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I generally use generic computer gear as slapping a "gaming" title on something usually just raises the price, not the quality.

My old keyboard is going out on me and i was at walmart and saw a fairly cheap rgb keyboard by razer, who i knew nothing about.

This is a copy of the message i sent razer a few hours later.

"To Razer Inc.

I just bought a razer cynosa lite keyboard to try out as my old one of getting bad. Well, i did not meticulously examine the fie print on the box so only later discovered that your company demanded i create an account and sign in every single time i turned on my computer in order to fully use your keyboard. Not to mention being deluged by spam from you and the ad companies you sold my information to.I could not change settings, use the volume keys, the mail key, etc.

I refuse to let you know every single time i turn on my system or go online and install your spyware to track my every move on the net just to use a keyboard.

I'm taking my razer back to walmart for a full refund, having wasted a lot of time on it. You can take your arrogant corporate Orwellian overlord attitude that makes you feel entitled to demand i let you spy on me and track every time i use my computer for the privilege of paying you to use your devices and shove it."

It's just mind sickening to see how many tens of millions of people will scream bloody murder if a law enforcement or other governmental agency wants access to personal data, but then mindlessly click "I agree" when a corporation demands unreasonable and unnecessary access to their data for constant algorithmic monitoring for ad targeting purposes...

That definitely sounds like an unwelcome invasion of privacy.

And, Galaxy brain paranoia? What are the chances of them having key logging software?

 Matt Swain wrote:

"To Razr Inc.

I just bought a razr cynosa lite keyboard to try out as my old one of getting bad. Well, i did not meticulously examine the fie print on the box so only later discovered that your company demanded i create an account and sign in every single time i turned on my computer in order to fully use your keyboard. Not to mention being deluged by spam from you and the ad companies you sold my information to.I could not change settings, use the volume keys, the mail key, etc.

I refuse to let you know every single time i turn on my system or go online and install your spyware to track my every move on the net just to use a keyboard.

I'm taking my razr back to walmart for a full refund, having wasted a lot of time on it. You can take your arrogant corporate Orwellian overlord attitude that makes you feel entitled to demand i let you spy on me and track every time i use my computer for the privilege of paying you to use your devices and shove it."

It's just mind sickening to see how many tens of millions of people will scream bloody murder if a law enforcement or other governmental agency wants access to personal data, but then mindlessly click "I agree" when a corporation demands unreasonable and unnecessary access to their data for constant algorithmic monitoring for ad targeting purposes...

wait, wait wait....

Can you explain the underlined part?
Is that even legal?
What the actual feth?

Hey, i wont ask you to accept my word if, as is reasonable, you have a hard time believing this.

I'll link you to a thread of razr forums about this, see it here: https://insider.razer.com/index.php?threads/i-need-an-account-to-use-my-mouse.16873/

The guy basically complained he did not want an account, and said he shouldn't have to have one to use a mouse.

The few replies before it was locked were snark, basically either defending or just submitting to unreasonable corporate demands for access to your computer usage info.

Sure, you can go offline, as long as you have their spyware on your system. Don't want it at all? Ooookaaay, you can use their hardware at full price with "limited" functions.

My keyboard could not have it's light adjusted at all, as opposed to the "millions" of options that were chained to the spyware. Nor did the volume or mail keys work.

Hey, i'm not lying to you guys.

 Matt Swain wrote:
Hey, i wont ask you to accept my word if, as is reasonable, you have a hard time believing this.

I'll link you to a thread of razr forums about this, see it here: https://insider.razer.com/index.php?threads/i-need-an-account-to-use-my-mouse.16873/

The guy basically complained he did not want an account, and said he shouldn't have to have one to use a mouse.

He got one supporting post, the rest were snark, basically either defending or just submitting to unreasonable corporate demands for access to your computer usage info.

Jesus christ man...

what a gakky company and orwellian is probably a fething understatement.


good to know, will avoid.
Also spam of advertisement?

Btw, do you mean Razer?




Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
That definitely sounds like an unwelcome invasion of privacy.

And, Galaxy brain paranoia? What are the chances of them having key logging software?

What do you mean with paranoia, infact when i saw that forum i'd pretty much expect it to be required.

Oh, yeah, razer. I was so POed i remember them being 'cool' and misspelling razor, i didn't bother to remember how they misspelled it.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

Not Online!!! wrote:

 Matt Swain wrote:
Hey, i wont ask you to accept my word if, as is reasonable, you have a hard time believing this.

