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Anonabox Accused of Lying About Its Product Being Open-Source On Kickstarter
blottsie writes The "anonabox" has raised more than $550,000 on Kickstarter in only three days. But some believe the company's claims that the router-like device, which is said to automatically route users' Internet traffic through Tor, is entirely open-source are false. Anonabox developer August Germar tells the Daily Dot, however, that the device was commissioned specifically to run their code.
Surely that would settle this silly dispute. Either the code is there, or it is not.
Time is what keeps everything from happening all at once.
I referenced the following part: The anonabox has been developed and refined for the sole purpose of running the open source software Tor, considered the best and most secure way to access the Internet anonymously. All traffic coming out of or going into your computer or network is encrypted this way. The result is strong, secure anonymity.
Relating to the above, I asked exactly how can they make such claims when proper anonymity requires the users to also understand the concept and to actively avoid doing things that would compromise that anonymity, like e.g. logging to Facebook or checking e-mails. I did say that they are very specifically making it sound like the box can just magically make you anonymous even when you do your usual stuff over Tor and they should either rephrase their sales pitch or I'll assume they don't even want people to really understand the concept. My question has gone unanswered, so take what you will!
the problem isn't just the fact that the code and hardware isn't open-source, it's the fact that the developers openly lied on their Kickstarter campaign. Not only is the hardware not open-source but it wasn't even designed by them, it's a cheap Chinese knockoff of a tp-link 3G router! On top of that after looking through the firmware they've found that it's not custom software, but a badly configured OpenWRT build with a standard root password (set to "developer!"), an unsecured wifi ssid and sshd installed and running by default! The scale to which these jokers have deceived their backers is ridiculous, and this Kickstarter needs shutting down.
Anyone who contributes money to a Kickstarter project deserves what they get.
I didn't use Kickstarter, but I backed a game while the devs were still asking for funding on both Kickstarter and a few other places. I got a great, worthy game and didn't feel even the tiniest amount cheated out of my money: the game was Shadowrun Returns. Does that mean I deserve great, enjoyable games?
Nope, it means you were lucky!
well.. from the looks of it..
the question should be to ask do they understand the difference between an INVENTION and a product.
clearly they had read about the invention way before and just hashed together a product. they don't seem to have clear understanding of how the product works.
basically they're just selling a 20$ box for 50$. which isn't too bad. but if they don't understand the product, why the fuck trust with them running it, instead of running tor on your laptop? or better yet, running something like tails on the laptop.. the tor wont help if the os on the laptop is the problem - and how they can vouch for the closed source drivers on the board? and if it's not their board, I doubt it's theirs to give away as "open hardware" either. it seems like it's open in the sense that they used whatever was openly available to them...
I think they just saw the project on hackaday, asked around for some boards and smelled money and wanted the money upfront from the customers to negate risks - and then did some bullshit to sell it. now that bullshit could technically be in violation of kickstarter rules, so they might have to move to indiegogo and spin up some more bullshit why they moved("big brother forced us to!" most probably).
world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
I would think about it as an investment. You may get a return, you may not. If nobody backs that game, it will never come to market and in some cases there is no alternative that you could buy. Backing "me too" project of course is stupid... You just have to evaluate the project and team and see if they are likely to deliver.
Even if everything on it is properly implemented, which is doubtful, the device will be completely insecure for ordinary, non-expert users. To use Tor securely, the endpoint communication software must be properly anonymized, Java and Javascript disabled, etc. Use Tails or Tor browser bundle on an encrypted home partition of a well-patched system instead.
I've mostly backed stuff that looked like it would not get created by regular companies. Most of this was in the area of Home Automation; a niche market, which means that even for great products the economics may simply not work out. Start-ups as well as existing companies can take some of the gamble out of that equation through crowdsourcing. I've backed 7 projects thus far:
3 delivered more or less on time
1 is on track for timely delivery
1 ran into technical and organisational issues, but they've turned those around and it looks like they will deliver the product after all, if a bit late. Their campaign was overfunded so they didn't run out of cash.
1 underestimated organisational difficulties (such as obtaining product certification in different regions) and ran out of money. A good many backers did receive their goods and they still think they can fulfil all pledges, but I'm not holding my breath.
1 I've given up on.
Not too bad a track record. Of course it's easy enough to let others fund these kickstarter projects and let them take the risk, but where's the fun in that? As long as you understand the risk, I don't see why one shouldn't fund these projects that might otherwise not see the light of day.
If construction was anything like programming, an incorrectly fitted lock would bring down the entire building...
The problem that the Onion Pi is not granny-friendly. The problem that the Onion Pi needs to be assembled and requires RP Linux knowledge to set up in the first place.
Some people want the challenge of making the device, others just want to plug it in and go. That's where this comes into play.
Trying to become famous by taking photos. Visit my homepage please.
Only half of the code has been released so far. This is supposed to be an open source software and hardware project and not a single schematic or Gerber file has been released so far.
And then they should continue on to destroy the month and the year.
Sorry, teleporters just kill you and then make a copy. A perfect, soul-less copy.
An open source router has open source software/firmware and hardware. You can't claim that with an off-the-shelf hardware, unless that hardware was open-source to start with.
A successful API design takes a mixture of software design and pedagogy.
> Nope, it means you were lucky!
Crap. Yes evaluate the projects first. Do a little internal math and check if the company has asked for enough to complete the project. Do they appear to have the skill set required to get the project out the door? Have they lied in the project description?
I've backed a few projects on Kickstarter (and alikes). I've got some fantastic big name games and cool indy games and the warm glow of knowing I helped them on their way.
Its a risk but a risk but one you can do derisk quite a way.
> Anyone who contributes money to a Kickstarter project deserves what they get.
I agree. I've got naught but awesomeness.
Wow, I should not post when knackered.
>Anyone who contributes money to a Kickstarter project deserves what they get.
An autographed poster and a download and Blu-Ray of a movie? That's what I got the only time I contributed to a kickstarter, and am happy with the deal. You might want to find a narrower brush.
Update 9:15am 10/15/2014: As the Anonabox Kickstarter campaign has exploded to half a million dollars in just over two days (despite its initial goal of only $7,500) some critics on Reddit have called attention to Germar’s misrepresentation of the “custom” hardware board and plastic case used for the device. They point to stock devices available on Alibaba from Chinese suppliers that appear to be nearly identical. This piece has been corrected from an earlier version that included his claims that both the board and case were custom-built for the project.
In a followup phone call with Germar, he clarified that the router was created from a stock board sourced from the Chinese supplier Gainstrong. But he says that the project’s developers requested Gainstrong add flash memory to the board to better accommodate Tor’s storage demands. Germar also says now that the case was supplied by Gainstrong and was not custom-designed by the Anonabox developers, a partial reversal of how he initially described it to WIRED.
This is only after their ridiculous claim that the chinese seemed to have copied "their" design was shown to be false.
Deceptive marketing? Definitely. Open-source hardware? Definitely not. Liars? Heck, yes. Scam? You betcha!
"Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.
Or maybe just smart. He picked a project that showed a realistic chance of being completed.
Yep. I'm 6/6 so far - all of them turned out as well or better than I expected. I dunno why anyone would think there's much "luck" involved with picking Kickstarter projects.