How do they know?
 

I was asking Pokerchamps how to change the backs of their cards, as, twice, I had missed seeing players still in the hand while I was multi-tabling. I think their cards blend into their table too much.

They told me that, "our system reports show that your RAM might not be enough to run so many applications/windows at the same time."

When I asked them how much RAM I have they said, "You have 384 RAM in your computer and the minimum of RAM required these days to run online gaming is 512. This will help you go through the 5 tables quicker."

How do they know this? Do all the sites know this sort of stuff about our computer systems?

Re: How do they know?
 

They typically know way more than that, including applications you have running on your computer at any given point, applications you have installed, all of your hardware etc.

Re: How do they know?
 

That's funny, I was 10 tabling party on 256ram for a month and a half.

Re: How do they know?
 

I think their software asks your computer to tell them about itself, and it does...

Re: How do they know?
 

Additionally...how can they not tell the difference between "HOW do you know?" and "WHAT do you know?"


Mike is asking, "Hey...how can you see that?"
And they say, "You have 386 RAM" which very obviously is not answering the question he was asking.


Are these C/S reps at some poker sites intentionally obtuse?

Re: How do they know?
 

[ QUOTE ]
I think their software asks your computer to tell them about itself, and it does...

[/ QUOTE ]

That's it, I'm never letting my computer go out drinking with any poker software ever again.

Re: How do they know?
 

[ QUOTE ]
How do they know this? Do all the sites know this sort of stuff about our computer systems?

[/ QUOTE ]

Basic system info is available to any program running on your computer.

Party and other poker sites, specifically do additional sniffing around [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Re: How do they know?
 

They might very well be violating national law in many domicilies by gathering this type of data without asking for permission. I know Blizzard North had to remove that spyware from their Diablo II patches long ago due to pressure from several EU countries.

Re: How do they know?
 

[ QUOTE ]
They might very well be violating national law in many domicilies by gathering this type of data without asking for permission. I know Blizzard North had to remove that spyware from their Diablo II patches long ago due to pressure from several EU countries.

[/ QUOTE ]

You specifically agree to their doing this in the T&C!

Re: How do they know?
 

This is also a part of their troubleshooting. When you email them "This feature does not work" they can look at logs and know why. It too bad some rooms dont seem to use this though and cant fix their software issues.

Re: How do they know?
 

mike, i recall seeing a picture of your setups. about 6 monitors on a 12 foot table. i assume several cpu's. whats up with the tiny amount of RAM?

Re: How do they know?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Additionally...how can they not tell the difference between "HOW do you know?" and "WHAT do you know?"


Mike is asking, "Hey...how can you see that?"
And they say, "You have 386 RAM" which very obviously is not answering the question he was asking.


Are these C/S reps at some poker sites intentionally obtuse?

[/ QUOTE ]

huh?

[ QUOTE ]
When I asked them how much RAM I have they said, "You have 384 RAM in your computer and the minimum of RAM required these days to run online gaming is 512.

[/ QUOTE ]

Re: How do they know?
 

oopsie-doopsie.

I misread his post.


Perhaps we should ask if I'm the one being intentionally obtuse.

Re: How do they know?
 

my computer advisor tells me RAM is relatively unimportant up to 20-tabling and that they don't know the difference between gaming and playing games

my main concern is that they know about asiangirls and they might think i'm some sort of perv

Re: How do they know?
 

[ QUOTE ]
my computer advisor tells me RAM is relatively unimportant up to 20-tabling and that they don't know the difference between gaming and playing games

[/ QUOTE ]

RAM may be relatively unimportant for using the poker room client software... but its extremely important for PT and PAHud [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Re: How do they know?
 

I've received an interesting pm from a Programmer working on brand new poker site software. He gave me the following insights:

1) When dealing with a server-based software program, (meaning that this type of program checks in with a server in order to run), the user's PC is checked routinely for configuration data, (because, say, the user could have installed a new graphics card from the last time he logged on, etc). That data normally stays on the user's computer, though, because the program itself needs to predict conflicts before they might crash the PC. It is not data that is normally collected and viewable by Customer Support.

2) When dealing with bots, run-time tools, etc, an online poker site needs to protect all the players on that service. This means being extra cautious about what other programs a person might be running during the time the game is running. So there's a Catch-22: in order to secure their customers from playing against bots, a poker site has to scour all their customers' systems in order to make sure they're not running bots, either. Again, that information should stay on the PC; until, of course, the program detects something out of sorts ... in which case the program sends back details to the Security Team.

Therefore, the answer to my question of "how did they know my RAM?" is they shouldn't have known that, or, at the very least, the Customer Service rep should not have had access to that information because it's not important for him to know.

Perhaps some sites have allowed their apparent diligence over security issues to blind them a little to the basic rights of privacy of their users?

Re: How do they know?
 

1. Basic system info is commonly captured at the far end. This includes your browser type and version, OS type and version, and (less frequently) processor and RAM. With an installed client, they can get far more information than they can with simple browser access.

2. On the privacy rights issue: I don't know about Stars, but I've pored over the TOS for Party. When you agree to the Terms of Service, you EXPLICITLY allow them to scan your machine, scan what's running, and even take desktop snapshots. There are no limitations listed on what they're allowed to do with the information, where they store it, etc. While it may work against your privacy, it doesn't work against your RIGHT to privacy, since you explicitly gave up that right when you agreed to the terms.

Mind you, I (like most) didn't realize that at the time I agreed to the TOS. I went back and read it much later!

Re: How do they know?
 

I can't believe that there have been 16 replies to this thread without a single person pointing out that the OP was playing at PokerChamps...wtf!? I thought that PokerChamps had long since gone under...

Re: How do they know?
 

[ QUOTE ]
my main concern is that they know about asiangirls and they might think i'm some sort of perv

[/ QUOTE ]

Most likely, they already stole your password for asiangirls and are using it to enhance their multi-cultural horizons.