I'll link you to a thread of razr forums about this, see it here: https://insider.razer.com/index.php?threads/i-need-an-account-to-use-my-mouse.16873/

The guy basically complained he did not want an account, and said he shouldn't have to have one to use a mouse.

He got one supporting post, the rest were snark, basically either defending or just submitting to unreasonable corporate demands for access to your computer usage info.

Jesus christ man...

what a gakky company and orwellian is probably a fething understatement.


good to know, will avoid.
Also spam of advertisement?

Btw, do you mean Razer?




Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
That definitely sounds like an unwelcome invasion of privacy.

And, Galaxy brain paranoia? What are the chances of them having key logging software?

What do you mean with paranoia, infact when i saw that forum i'd pretty much expect it to be required.

Uh, this is not spam advertising, it's warning people who may see a low cost razer product and buy it that they company demands absolutely unreasonable and prety absurd levels of surveilance in order you use a product you paid for. I don't want other people to get hit with this like i did and have to return a product, waste time, suffer anger and frustration, etc.

It's more like public service.

no i meant the deluge of spam beeing thrown your way after having made such a account.

that is just blatantly unproffesional.

Data is the new gold. This isn't particularly surprising.

 queen_annes_revenge wrote:
Data is the new gold. This isn't particularly surprising.

and still not to condone.

there comes a point where such accounts, especially with targeted marketing etc. need to be held accountable, especially considering the whole slew of targeted political campaignes based upon that data.

A few years back I used Razer mice rather exclusively (don't judge, I was young and was rather intruiged by the ultracool marketing jazz^^). It didn't had this strange mandatory online thing, but the quality of their products is just... bad. The mice were breaking down after 1 year, 2 years tops. So yeah, thats one more thing when considering a new mouse (or any product from Razer, really).

Not Online!!! wrote:

 queen_annes_revenge wrote:
Data is the new gold. This isn't particularly surprising.

and still not to condone.

there comes a point where such accounts, especially with targeted marketing etc. need to be held accountable, especially considering the whole slew of targeted political campaignes based upon that data.

You're preaching to the choir. I now have to use an app to access the gym on my station. People don't realise that the mining of their data is a huge industry, and of those who do, many don't care.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Would having a VPN negate the issues the OP has?

Considering you still have accounts, they can be bypassed. (especially if you were longtime in one region and now suddendly pop up all over the world.) Of course one could start spreading missinformation about oneself, wrong birthdate, name , burner email , etc.


Honestly, there should be a prohibition for targeted political adds and targeted apps in general.

I went to get a haircut a while ago and they wanted me to fill in a form giving my phone number and email address.
I left it blank and handed it back, and they came back saying I needed to complete it. I was like "You are cutting my hair, you don't need this information" and they said "Oh it's our procedure" and I said "I just want a haircut."

They eventually folded and cut my hair, and I never went back there again. Absolutely mental.

Not Online!!! wrote:
Considering you still have accounts, they can be bypassed. (especially if you were longtime in one region and now suddendly pop up all over the world.) Of course one could start spreading missinformation about oneself, wrong birthdate, name , burner email , etc.


Honestly, there should be a prohibition for targeted political adds and targeted apps in general.

Whilst I see where you’re coming from, I’d urge caution about creating a fake trail, at least in the U.K.

That’s because it can create false positives on your credit history, which can have a range of impacts, up to and including fraud markers placed against your name for failure to disclose previous addresses. Whilst they’re nothing that can’t be sorted out, it will take evidence, time and effort.

Hence COULD and NOT should.

but i see no issue in it from a moral standpoint considering the later is also done for moneys sake against my will which wasn't in most cases even consulted.

I've had $5 mice from Amazon that were better than the Razer "pro gaming" mouse I have now (because it was a gift). Its bespoke settings software (Synapse) is also a buggy pile of gak and you have to actively work to prevent from reinstalling itself without permission.

I avoid any retail websites that require you to create an account just so you can use them the one time you're ever likely to need to. Adding barriers to me spending money is not a good business decision.

But this? This is just weird, on top of being unnecessary. I'd also not be surprised if many of these companies are in breach of various data protection rules since this just reeks of some marketing idiot having a "bright idea" and not understanding the consequences.

Slipspace wrote:
I avoid any retail websites that require you to create an account just so you can use them the one time you're ever likely to need to. Adding barriers to me spending money is not a good business decision.

But this? This is just weird, on top of being unnecessary. I'd also not be surprised if many of these companies are in breach of various data protection rules since this just reeks of some marketing idiot having a "bright idea" and not understanding the consequences.

