Comment 154 for bug 1054776

Jeremy: The difference between the Dash and, say, Google Now is that one typically does not use Google Now to launch applications or find local files (I don't know if that's even possible). Siri typically doesn't do as much of those things either; it can launch apps, but since iOS doesn't (without jailbreaking) reveal the contents of its filesystem, searching for local files is out of the question there. Not to mention that both Android and iOS have an app list to go to as the primary launch method *instead* of Now/Siri/etc., whereas the Dash (or rather, a lens of it) *is* the "app drawer" so to speak.

Thus, the use cases for both Google Now and Siri are quite different from that of the Dash; instead, the Dash's use seems to be more in line with a Start Menu, being it the primary method of launching applications that aren't already in the sidebar. Because it's used as a Start Menu rather than a Siri, users expect to see results on *their* machine, not on the web.

I understand the idea that Unity is going for. What I'm saying is that it can be done in a way that doesn't intrude on user privacy and introduce a gaping hole in Ubuntu's security. That's why the Shopping "Lens" (it isn't even its own lens, so calling it the "Shopping Lens" is misleading...) has been drawing so much criticism, and why that needs to be fixed if Canonical cares about user privacy and safety.

And yes, you can opt-out. But why should we have to opt out? If users want Amazon integration, why can't they opt in?