The first thing this app does is connect to Microsoft servers to download theme files, which for some reason aren't bundled into the binary. If you block it from accessing the internet, it crashes.
That's pretty bad for a terminal utility and file manager. The thing should never, ever connect to the internet for anything unless explicitly told to by the user. I didn't notice this, thanks for pointing it out.
Why is that the standard for a terminal utility and not GUI software? Why do we accept GUI software that does update checks and phone-home telemetry without configuration or consent?
I’m really curious about this, not to derail the thread.
Well, I don't. I use almost exclusively FOSS software that has no telemetry whatsoever, and where there is any phoning home, I either turn it off or make sure I know what it's doing and am happy with it.
I think it should be the standard, but fact is most computer users are entertainment consumers and their computing devices are just a new and improved TV. It doesn't even occur to them to ask what's going on, hence the ubiquity of proprietary spyware. With TUIs and other nerdy stuff like that, the userbase is generally going to give a shit more, hence the higher standard.