You know, i allways was of the opinion, especially as a more individualistic company or seller of goods, that word of mouth would be a better way to propagate an obvious niche product. And gaming keyboards fall imo in that realm.

Not to mention that depending upon how it was advertised might even be egligeable for false one.

Further , it is one thing to ask for permission to later on f.e. send advertisement for further product, or for asking questions in regards to consumer happiness and product in use and it's behaviour but this is just solely for their benefit seemingly.

 Lum wrote:
A few years back I used Razer mice rather exclusively (don't judge, I was young and was rather intruiged by the ultracool marketing jazz^^). It didn't had this strange mandatory online thing, but the quality of their products is just... bad. The mice were breaking down after 1 year, 2 years tops. So yeah, thats one more thing when considering a new mouse (or any product from Razer, really).

Yeah. Razor has seriously declined over the past 10 years, or maybe it's just that they've failed to improve as competition has risen to the challenge. The only thing that's really nice about gaming mice are the side buttons. They make playing any game where you need a skill bar a lot easier/funner. But it's dumb as feth that Razor makes you login to synapse for features as basic as what color do you want the LED lights in your mouse and keyboard to use. Then they go ahead and pull a total douche bag move and make a cycling rainbow of colors the default on pretty much all their hardware which is pricey even by 'gaming' standards and the mice especially aren't that great (keyboard are pretty good, so it's a shame that synapse is such a crock). It didn't use to be this way. I remember six or so years ago all these features were in base software and didn't require a login.

It's especially fethed because if you're ever not logged into synapse, none of your custom configurations work. You have to be logged into synapse to use anything which is why my current razor products will probably be the last when they break.

Buy Logitech. They also have configuration software that requires a login, but the quality of the products is better and you can do more with them without logging in. To top it off, their stuff is usually cheaper than an equivalent razor device and better quality imo. You still can't configure things freely, but it's a much better source of side buttons for your mouse than Razor. Their mice will also save settings, so if you wanted to use fancier configuration options you could login just once, assign everything and then logout and the mouse will remember your gak (which Razor advertises their product also does, but I can confirm it does not).

Razor is rapidly going the way of Alienware; a quality product that built a brand a long time ago and then started selling the "quality" brand rather than a quality product.

I have a Razor blackwidow (at the time the only mechanical keyboard other than Das I could get in Australia, and I already owned 1 Das).

It has software, but you don't need to use it, only if you want to be able to program the macro keys. I CBF installing the software so I just never used the macro keys.

I much prefer the DasKeyboard though, wish I'd just bought a 2nd one rather than trying to save a few bucks with the Razor.

But yeah, at this point if you don't want companies surveilling you, best get yourself a hut in the forest and become a hermit. There's probably 20 apps on your phone right now all sharing data about where you've been, what you've been looking at, what shops you've visited, who's house you've been at, if not outright spying on your conversations, and your ISP unnecessarily holds data about you far more and far longer than is necessary. And now with COVID, governments have an excuse to track your movements, yay!

"Truth is, every company is going to steal your data, you just got to find the ones worth exposing yourself to."

Bob Marley.

It's amazing how people will rant and rave against governments taking their data but just turn around and bend over when corporations do it.

Has anyone ever thought of demanding laws stopping corporate invasion of people's privacy, be they employees or customers, be passed?

 Matt Swain wrote:
It's amazing how people will rant and rave against governments taking their data but just turn around and bend over when corporations do it.

Has anyone ever thought of demanding laws stopping corporate invasion of people's privacy, be they employees or customers, be passed?

Yes but that would require people to be more rational than hysterical and my experience is that the opposite is true.

You pay with cash or you pay with data. At best you could insist that data harvesting corporations must offer a cash based, data secure alternative for their services.

The idea that all these things are supplied for free is the thing that needs to change, people need to understand what all the free stuff they use is costing them and make an informed decision on whether it offers them value or not, just like with any other purchase or subscription.

 Azreal13 wrote:
You pay with cash or you pay with data. At best you could insist that data harvesting corporations must offer a cash based, data secure alternative for their services.

The idea that all these things are supplied for free is the thing that needs to change, people need to understand what all the free stuff they use is costing them and make an informed decision on whether it offers them value or not, just like with any other purchase or subscription.

That's fair for things like Facebook, but Razor doesn't offer a free service.

There is zero reason for them to need to collect data to turn a profit on their product. It's just naked greed and profit maximization at the expense of consumer's quality of life.

 Azreal13 wrote:
You pay with cash or you pay with data. At best you could insist that data harvesting corporations must offer a cash based, data secure alternative for their services.

