[vinmontRD]

I'm guessing here, but it also might be part of the software QA process. When we developed a games website, involving hundreds of thousands of users downloading and running java applets (games) that communicated with our back-end gaming servers and chat rooms, we had the game applets collect usage information, including things such as keystrokes, memory usage (and growth), call stacks when exceptions occurred, etc - sending this back to us during our testing and tuning phase. This gave us a lot more info than we could possibly have gotten otherwise and made it possible for us to release rock-solid products by the end of the development cycle.

This would be a great tool for RIM to use the same way I would think...

- Jon

[black betty]

how naive would we be if for one second we thought that RIM would not be capable of stopping people from obtaining these beta releases. IMO it helps rim tweek these releases, some issues could be a result of geographical location, carriers, and so on. so if RIM is aware of when i reboot and this helps them deliver a better product to us, then what is the issue.

[xxxmerlinxxx]

Its not that I wanted the internal beta version, its the one that I found through a quick google search and could download and try out just like most in this beta forum. No covert operations, blood spilled or mission impossible ceiling hang to obtain the software, sorry Well now I know, and you learn the easy or hard way. Im sure Im not the only one who has done this. Ill keep you posted if RIM does disable the phone. I removed the beta and went back to the latest 4.2.

[Inphektion]

Originally Posted by Sith_Apprentice

wonder how fast it will take for that PIN to be disabled. Any bets?

Yea, never.

Originally Posted by penguin3107

Congrats on publicizing the fact that you've illegally obtained handheld code.

wow, you guys sound like you've listened to the scare tactics used by RIM on new employees and assuming they somehow apply to someone who google searched, found software, and installed it. Nothing "illegal" happened there, and if RIM disabled a PIN based on software running alone they would be the one doing something illegal.
Its one thing for RIM to go after whoever leaked the code, broke an NDA, etc., but to do anything at all to an end user who is running the code would be overstepping on their part.

Rim should model from what directv is doing on dbstalk forums and allowing those who want to run beta software, provide no support for them outside of forums if they chose to do so, yet meanwhile get a LOT of great feedback and auto bug reports from probably the loyalist of fans.

[penguin3107]

Originally Posted by Inphektion

Yea, never.



wow, you guys sound like you've listened to the scare tactics used by RIM on new employees and assuming they somehow apply to someone who google searched, found software, and installed it. Nothing "illegal" happened there, and if RIM disabled a PIN based on software running alone they would be the one doing something illegal.
Its one thing for RIM to go after whoever leaked the code, broke an NDA, etc., but to do anything at all to an end user who is running the code would be overstepping on their part.

Rim should model from what directv is doing on dbstalk forums and allowing those who want to run beta software, provide no support for them outside of forums if they chose to do so, yet meanwhile get a LOT of great feedback and auto bug reports from probably the loyalist of fans.

Yawn.

[JoeSnuffs]

Peng: lighten up, maybe? Like inphektion said, if anything us beta users are giving RIM some pretty solid testing info through this and other forums. It doesn't seem as if they mind all that much, seeing that we still have working [nearly rock solid] phones. I may be completely ignorant to the actual inner workings of the company, but it doesn't seem as though they view us beta end-users as an enemy/problem of any kind. Besides, we can only wait so long

[John Clark]

The problem is when a bad OS gets out there like .37 for TMo users many more sim cards are fried than if the testing is contained in the controlled groups. These are not meant for public beta testing.

[NJBlackBerry]

Ask Kevin from Crackberry how RIM reacts to things they don't like.
Paranoia indeed.

Fried SIM; tastes like Chicken. But I didn't eat mine.

[Sith_Apprentice]

Originally Posted by Inphektion

Yea, never.



wow, you guys sound like you've listened to the scare tactics used by RIM on new employees and assuming they somehow apply to someone who google searched, found software, and installed it. Nothing "illegal" happened there, and if RIM disabled a PIN based on software running alone they would be the one doing something illegal.
Its one thing for RIM to go after whoever leaked the code, broke an NDA, etc., but to do anything at all to an end user who is running the code would be overstepping on their part.

Rim should model from what directv is doing on dbstalk forums and allowing those who want to run beta software, provide no support for them outside of forums if they chose to do so, yet meanwhile get a LOT of great feedback and auto bug reports from probably the loyalist of fans.

A lot of great feedback? I have seen only time and time again people having issues with the software and complaining on this, and other forums. How is that possibly great feedback? And not illegal? It is as illegal as downloading songs from a Limewire type program. The software is not yours, just as the songs are not. While it may be distributed free at SOME point, the beta belongs to RIM, as do the "Internal Tools" which includes, among other things, Quincy.

