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Re: Google Chrome and Open-Source derivative listening to me without my approval



On Sun, Jun 21, 2015 at 10:38:30PM -0400, Ric Moore wrote:
> On 06/21/2015 06:42 PM, John Hasler wrote:
> >Tim Beelen writes:
> >>How do I find out which application is accessing what device?
> >
> >It's all software.  There is no hardware involved at all: they use a
> >virtual device.  It works even when the computer is off.  Doesn't matter
> >if your machine has a microphone or even any audio input capability.
> 
> I would truly like to know how they could manage that. Back in the day, you
> could make your floppy drive heave and grunt like it was in the throes of
> passion, but to make a non-audio device turn into a passive listening
> device?? While turned off?? Pull my other finger! <cackles> :) Ric

You reprogram the BIOS to upload new firmware to the hard drive. That
firmware reads the subtle variations in the magnetic patterns that the
sound waves have caused (that is, the sound waves "jostle" the data on
your hard drive. When the computer boots, the new firmware reads this,
recalculates what was said, and passes this to chrome).

</bunkum>

To be serious to the OP, though, if you're running PulseAudio, run the
"paman" program to see what applications are recording and playing
audio. Alternatively, you could try a command such as:

 $ lsof /dev/snd/*

to see which applications are using the sound hardware. Note, though,
that this won't differentiate between what's playing sound and what's
recording sound.

As a last resort, consult the code for chromium.

> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> My father, Victor Moore (Vic) used to say:
> "There are two Great Sins in the world...
> ..the Sin of Ignorance, and the Sin of Stupidity.
> Only the former may be overcome." R.I.P. Dad.
> http://linuxcounter.net/user/44256.html
> 
> 
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