The idea that all these things are supplied for free is the thing that needs to change, people need to understand what all the free stuff they use is costing them and make an informed decision on whether it offers them value or not, just like with any other purchase or subscription.

No, the idea that this is a reasonable stance needs to change.

Your idea has no value whatsoever. There is no benefit to consumers becoming 'harvesting' victims, cash for merchandise is plenty. Any corporation or entity that insists otherwise can enjoy financial bankruptcy with their moral bankruptcy.

 Matt Swain wrote:
It's amazing how people will rant and rave against governments taking their data but just turn around and bend over when corporations do it.

Has anyone ever thought of demanding laws stopping corporate invasion of people's privacy, be they employees or customers, be passed?

Well once it's the government hoarding the data you generally don't have an option to opt out, and people become more concerned the data could be used for nefarious means.

Generally when it comes to private companies, you have some option still (e.g. don't buy razor), and where you don't have an option people do start complaining.

One that pissed me right the feth off was when my work decided to change how parking permits work. Instead of having a one off payment at the start of the year or ticket machines for daily use, they decided to make all electronic monitored parking daily... controlled via a compulsory app on your phone that requires you install it, give it your home address, give it your credit card info and it also wants your GPS location. The b*stards did it under the cover of COVID when almost everyone was working from home so most people didn't find out until after the system was implemented and they rocked up at work and got a notice put on their windscreen weeks or even months after the system had been implemented.

I almost quit my job that day, but ya know, COVID, not exactly easy to get another job right now, the slimy arsehats.

Unfortunately most people don't give a crap, they see a 10% off discount at the local fast food joint and are all too happy to install an app to get it.

And now with COVID people seem more than happy to give away their personal info, regardless of whether it's government or private companies.

Too many eole seem to have forgotten that you can say "No" to a business, and not enough know how good it feel to do it.

I tried to get information about a video service i was interested in once. I called and got, surprise, someone who clearly had not grown up speaking english. I asked some basic questions about the business and he relies with a barrage of questions, not one answer.

I told him I was not going to answer any questions until i knew enough about his company to decide if it was worth looking into.

He resonds with a pleasant "Policy policy, policy. Policy. Policy, policy. Now can i have yur name please?"

I again said No and repeated my refusal to answer any questions until a few questions of mine were answered.

He tells me his system is set up he cannot answer questions without inputting answers to all the ones he 's asking.

I told him he'd told me all i needed to know about his company then and hung up. Felt so good!

Dollar general has started demanding your birthdate when you buy a dvd there,. even if it's not R rated. I told them the movie wasn't age restricted and was told it was policy to get a birthrate for all dvds.

I refused to give one and got told it was 'policy' again.

I told her "I don't worship your company policy."

She told me she couldn't sell it to me and tok the dvd out of my reach. Then and I just walked out, leaving my other stuff on the counter. Felt good and I got the dvd elsewhere.

My local store seems to have eased up on that now.

If enough people just said no to policy, it'd have to change.

Da Boss wrote:I went to get a haircut a while ago and they wanted me to fill in a form giving my phone number and email address.
I left it blank and handed it back, and they came back saying I needed to complete it. I was like "You are cutting my hair, you don't need this information" and they said "Oh it's our procedure" and I said "I just want a haircut."

They eventually folded and cut my hair, and I never went back there again. Absolutely mental.

Uhm, if this was in the last 8 months, it was for tracing Corona infections and they needed a way to contact you if you've been exposed to an infected person while on their premise.

Matt Swain wrote:It's amazing how people will rant and rave against governments taking their data but just turn around and bend over when corporations do it.

Has anyone ever thought of demanding laws stopping corporate invasion of people's privacy, be they employees or customers, be passed?

If you're flag is correct, you're in the EU and the EU is actively fighting for privacy rights. Just look at all the pop-ups for cookie settings you suddenly see, because of an EU law, that you need to state which cookies your site uses and if it's non-essential, you must be able to opt-out.

 LordofHats wrote:

 Matt Swain wrote:
It's amazing how people will rant and rave against governments taking their data but just turn around and bend over when corporations do it.

Has anyone ever thought of demanding laws stopping corporate invasion of people's privacy, be they employees or customers, be passed?

Yes but that would require people to be more rational than hysterical and my experience is that the opposite is true.

It also requires political will, and frankly most people are too busy fighting the "Culture War" to realize their real enemy is their amoral (immoral) Corporate overlords.

The EU is actually better at this than the US in recent years.