Blade Instruments

Privacy policy

Last updated: {{EFFECTIVE_DATE}}

Blade Instruments makes software instruments. This policy explains what data we collect, why, and what choices you have. It covers Scratch and the bladeinstruments.com website.

The short version: Scratch stores your notes on your machine. We do not have access to them. We collect as little as we can get away with, and we tell you what we do collect.

What Scratch collects

By default, nothing leaves your device. Scratch is a local-only application:

  • Your notes are stored as plain Markdown files in the operating system’s per-application user data directory on your machine.
  • Your settings are stored alongside your notes, on your machine.
  • Blade Instruments does not run a sync service, does not have an account system, and does not have a server-side copy of your notes.

The two exceptions are described below. Both can be inspected in the application’s Settings panel.

Automatic update checks

Scratch checks for new releases on launch and on a periodic timer. These checks are HTTP requests to GitHub Releases, the host we use to distribute updates.

When Scratch contacts GitHub, GitHub receives standard HTTP request metadata: your IP address, your user-agent string, and the version of Scratch making the request. GitHub’s handling of that data is governed by GitHub’s privacy statement: https://docs.github.com/en/site-policy/privacy-policies/github-general-privacy-statement.

We do not receive a copy of these requests. If you disable automatic updates in Settings, Scratch stops contacting GitHub on its own.

Crash reports

Crash reporting is off by default. If you opt in (Settings, Privacy panel), Scratch may transmit error details when the application encounters an unhandled exception. A crash report includes:

  • The error type and message.
  • A stack trace.
  • Runtime metadata: Scratch version, operating system version, hardware architecture.

A crash report does not include your note content. Crash reports are sent to PostHog (US cloud), our analytics and error-tracking provider. Each Scratch installation generates a random anonymous identifier the first time analytics are enabled and reuses it on subsequent reports; we do not associate it with a name, email, IP-derived profile, or any other personal data. PostHog’s handling of that data is governed by PostHog’s privacy policy: https://posthog.com/privacy.

You can turn crash reporting off at any time in Settings.

Usage metrics

Usage metrics are off by default. If you opt in (Settings, Privacy panel), Scratch transmits anonymous product events that describe which features are being used (for example, that the application launched). A usage event includes:

  • The event name (for example, app_launched).
  • Runtime metadata: Scratch version, operating system version, hardware architecture.
  • The same anonymous installation identifier described above.

A usage event does not include your note content, the text of any command you ran, file paths, or any other personal data. Usage events are sent to PostHog (US cloud); their privacy policy is at https://posthog.com/privacy.

You can turn usage metrics off at any time in Settings.

Payments

When you purchase a Scratch license, payment is handled by our merchant of record, not by Blade Instruments directly. The merchant of record collects and processes the data required to complete the transaction (name, email, billing address, payment method, tax information). Their privacy policy applies to that data.

We receive from the merchant of record only what we need to fulfill your order and provide support: your email address, the product purchased, the order ID, and the country of purchase for tax records.

Marketing site

bladeinstruments.com does not set advertising cookies and does not use third-party trackers.

Email

If you contact us at [email protected], we receive your email address and the contents of your message, and we keep them for as long as needed to answer you and maintain a support history.

Your rights

If you are in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, or another jurisdiction with similar laws, you have the right to access, correct, delete, or export the personal data we hold about you, and to object to or restrict certain processing. If you are a California resident, you have the rights described in the California Consumer Privacy Act, including the right to know what personal information we hold and the right to request deletion. We do not sell personal information.

To exercise any of these rights, email [email protected] from the address associated with your account or purchase. We will respond within the time required by applicable law.

Changes

If we change this policy, we will update the date at the top and, for material changes, post a notice on the marketing site.

Contact

Blade Instruments Austin Blade [email protected]