Manjaro Linux Working On "Manjaro Data Donor" As New Data Collection Tool

Arch-based Manjaro Linux is working on Manjaro Data Donor "MDD" as a new data collection tool of its users. This is intended to succeed their former ping-based solution for user counting plus incorporate hardware/software data collection on users. Once deployed, this will be opt-out handling for the data collection.

Manjaro developer Roman Gilg has been working on the Manjaro Data Donor as a better means of user counting than the current ping-based approach with NetworkManager. Plus Manjaro Data DOnor will allow collecting of hardware/software details on Manjaro systems using the INXI utility. The data is then collected on one of Manjaro's ClickHouse servers.

The plan is after a few days of testing to deploy Manjaro Data Donor to all Manjaro systems. A systemd service will submit the data automatically. Until then users need to manually install MDD, but after that default deployment it will be an opt-out process if not wanting to participate in the data collection.

Roman wrote in the Manjaro Forums about the Manjaro Data Donor:

"With this systemd service later in place, sending the hardware data with MDD will be opt-out because I believe, if you do opt-in, the data you gather will be so heavily skewed you can just leave it be.

Let me know what you think. I know telemetry is a contentious subject, but we need at least some data about how Manjaro is being used by so many people around the world in order to show that the project has a future and also to plan for that future."