Starting from version 3.4 (Ganymede) Eclipse includes Usage Data Collector (UDC) feature that installs listeners on the Eclipse workbench and gathers anonymous information about user actions - activation of views and perspectives, plug-in versions, etc.
While the UDC project raised some privacy concerns among world-wide community of Eclipse users and appeared to be not so useful as expected for Eclipse.org, it isn't really "an evil" thing and may be a valuable source of information for smaller domains like single organization, department or team or for getting automatic usage feedback for a RCP-based application.
By default UDC stores all usage data in CSV format in
.metadata/.plugins/org...epp.usagedata.recording/upload#.csv
and regularly sends all data to Eclipse.org, but this can be changed by using run-time property
-Dorg.epp.usagedata.recording.upload-url=http://your-internal-udc-server
Alternatively, you may decide to use org.eclipse.epp.usagedata.recording.uploader extension point and provide your own uploader.
Additional Resources
While the UDC project raised some privacy concerns among world-wide community of Eclipse users and appeared to be not so useful as expected for Eclipse.org, it isn't really "an evil" thing and may be a valuable source of information for smaller domains like single organization, department or team or for getting automatic usage feedback for a RCP-based application.
By default UDC stores all usage data in CSV format in
.metadata/.plugins/org...epp.usagedata.recording/upload#.csv
and regularly sends all data to Eclipse.org, but this can be changed by using run-time property
-Dorg.epp.usagedata.recording.upload-url=http://your-internal-udc-server
To avoid tracking privacy-sensitive information like user name, computer name, etc. Eclipse UDC creates two neutral UUIDs to identify particular installation and workspace:
- $HOME/.org.eclipse.epp.usagedata.recording.userId
- $WS/.metadata/.plugins/org.eclipse.epp.usagedata.recording/.org.eclipse.epp.usagedata.recording.workspaceId
- An open source Eclipse Usage Data Collector Server implementation on project Kenai (aka Java.net). Follow the UDC server configuration instructions.
- The original Eclipse server-side UDC code (PHP) available as an attachment to Eclipse Bug 221104
Alternatively, you may decide to use org.eclipse.epp.usagedata.recording.uploader extension point and provide your own uploader.
Additional Resources
- The Eclipse Packaging Project and its Usage Data Collector in RAP and RCP Applications by Markus Knauer (EclipseSource)
- Discussion for Eclipse Bugzilla 347069 - Eclipse UDC feature "retirement" and some valid use cases
- Coding Spectator plug-in by Illinois University - similar idea to Eclipse UDC, focused on JDT coding habits, refactorings, etc.
- Eclipse UDC for SharpDevelop IDE
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