affected by this and you're not in danger if you accidentally come across a website you have no account with (not talking about malicious sites designed to spread viruses). I suggested already above to always use right mouse button instead the left one when picking anything up from the client loader. This allows you to prevent IE from loading and you can check out the content with all your protective plugins in place. Or choose not to upon seeing where the address leads.

 

San, the client loader loads a facebook page into the window. Whether it is using the IE or its own browser is irrelevant, I'm still connecting to a facebook page. Overworking this or not, this also has nothing to do with the company advertising (I want them to advertise to facebook and everywhere else for that matter). What this has to do with is someone connecting my computer to facebook WITHOUT my consent.

I run all kinds of privacy addons in my browser of choice but this is all after the connection has already been made.

I didn't try that host file because I managed to block facebook in the router with the result client loader freezes. I'm assuming the host file block would get the same result. Why it doesn't freeze after I disabled Windows IE I have no idea (that doesn't work either for some reason and the client loader seems to still be using IE somehow and not my default browser).

MikeH's fix to load the game with a shortcut is the best solution so far.

for windowed

Code:

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Entropia Universe\bin64\Entropia.exe" --run -windowed

for full screen

Code:

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Entropia Universe\bin64\Entropia.exe" --run -fullscreen

I'll at least only have to run the loader once in awhile for the updates. All I have discovered so far is - it's really a BUG.

When (if) I get to Caly I'll try the facebook block again to see if it stalls the loader. If not then its a PP problem and MA is off the hook sort of.

 

If you believe this, unplug the internet. Advertisements and anything with cookies track more than what you are claiming facebook for.

 

If I believe what exactly? That they are evil and underhanded?

 

So,5$, I was looking for a link to facebook losing the trial for stealing occulus rift tech (ordered to pay 500M$) when I discovered this GEM. "dov-katz-facebook-occulus-vr-sex-cop-teenage" No sirree, that's not evil. "facebook-ad-network-non-users-cookies-plug-ins" Tracks non users data not underhanded.

You are obviously an anti conspiracy guy with a vested interest in making the truth stay buried. Why? The onus is on you to explain why its so important that my opinion be categorized as "conspiracy".

 

Just uninstall IE simples.