Other stuff accessing data from inside my Gmail!

resetreset · 01-10-2011, 02:09 AM

I started using Ubuntu's chat tool the other day, I gave it my Gmail username and password,and lo! it found my list of CONTACTS FROM INSIDE GMAIL!!!!
Facebook has done the same thing as well!

Was this in Google's terms? Can't something be done about this? This is SCARY.

But also, a small part of me wants to know how it was done

(only a small part, this protocol sh*t is not particularly challenging, right?

)

Tinkster · 01-10-2011, 02:44 AM

Ummm .. was WHAT in google's terms? That people/software w/ your credentials
can access your accounts data?

Words fail me ...

Cheers,
Tink

TobiSGD · 01-10-2011, 02:48 AM

What do you have expected? You give your username and password to a software and then are scared, if the software uses them? I don't see your point.

resetreset · 01-11-2011, 09:58 AM

Eh? WHY IS GOOGLE LETTING PEOPLE ACCESS DATA OFF ITS SERVERS?

Tinkster · 01-11-2011, 10:27 AM

Because w/ you credentials google has to assume it's you; how do you expect
google to KNOW it's not an interactive session of yours, but a piece of software?

Or do you generally expect them to be a write-once, read-never device?

/me scratches his head...

Cheers,
Tink

TobiSGD · 01-11-2011, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by resetreset

Eh? WHY IS GOOGLE LETTING PEOPLE ACCESS DATA OFF ITS SERVERS?

Because you gave your username and password. It doesn't matter if it is you, your software or me, as long as username and password are right.
If that would be unwanted behavior any mail-client would be useless.

H_TeXMeX_H · 01-11-2011, 11:53 AM

Think of it this way. Gmail is a web interface to your mail. If you put your username and password in a program, you can access the same mail using a different interface, not a web interface.

I remember there was a program that would allow you to mount your gmail as a disk ... again using your username and password ... a different interface to the same mailbox.

resetreset · 01-12-2011, 06:03 AM

So.... very curious... how do these programs know how Google's servers work? Exactly what beasts they are....?

TobiSGD · 01-12-2011, 07:18 AM

Google offers an API exactly for this purpose, simple as that.

resetreset · 01-12-2011, 11:52 AM

Oh? Do you have pay for this?
I don't know exactly what "API" means, because I hate following other people's standards....

H_TeXMeX_H · 01-12-2011, 11:56 AM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/API

BTW, API is an acronym not a standard.

dugan · 01-12-2011, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by resetreset

I hate following other people's standards....

Now that's an attitude that will get you far in programming.

H_TeXMeX_H · 01-12-2011, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dugan

Now that's an attitude that will get you far in programming.

M$ will hire you right away.

Tinkster · 01-12-2011, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dugan

Now that's an attitude that will get you far in programming.

Or in fact anywhere. Like a netizen hermit - doesn't make much sense. ;}

TobiSGD · 01-12-2011, 10:16 PM

Just for your knowledge: It doesn't make you a slave. There are many APIs out there, and many programmers use (not follow) them. Some of them are named OpenGL,SDL, ncurses. Simple examples. APIs make the world go round.