I actually landed here considering starting a separate thread asking GOG to remove Google scripts from their web site.
Reading the Privacy Policy made it clear this not only will not happen, but data mining by third parties will come with legal indemnity to GOG. After all, they aren't the ones doing it, right?
GOG reserves the right to collect hardware and software information... and you claim this is not personally identifiable?
https://panopticlick.eff.org/
And this little tool only checks very limited set of software information.
GOG is already utilizing data mining - without enabling Google Analytics, you cannot even access the site.
This only became an issue after the site redesign. Before then, I could fully access GOG with Google, Facebook, and every other data miner blocked. Now it's impossible.
I currently have 168 games in my library. I introduced quite a few friends to GOG (some through gifts I nagged about till they redeemed them, some through personal recommendations). I was delighted to see some new releases to appear in your listings, and ended up spending over $100 on them over these Holidays despite being in a somewhat limiting financial situation.
I wanted to believe that, as a gamer, I will have a place to get games that will let me do this with minimal hassle (no DRM). But I also assumed you would have similar stance to other things, such as respect for personal privacy.
I realize you have no obligation to do so. From a business point of view, selling data (whether aggregated or personally identifiable) makes perfect sense. My fault for making assumptions.
I long hoped for additional functionality to the GOG Downloader. I think I ever wrote an e-mail suggesting making it an optional feature to check the stored version of installers, and notify of any updated versions available.
But that's it. I don't know what Galaxy will do or feature, but after reading the TOS I'm afraid I'll find it too intrusive and bloated. I
already find the GOG site intrusive (Google Analytics - the "social media" tools I can block).
You're losing me, guys. Encrypting your installers is a step in the wrong direction for me, as well, and I fear it won't end just at that. Ultimately, if my choice is between undistinguishable Steam or GOG clients, I think Steam will have better deals for a long time yet. And there won't be anything left for me to support on GOG side. As much as I hate the virtual monopoly Valve created, I might as well just admit that most people don't care about DRM -or- privacy and be done throwing money away while fighting windmills.
Remove data mining tools, or third-party scripts from your web site and client. Take a step back and recall your own words about pointlessness of fighting "piracy" by impacting legitimate users and bring back the unrestricted installers we can archive to use at our convenience, whatever other circumstances.
Give us what we came here for and for what we supported your growth - treating us as people -and- respected customers. Not just profit margin data points.
Edit: For all that's been said - thank you for having this discussion in the first place. I shouldn't have had to edit my post to at least acknowledge that, and I apologize for this omission.