[j1nx]

We had serious concerns about privacy and piracy concerns in regards to the TVTunes add-on.

This allows TVTunes to track users machines https://github.com/robwebset/script.tvtu...gs.py#L593

This is obfuscated code https://github.com/robwebset/script.tvtu...gs.py#L589 which is an encrypted url pointing to a config file which gets downloaded to the users device, and this in turns downloads an encrypted file, all of this is done in the background without the user knowing or being asked permission. This encrypted file contains credentials to a server that allows users to upload mp3 files, however what the user won't know is that before these files are uploaded the filename gets tagged with the users mac address from the user tracking TVTunes does.

So the main concern is that this user tracking is going on without the user ever being made aware of it and that files are being downloaded from servers in the background without the users knowledge. This alone is grounds for support to no longer be allowed on these forums, since users will tend to have more trust in anything discussed on the Kodi forum than elsewhere. We must do what we can to maintain that trust, so we cannot in good conscience permit our users to be exposed in this way without their knowledge and consent.

The piracy concern comes from the fact that the server the files can be uploaded to is running a BitTorrent service, although we can't state with any certainty these files are being shared, it certainly doesn't look good to us.

This is just the latest in a long line things such that the Team feels there can be no trust in what these add-ons do, so even if the above was corrected we simply don't have the manpower to continually monitor them to make sure nothing further got slipped back in at some point afterwards.

If only Ronie could make posts like this, it once again saved a lot of irritation! It wasn't that hard to give a proper explanation wasn't it. If you do not have the time to proper moderate the forum, don't or wait till you have the time to do it properly IMHO.

Anyhow; In regards of the Ban I am fully with the others. Allow him to explain or apologies for the matter and than do whatever needs to be done to look forward again.

[kimkl]

Okay have a look at this i remember seeing a post where Rob asked Nate what he needed to change in the GNU Version 3 well it was reverted to Version 2
e) Convey the object code using peer-to-peer transmission, provided
- you inform other peers where the object code and Corresponding
- Source of the work are being offered to the general public at no
- charge under subsection 6d.
This got left out now i could be wrong but doubt it but peer to peer not also use the Bittorrent Service and is therefore required
If this is true Well Kodi is to blame Rob was told to make changes to Version 3 of the GNU and it was Reverted back to Version 2
So we have some issues here ofc this does not explain all
But it does make you think

[jjd-uk]

If it had been one issue and the author had shown a willingness to understand why what they were doing was wrong, then this probably would have been solved long ago to the satisfaction of everyone. However it's been issue after issue and frankly everyone on the Team is fed up with it.

[ziggy73701]

Hi, while I feel I am about to get my a*se handed to me on a plate, I am the person that gave up the space for Rob to store some files. I am the owner of the server where some of the content was being written. The space came about as I used to use the Screensaver addon and was tired of the slow download speed he was getting from where his files where hosted so I decided to help out... We he developed the TV Tunes addon a little extra space was used.

As the person being the file space I can tell you all I ever saw on there was the video files used for the Screensaver addon, and mp3 files used for TV Themes. There was no other access to any other areas of the server and no files were re distributed in ANY other way other than through The Screensaver and TV Tunes addon. Rob simply had ftp access to a bit of disk space.

Having read through the posts on this thread I can see why people are concerned and have removed access to storage area for his addons. I have done this based on what I read in a previous post regarding tracking of user info and grabbing of MAC addresses.

If anyone needs any more info give me a shout.... please remember I am just a and user who was trying to help out a developer!

[kimkl]

Okay did a fast test and it seems i do have some poorly done
but since Blizzard Entertainment uses BitTorrent (via a proprietary client called the "Blizzard Downloader", associated with the Blizzard "BattleNet" network)
I cant tell what is what i play D# so it could be related to that so ill take a breather and not Cry Wolf evert chance i get

[kimkl]

I Respect honesty but dislike unawareness but good of you to tell before we started a bonfire and flipped a coin to see if we should burn Nate or Rob

[jjd-uk]

no files were re distributed in ANY other way other than through The Screensaver and TV Tunes addon.

Personally I think even this is straying onto copyright breaching grounds as there should be no redistribution going on even if it's only with other users of the add-on. When TVTunes started out it was low quality files that tended to be incomplete for which an fair use argument could be made, however it's slowly morphed into something much much more than that.

[ziggy73701]

no files were re distributed in ANY other way other than through The Screensaver and TV Tunes addon.

Personally I think even this is straying onto copyright breaching grounds as there should be no redistribution going on even if it's only with other users of the add-on. When TVTunes started out it was low quality files that tended to be incomplete for which an fair use argument could be made, however it's slowly morphed into something much much more than that.

To be honest I guess TV Tunes can fall in to that kinda catergory where you can justify having a copy of it because well its just a TV Intro.. little 30 second mp3 etc. To the absolute letter of the law it doesn't make it right, and I would go as far as to say they beyond any doubt copyright breach has occurred.

I'm not trying to get "in on the argument" I stumbled across this thread, read about a server and thought... "bugger, that's mine" so wanted to add a little more info. I wasn't aware of any tracking, am not comfy about it.. so have pulled the access.

