Steam 'away' and 'snooze' lets random people know WHEN YOU'RE NOT HOME

[TREE]

At a minimum it lets random people know when you're not near the computer, they can track this and build a profile to dertermine when you're least likely to be home.

Please include the option to broadcast if I'm away or not or the ability to show offline to non-friends.

Some of us have multiple thousands invested into our gaming setups - and not all of us live in good areas.


I need opsec my sweet sweet gaben

[Gus the Crocodile]

Start_Running eredeti hozzászólása:

Privacy options exist. They are simply based around the gaming aspect which determines the options.
[...]
The other 2 were out of tune with the central goal. This is why there is also a privacy setting for your inventory seperate from your profile.

Well, you're of course entitled to your opinions about Valve having a "central goal", what it is and how it relates to privacy options specifically. I don't share your view, though. I don't understand this distinction you draw, that because something isn't immediately and directly game-related it's out of consideration for something Steam might do. That doesn't make any sense to me, especially in relation to a Steam that sells things like Quicken Willmaker and the awful Leprechaun movies.

If we do Valve the basic courtesy of assuming they're reasonably rational, competent people, then everything about Steam is the way it is for a reason - everything was put there because of some goal. If goals are sacred, untouchable things, we may as well close this forum up right now.

Start_Running eredeti hozzászólása:

So again for the purpose of networking for the purposes of gaming or trading, you have all the options needed for both sides to function.

Steam would function with no privacy options whatsoever. They aren't there because they're needed, they're there because people prefer that they be there. That's all this thread is, another expression of such a preference.

Start_Running eredeti hozzászólása:

Friends would generally like to know when their friends are online. If you don't like your friends knowing when you're online... well what the feck are they doing on your friend's list?

I'm certain we've had this conversation before. I think you put way too much stock in the name of the "friends list". If it were called the potato list, that wouldn't mean you only use it to list potatoes, right? It's a contact list, and as with any contact list, people can, will and do use it for a variety of slightly different purposes as they see fit. Some people will use it only to contact actual..."friend-friends". Others will use it to add people they met online who just seemed like good people to play with, etc etc. That's fine! Or rather, it should be fine. Not splitting the world up into a small handful of exceedingly distinct categories of interaction isn't "unclean logic", and it's not some new thing brought on by social media sites. Dealing with social interaction in varied, nuanced and complex ways is normal human behaviour. Good tools should be built around people, not seek to tell people how people work.

[Start_Running]

Gus the Crocodile eredeti hozzászólása:

Well, you're of course entitled to your opinions about Valve having a "central goal", what it is and how it relates to privacy options specifically. I don't share your view, though. I don't understand this distinction you draw, that because something isn't immediately and directly game-related it's out of consideration for something Steam might do. That doesn't make any sense to me, especially in relation to a Steam that sells things like Quicken Willmaker and the awful Leprechaun movies.

Only because you have tunnel vision. The common ground is that those are all store things. Games, software movies. They're all sold. A ferrari cannot haul the load of a 4x4 pickup and a pick up is not going to top a ferrari on acceleration.

Both are are automobiles, both are 4-wheeled vehicles with engines. But beyond that their design goals and functions were entirely different. If you can't appreciate that then, that's your limitation.

If we do Valve the basic courtesy of assuming they're reasonably rational, competent people, then everything about Steam is the way it is for a reason - everything was put there because of some goal. If goals are sacred, untouchable things, we may as well close this forum up right now.

Goals typically aren't easily changed. In this case. The system more or less functions as Valve intends it to, ample options for those who use it right and as for the 'friend collectors' well they deserve the problems they have. So why should valve waste any man hours appeasing such a fractional minority?

Steam would function with no privacy options whatsoever. They aren't there because they're needed, they're there because people prefer that they be there. That's all this thread is, another expression of such a preference.

Actually the privacy options as they are increase the functionality in that the encourage people to network. With no privacy the whole social aspects becomes the equivalent of a crowded bus terminal or flea market and rather than use it, people would just tune it out.. That's sort of the reason for the friends only setting. To provide a middle ground between shut out and besieged. THusly , those who want are more comfortable with engaging in the social aspect of multiplayer without the pressure and annoyances. WHich means there are more people in multiplayer and thusly more viability for multiplayer.

I'm certain we've had this conversation before. I think you put way too much stock in the name of the "friends list". If it were called the potato list, that wouldn't mean you only use it to list potatoes, right?

Actually I would because the name kinda hints at the function of a tool. After all. You don't see sane people using hammers to cut bread. I think what's more happened is in this age of facebook and twitter which emphasize quantity of contacts rather than quality, friends are just a stat score. Which I suppose is fine. But, me thinks steam kind of wen't the route of encouraging quality over quantity. That's likely why the slots are limited by your level.

It's a contact list, and as with any contact list, people can, will and do use it for a variety of slightly different purposes as they see fit. Some people will use it only to contact actual..."friend-friends". Others will use it to add people they met online who just seemed like good people to play with, etc etc. That's fine! Or rather, it should be fine. Not splitting the world up into a small handful of exceedingly distinct categories of interaction isn't "unclean logic", and it's not some new thing brought on by social media sites. Dealing with social interaction in varied, nuanced and complex ways is normal human behaviour. Good tools should be built around people, not seek to tell people how people work.

YAwn. ANd contact is a two way thing so it goes back to the point. If you don't want someone in your contact list to know when they can contact you. Then you have a onesided relationship and they likely shouldn't be in your contact list. As much as you talk about nuance, you know what beats nuance in just about every setting- Clarity. Sure it means you have to make concise choices but that's life. Three settings are enough to everyone who isn't actually just looking for more buttons and check boxes to fiddle with.