Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

General discussion

odesk team software - safe?

Mar 31, 2011 1:41AM PDT

I'm interested in joining a freelance job site called odesk, but I'm concerned about safety and privacy and am just covering my bases by asking here. You're supposed to install a program that lets you log onto a "desktop" of sorts (at least that's how it was put in one site I was reading) that lets you clock in the hours you work. According to one user in the site forum, the program takes screenshots and logs them.

Has anyone ever used this program? Is it as safe as it claims?

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
continued
Mar 31, 2011 1:46AM PDT

Can a program like this even hypothetically access other files in a computer? What possible hazards are there in downloading such a program, besides malware?

- Collapse -
Seems clear to me.
Mar 31, 2011 2:37AM PDT

Even a fast research on this one finds it to be nothing more than opening your machine up to the equivalent of a strip search of your machine.

You have to weigh the risks and consider using it on another machine to safeguard your privacy.
Bob

- Collapse -
reply
Mar 31, 2011 9:13PM PDT

Thanks for the tip.

- Collapse -
I think the word is "intrusive" !
Mar 31, 2011 1:51AM PDT

What the software does is well known. But whether you can work for Mr. Burns or not is your choice here.

As to the screenshots, YES. It records keystrokes and can take pics from the web cam.

It's up to you whether it's worth that.

BUT THEN AGAIN, working in most company offices can expose you to such monitoring.
Bob

- Collapse -
reply
Mar 31, 2011 9:14PM PDT

Thanks for this.

- Collapse -
odDesk Team app
Mar 31, 2011 7:55AM PDT

Hello, I'm the Product Manager for the oDesk Team app. Let me give you a bit more information.

In order to work on oDesk and get paid hourly, you need to use the oDesk Team app. The team app takes random snapshots of your desktop with the active window title, an associated memo and activity. The activity is the number of keyboard and mouse events per minute since the last snapshot. It does not record what was typed or clicked, just how much. With a snapshot it also saves the date, company, userid, snapshot status, computer name, UID, app version, and task code. That is all that is saved.

When you work with the oDesk Team app running, you know that you are guaranteed to get paid for the work you do. (As long as it's appropriate for the job.) It's really a way to help establish trust between the employer and contractor when they may be working in different parts of the world and have likely never met.

It's true that any desktop app could be malicious. But if we were to do something unethical you can bet the contractors would make it known and it would be damaging to our business. We started off with a high tech developer base and you know they are monitoring their own traffic, system use, etc. We have thousands of IT contractors are using it.

Some contractors need to consider their level of comfort with a job like this. If it does not fit their style then they can do fixed priced jobs. Note, that there are many software apps out there for companies to use that track actual activity, sites visited, more screen shots, etc. So while the oDesk Team app does "monitor" work, it's not nearly as extensive as other apps out there being used by companies.

- Collapse -
reply
Mar 31, 2011 9:20PM PDT

Thanks. I didn't even know there were different kinds of rates. Is it compatible with older (needs an adapter to connect to a wireless network) laptop models? Any firewalls or anti-malware programs it's not compatible with?

- Collapse -
runs on most systems
Apr 2, 2011 4:17AM PDT

It runs on Win XP if that is what you are asking. It also works on systems running firewalls because it communicates over HTTPS. It also works with anvi-virus software. You need you computer to be safe.

- Collapse -
Problem to install ODesk
Oct 29, 2011 11:28PM PDT

I am working with Windows Vista. But ODesk CREATING PROBLEM DURING DOWNLODING OF ODESK.
PLEASE GIVE ME ANY SOLUTION TO OVERCOME THIS.

- Collapse -
Re: problems downloading ODesk
Oct 29, 2011 11:36PM PDT

You're not very clear.
1. Downloading is copying something from Internet to your hard disk. Installing is running an install program. NEVER do those 2 in one step! Which of the 2 is giving a problem?
2. What problem exactly?

And what does oDesk support say if you contact them via https://www.odesk.com/support.php

Kees