to keep it simple stupid:
-/etc/passwd: almost every prog reads this to turn uid into username, etc....
- firefox profile: it is a read of the proxy settings (automatic proxy detection). i tested this, test it for yourself, change your proxy settings to something different and skype wont connect, on the right proxy settings it connects via http through the firewall (bad enough)
so the article is almost complete nonsense, despite the fact that one thing is obviously true: closed source can do harm, dont use it ! the question is not what skype can and does read, but u can easily imagine what a bad program can do with your profile settings in your home directory (read plain text passwords / keys locally stored....) for skype there is still no evidence at all that it does something bad. but i wont use it just because it is closed source !
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to keep it simple stupid: - /etc/passwd: almost every prog reads this to turn uid into username, etc....
- firefox profile: it is a read of the proxy settings (automatic proxy detection). i tested this, test it for yourself, change your proxy settings to something different and skype wont connect, on the right proxy settings it connects via http through the firewall (bad enough)
so the article is almost complete nonsense, despite the fact that one thing is obviously true: closed source can do harm, dont use it ! the question is not what skype can and does read, but u can easily imagine what a bad program can do with your profile settings in your home directory (read plain text passwords / keys locally stored....) for skype there is still no evidence at all that it does something bad. but i wont use it just because it is closed source !