Keybase app behaves like malware on Windows

[lietu]

When I install the Keybase app, I get no questions asked about if I want you to create a new virtual filesystem on my computer. I don't.

When I install the Keybase app, I don't get asked if it's ok for Keybase to automatically start on startup. It's not.

When I try to right-click on the Keybase systray icon to close it, it opens some weird dialog instead of a right-click menu with a Quit Keybase -option.

There is an annoying auto-updater nag screen that feels entitled to pop up whenever regardless of what I'm doing and how little it has to do with Keybase.

1. Make Keybase not autostart, it does not need to run for the normal operation of my computer, I can launch it when I need something from Keybase
2. Make the virtual drive an optional thing, I don't want it poisoning my computer, ASK before installing it.
3. Make your auto-updater automatically update the app when I launch it, instead of nagging at me to click on things when I'm middle of something actually important
4. Fix your systray icon to behave appropriately

[zQueal]

I can agree that having Keybase start automatically at system start without asking the end user is inconvenient--but the major selling point of Keybase with KBFS is for the VFS... So saying that it installed "automatically" is a bit of a misnomer--much like installing Mozilla Firefox and wondering why it "automatically installed" a web browser. And saying it's behaving like malware? Kinda just made me laugh.

Make your auto-updater automatically update the app when I launch it

This is already an option on the updater... IIRC.

When I try to right-click on the Keybase systray icon to close it, it opens some weird dialog instead of a right-click menu with a Quit Keybase -option.

[lietu]

Well I for one have literally 0 use for your VFS. And simply installing something like that without it being mentioned anywhere is yes, rather annoying. You're saying I'm wondering why a browser installer installs a browser, but that's not exactly accurate. It's more like installing Mozilla Firefox and wondering why it automatically installed a new VFS on your computer without any mention of a VFS being a feature, or any questions about if you wanted it, anywhere before, during, or after installing it. You just have to find out for yourself that hey you now have a new "disk drive".

I didn't see any option for it in the updater, I looked at the updater and saw the options "Install now." and "Later" or similar. The correct option is to not pop up the updater out of nowhere, but to automatically install required updates at the launch of the app. Though in your case since you forcefully launch the app at startup and probably keep some services running for your VFS garbage you'd have to change a bit more to get that to be sane.

This is what happens on my computer when I try to right-click on the systray icon. Some garbage small window pops under the systray icon list. If you install a systray icon, make it behave properly.

And yes, this is exactly how malware behaves. You end up installing something you thought you wanted, instead you get something that autostarts at launch, installs unwanted services etc., opens popups you don't want, and makes it as difficult as possible to kill it.

[zQueal]

Well I for one have literally 0 use for your VFS.

Just to be clear--I don't speak for the team. I'm just a tester and have no affiliation with the team.

It's more like installing Mozilla Firefox and wondering why it automatically installed a new VFS on your computer without any mention of a VFS being a feature

I mean, I see it almost everywhere on the website. It could be worth looking into if you legitimately didn't know it was a VFS. But I really don't think that's what this ticket is about if you're reducing KBFS to malware.

Even taking 5 seconds to click on the ? icon for documentation you can see on that front page;

Alpha releases of the Keybase app are starting to come with a cryptographically secure file mount. It is brand new. And very different.

that KBFS is bundled with Keybase. So it's ultimately a judgement call for the team if they want to make it more visible--it's probably worth going into internally.

I didn't see any option for it in the updater, I looked at the updater and saw the options "Install now."

Because that was the installer, not the updater. When the updater is launched when there's a new update there's an option to always keep Keybase updated with automatic updates. IIRC.

This is what happens on my computer when I try to right-click on the systray icon. Some garbage small window pops under the systray icon list. If you install a systray icon,

make it behave properly.

Your post is crazy entitled. Not sure if you meant it this way, but this isn't how development happens. You don't just go to the ticket system for the application and demand things and have them appear. The tray icon functionality is a design choice for software which is in active development. Also known as beta software. There will be bugs reguardless but this isn't even a bug...it's how the team wants the tray icon to work universally (Mac, Linux, and Windows) and they're probably having issues grabbing top level focus under Windows.

You end up installing something you thought you wanted, instead you get something that autostarts at launch, installs unwanted services etc

During install you're required to certify that you wanted to install the Dokan VFS service--so if it was unwanted, why didn't you say no to the install and halt it?

This entire issue thread doesn't seem to be constructive unless you read deep. You just seem to be venting your anger for almost all totally avoidable issues (all surrounding reading prompts/web pages) in the wrong place, to be honest.

But again, this is all just my opinion--so take it with a grain of salt. Regardless, I'm sure the team will at least see your posts.

[pke]

Came here because the keybase installer keeps trying to install new version (which it can't because if falsely claims that keybase is still running) and it is highly disturbing.

The tray icon behaviour is weird (to say the least) and not standard conform (on Windwows). If I can get the source to compile, I will file a PR for the systray icon behaviour.

[lietu]

Well they said they don't want to fix the systray, that it's by design, so they probably will reject any PR attempting to fix it.

[pke]

I didn't read that from the comments in this thread. The behaviour of the systray icon is definetly non-standard and feels broken.