Lets fry hundreds of SIM cards and raise the cost for everyone's devices! Sounds like a good plan to me! /sarcasm

[JoeSnuffs]

We install the beta knowing that these things may happen. If you do the research to know it's out there and how to find it, then you know the risks involved. Or you're not paying very much attention to what you read, at all. Not to fuel a fire or anything, but I'm sure even the complaining is helpful in it's own right. Also, and again I know my own ignorance, but I don't understand how my use of 4.5.0.42 raises the cost of the device. Even if I fried my sim, my microSD, and my device all in one fell swoop it would still be my problem. I'd be the one losing my money to replace them and I, as well as any other beta users, accept this risk.

Oh, and by-the-by, I'm not arguing the legality of it all. There's no doubt we are breaking the law. I just don't see RIM caring more than enough to take the posted beta's they find off of the net.

[stealthx32]

You guys realize that if you ever visit ANY website with your phone browser, your OS version number is indexed? It's part of the browser tag the software sends out when responding to HTTP requests. RIM has much easier ways to collect stats; I doubt they'll pursue any course of action (other than maybe pursuing the leaker himself).

[CO_BBTechie]

Originally Posted by stealthx32

You guys realize that if you ever visit ANY website with your phone browser, your OS version number is indexed?

So does RIM have arrangements with the Internet caretaker, so that they can share this information? How does RIM get this information unless you're visiting a RIM website?

[John Clark]

RIM is the internet caretaker for the Blackberry. All your data goes through their NOC.

[CO_BBTechie]

Well... more or less my point exactly. They don't need to data mine the web servers of the world. They have that information at their fingertips already.

[DiabloZoe]

It would be great to hear RIM speak on this subject then everybodys OPINION!!!
as we have heard many groups in the music industry speak on how d/l there music from sites like limewire, kazzaa.....etc...has hurt them!! Anybody here work for RIM???

[John Clark]

I doubt we'll here anything from people who work at RIM unless we're publicly hosting illegal downloads. There are many people here who partner with RIM and know the ins and outs.

[DiabloZoe]

just wondered if any of them lurked the forum!!!

[Thatzmister2u]

Originally Posted by DiabloZoe

just wondered if any of them lurked the forum!!!

Quite a few actually....

[SMF]

I guess it's a matter of degrees. I would expect that we all run at least the latest officially released software on our BB's. When we downloaded it we swore to RIM we were really, truly a customer of the releasing carrier and were authorized to use it.

So we run, at a minimum, a version of handheld software that according to RIM we shouldn't.

As to 4.5 I've found the whole discussion interesting. I've not installed 4.5 but have watched the slow progress for a couple of reasons - first I'm on T-Mobile and I don't want to take the chance with my sim. I'm also using a work bb and I know that my handheld version is recorded on the BES. I expect my company would not like me to be using an unauthorized beta.

I will note that this is the first time I've seen this level of discourse across the web for a beta version of bb handheld software. I'm fairly surprised that there are even forums for beta 4.5 since in the past everyone has been prohibited from discussing beta software by NDA's (and I'm speaking from observation not experience since I don't get to beta test for RIM).

I'm just surprised that it seems to be taking forever to get 4.5 done.

SMF

[tdawg00]

Originally Posted by SMF

I guess it's a matter of degrees. I would expect that we all run at least the latest officially released software on our BB's. When we downloaded it we swore to RIM we were really, truly a customer of the releasing carrier and were authorized to use it.

So we run, at a minimum, a version of handheld software that according to RIM we shouldn't.

As to 4.5 I've found the whole discussion interesting. I've not installed 4.5 but have watched the slow progress for a couple of reasons - first I'm on T-Mobile and I don't want to take the chance with my sim. I'm also using a work bb and I know that my handheld version is recorded on the BES. I expect my company would not like me to be using an unauthorized beta.

I will note that this is the first time I've seen this level of discourse across the web for a beta version of bb handheld software. I'm fairly surprised that there are even forums for beta 4.5 since in the past everyone has been prohibited from discussing beta software by NDA's (and I'm speaking from observation not experience since I don't get to beta test for RIM).

I'm just surprised that it seems to be taking forever to get 4.5 done.

SMF

Im on Bes and me and my Director have the latest software because I upgraded it myself... Im glad my BES admins dont care. They gave me open it policy while others have block cameras and mms,