So it hit Digg a while ago that you could get a free copy of Windows Vista Ultimate, Office Ultimate '07, Money Plus Premium, Encarta Premium or Streets and Trips just by filling out a survey and installing an application that monitors how you use your computer.
I'm sure that everyone reading this right now has red flag popping up in their brains. "Microsoft watching me?! More than they already do with Windows alone?! THE NERVE!!"
Honest question for you guys. Did you even read the FAQs and such? They tell you what they're going to monitor. It checks to see how you use Microsoft products, it checks Windows settings, number of users on the system, various Control Panel settings. Hardware details... Processor, RAM, and so forth. Information about (not information in) files in common storage places, such as how many things you're actually storing in My Documents. The programs you run, and problems you encounter. They say they don't intentionally read identification information, such as passwords. But, in all honesty, with the massive uproar whenever something like this comes up, will someone mind telling me how Microsoft is actually going to use your password and compromise your security? They're going to send a representative to act as your friend long enough for you to feel safe handing your laptop over to him so he can finally use your password? I also stand next to my view that if you store credit card and banking information in plain-text form on your computer, then you almost deserve someone to steal it.
So this is all with the intent of learning how to improve Windows. You know what that is, I'm sure, because every outspoken malcontent whines about how Microsoft should fix their products and get more in tune with what people actually want today. Well... This is their answer, and all you can do is scream "bloody murder!" about privacy issues? Seriously, how else is Microsoft supposed to find out what you use Windows for? Do you think they should hire about a thousand people to sit in a big room with telephones and wait for people to call in with their input?
You call, again and again, for Microsoft to get their act together, and when they think of a way to do that, you trip over each other to be the first to call out PRIVACY VIOLATION, when they haven't even DONE anything, yet. (Or you just take a cheap jab and say there's nothing they could learn that they don't already have access to. Oh, very witty of you.)
I'll probably get... no comments, but I'm going to pose the question anyway. How do you think Microsoft should get a feel for what the market is like, when they have such a massive market share? Let's be reasonable, too. Something that could actually be done. Something like random visits just... isn't going to cut it. Is there anything better that they could do? Anything better than installing an application that literally watches you do work? How else are they going to know what the modern market wants to do?
Since I know they're going to be brought up, please don't say something about "well, Apple knows what their market wants just fine without spying" or "Linux knows what people want". That may be the case, but, face it. They're incredibly small market shares. Apple and Linux know what their market wants pretty much because their market already likes what Apple and Linux was doing in the first place. There was no adaptation to be done. Actually, go ahead and say that if you want, but don't bother unless you can explain how Apple and Linux knows what their market wants. "They just do", for example, isn't going to cut it.
All that being said, I want to say that I was completely and totally prepared to apply for this Microsoft "spy app". I mean, hey! I enjoy Vista immensely. What could be better than getting a free copy of Ultimate for letting a program watch what windows I open? As long as I know it's there, I'll make a point of not doing anything deadly secretive while it's there. (You know, all those CIA reports I have to write up... Can't let anyone get their hands on those, right?) But, sadly, the free software promotional ended yesterday, I believe, and now there's no incentive, so I'm not going to do it.
And here is where someone's going to say "aha! You're calling us out for not wanting to run the test when not even you are going to?" No... No, I wasn't calling you out for not wanting to run the test. I was calling you out for exploding over the "privacy violation" of this test... I was calling you out for acting like you had no choice in the matter and that Microsoft has no right learning what it might, possibly, without-sure-proof, learn what it might. I'm calling you out for wanting Microsoft to make their products better, but being too paranoid and anti-Microsoft at heart to take this as an opportunity to put your money where your mouth is.
If you don't want to participate, fine. But is there a better way to get what you've been wanting Microsoft to do for so long? For Microsoft to know what you want, you're going to have to tell them somehow, and this is one of those ways.
(PS - For the record, I would like to think that I would defend any company who does this. Apple, Microsoft, Sony, Blizzard, or otherwise. Granted, it's pretty obvious that I'm a little biased toward Microsoft, but I'd still like to believe that my leaning away from anyone wouldn't prevent me from seeing this the same way had, say, Apple wanted to install a program and monitor your activities and all the Apple users were upset. (Yes, I know, Apple would never do such a thing.))