[kimkl]

Well not wanting to pour more oil on the bonfire but had kodi had an Website in Denmark with a DK address Danish laws would also apply well Danish law does not allow sending info about your PC or any other kind without Permission from the user but for know i am content just feel like a BIG JackAss again So here comes my other Macro Sorry Ronie it seems Kodi's Gun slinger did not go for his Guns Without Reason.but also good that we found out what is what So ill get a Bucket with Water and see if i can Put out the Flames on Nate.
This is properly not the end of this.
Still some questions that Need An swearing and if it can be proven that Ziggy has been honest with his reply
Well Kodi might reconsider if Rob's Lifetime Stands or if a flogging will be punishment enough.
I am of until tomorow

[Pasado]

I have come to the conclusion that anything to do with Kodi Admin/Mods & Rob will never be solved! Whenever a problem with one of Rob's addons was 'discovered' by the Admin/Mods, Rob fixed it, only to be then told that there was a problem with another addon, and another etc. and whilst I may not know all the facts I can't help but wonder what was the TRUE reason behind Team Kodi's smear campaign against Rob, okay so he has been banned for life now, whether that was a team decision or not is anyone's guess.

To me, there seems to be too many chiefs and not enough indians, bitching and back-stabbing seems to be the norm here which is probably why so many members make too few posts, This forum is definitely not like any other, you will get support here from 'friendly' people so long as you don't have any banned addons (wiki) and have read the forum rules (wiki), however fail in that and you may instead get rude comments and your post deleted.

If you're looking for friends in the so called 'Kodi community' you have most definitely come to the wrong place!

[Prof Yaffle]

I don't pretend to have the full history here - but the trouble is that most other people don't either, and yet will happily offer opinions on why so-and-so is a Very Bad Person or clearly acting with malice. That's not acceptable, and will result in forum bans for breaching the basic forum rules.

To summarise what's been said - which is pretty much what I have to go on - it would seem that Team Kodi has had concerns for some time around these addons. jjd-uk has given an explanation that involves at least the over-writing of system files, repeated breaches of addon guidelines, hidden upload code, and a significant breach of user privacy. On that basis, to protect users, and in the context of the endless battle against being seen as "a piracy platform", a decision was made to bring this to a stop.

As I understand it, robwebset has already moved the addons to his own repo, and you are free to install and use them as you wish from there; there remains an implication for any skins that are dependent on e.g. TVTunes, and that will need to be addressed in due course.

Debate is healthy; differing opinions and creative criticism is fine. However, personal attacks will not be tolerated.

[kimkl]

Well can't argue with the truth in some of this, and am a bit mad at my self for jumping to conclusion so Fast and start to point fingers,
Without having the full picture, but i still stand by my opinions on some things but, it was stupid as he.. of me to make 1 person the Prugelknappe "Fall guy" just because of some his behavior towards Mr No No "writing No No because have no idea why the guy above you was banned can't find a no no Word in his text except Mentioning our new Bon fire Victim Mr No No
I could kick my sell Where it hurts for yet again start shooting without having full disclosure on what the problem was.
So i Take Responsibility for my part in it, But as i said I Respect Ronie for the Work he is doing in the Forum very professional guy knows his bizz no question about that, not trying to make my self shine here by sucking up just stating some Facts and i Will Say this i Respect him a bit more for staying out of this forum "posting" because we would have burned him on the stake unjustly again, and he did a damn good Job on spotting what looks like no il let it rest he did good very good i would apologize to him in a PM if i thought it would do any good, but i would be a bit pis.. on some of us sry making Assumption again i can only speak for myself if the roles where vice versa so ill Apologize to you again Ronie I can't say that i will never do it again as i Wrote in my Explanation you Read, Because it Will but i will never try to hide the fact that i was a D...
And again to anyone thinking ohh that guy its sucking up trying to smooth things over "How poorly you know me" I just know my flaws very well there is quite a few i Will not blame it on My ADHD because this was simply just a witch hunt because Mr No No got banned and Ronie "Seemed to be hasty and in poor judgment" know it seems our John Wayne well ill speak for myself I stopped playing WoW because of the "Virus" Blizzard made Sending my personal info browser hist and so one to a Blizzard That made me MAD as h.... Because i like to keep my stuff private so know it looks like "looks" like same issue again I Am mad about it but since someone came forth quick i will not think to much about it Not healthy for me to over think stuff.
And i promise ill try to keep what should just have been an apology to Ronie saying he had acted without thing to a minimum lets see if i can hold that promise properly not since i over explain everything because when i type i use words i can spell so want to make sure its read as i inteended
okay the end i saw the text error but post need to end

So Mr. John Wayne "Ronie" thx for spotting the intrusion into our privacy keep up the good work Respect
but don't let "idiots" like me get you down
So enough As.. woops behind kissing "which i know most think i am doing" how sad no i just have flaws and don't hide it besides Ronie properly don't love me if i don't get a HAIRCUT okay damn was lame joke sounded better in my head ill make a debug.log and post tell if you see anything or if its empty arh that was much better i am properly the only one who thing my jokes are funny THE END

[kimkl]

And ill work on my spelling hope its readable damn there are many error's well my Spelling Goat left my house after i started firing my Guns off
okay needs tweaking my jokes ill work on that to

[h.udo]

And ill work on my spelling hope its readable damn there are many error's well my Spelling Goat left my house after i started firing my Guns off
okay needs tweaking my jokes ill work on that to

While you're working on your spelling, pleeeeeeaaaaase check if your keyboard has a key with a little dot and a semicolon.
Thanks in advance!

**EDIT**
Forgot the smiley!



There you go.

[kimkl]

Hehe i hate when people tell a better Joke then me, so here goes yes it does and since i am left handed i use it for my 2 macro's
1. I am sorry i did that will never happen again
2 I apologize for being an "Idiot"

Why forget the smily did it forget to brush its teeth or have bad bad breath
Or do you simply just not like me

hmm now i am really annoyed my reply sux
Well i have a another small flaw i do not like loosing, especially when i think i am Jerry Lewis and Eddie Murphy Reborn with a dash of Richard Pryor when he was still doing Dru.. ehh Taking "Asprin"