Re: Copy to Clipboard - ambush and abuse by javascript

On 2010-06 -04, at 20:59, Karl Dubost wrote:
> 
> * Are users abused?
>  I'm pretty sure most people will be happy of the read more with the URI.
>  Imagine the system had just returned, without the tracking code.
> 
>       Power is what men seek and any group that gets it will abuse it. 
>       Lincoln Steffens
>       Read More: http://example.com/path/myarticle
> 
>   We would not argue about it. No?

Wrong.  People would certainly argue about it.  The Copy operation is very simple and we rely on it working as planned.   Not just geeks. Everyone.

- For example, sometimes I cut and paste things into IRC directly.  I don't then get a chance to get a look at it unless it is just one line.  Adding lines automatically sends the first.

-  People are pretty sure of what they are copying.  Often they may paste it without checking it.  Use of Copy and Paste has actually penetrated well beyond the geek community and I think you belittle the the non-geeks if you think they won't notice or care.

-  It may be that they really do NOT want to endorse the thing they are copying with link karma. They may be pasting it because they thing it is awful.

-  Privacy: It could well be that they really don't want people to know where they got the quote from.

	"There is a tide in the affairs of men which leads to fortune"
	Read more: http://nautiseximagizin.example/hotstories/1352

Ooops it was a quote from W Shakespeare but they didn't want you to know where they found it!

And so on.  If you can attack any basic program function in a computer you can probably carry out fraud or insert advertising or both. Not a good idea though.

> [...]
> 
> -- 
> Karl Dubost
> Montréal, QC, Canada
> http://www.la-grange.net/karl/
> Read more: http://www.amazon.co.uk/KarlDuBost/dp/1846688914/