[Dead - no new signups get gift] Windows Feedback Program ( Free VISTA, Office, or other product)

[esquared]

In this link here there is a section on More about the automated feedback program. In there it shows four highlighted questions.
Now, on the one where I signed up, there was a fifth, highlighted question between the first two titled" What about the free product?" That part is now missing, presumably because it's dead.

It did say in that missing section that:
This offer expires on 12/31/2007, while supplies last, and is not redeemable for cash.

edit:
Confirm by an email to papaschtroumpf above that this is DEAD.


What happened to the free product option?

Thank you for your interest in the feedback program. Due to overwhelming response, the supply of gifts has been exhausted so we have closed our free product offer on 12/11/2007 at 2pm Pacific Time. Thanks to everyone that participated!

 

[papaschtroumpf]

that automated response I got from them has lots of good info:


What happened to the free product option?

Thank you for your interest in the feedback program. Due to overwhelming response, the supply of gifts has been exhausted so we have closed our free product offer on 12/11/2007 at 2pm Pacific Time. Thanks to everyone that participated!


How long does it take to receive the free product?

If you are a Windows Vista or Windows XP user and decided to join and participate in both programs when they were offered on our website, we will send you the free Microsoft product you chose when enrolling. Limit one gift per person. This offer is non-transferable, while supplies last, and is not redeemable for cash. Taxes, if any, are your sole responsibility. Note that you will receive your product only after we have confirmed that you have:

? Entered a valid e-mail and shipping address.

? Fully completed the survey.

? Downloaded and installed the software on Windows Vista or Windows XP.

? Used our software for at least 3 months on a Windows Vista or XP computer that is periodically connected to the internet.

We will verify that you?ve used the Windows Feedback Program software for three months, and then we?ll send your gift to you. If we detect that your computer does not send data, we will notify you.

 

[Wolfcastle]

Excerpt from FAQ:

We do not intentionally collect sensitive information, such as the passwords on the user accounts, the contents of any of your personal files, the name or HTTP address of any of the websites you mark as Favorites, or what websites you visit.

I think they do keylogging. I sent them an email asking whether they do, but they haven't replied to me. They don't intentionally collect sensitive information, but if you were to type them, then yeah maybe they'll catch those.

 

[gingerstewart55]

Originally posted by: Wolfcastle


I think they do keylogging. I sent them an email asking whether they do, but they haven't replied to me. They don't intentionally collect sensitive information, but if you were to type them, then yeah maybe they'll catch those.

Well, that's your problem....you thought.

You sure did skip a lot of what they're looking for in data, none of which is keylogging, btw.

From the part you conveniently skipped:

How does CEIP work?
When you choose to participate, Windows automatically sends information to Microsoft about how you use certain products. Information from your computer is combined with other CEIP data to help Microsoft solve problems and to improve the products and features customers use most often.

Will CEIP collect information about all products on my computer?
No. CEIP only collects information about Microsoft products and you must choose to participate on a product-by-product basis.


Additional data collection
The following list describes some examples of additional data collection our software performs:

* Windows settings and usage, such as the number of user accounts on the computer and the view settings for Control Panel (that is, if you use the default Category view or the Classic view to display Control Panel).
* Details about your computer hardware, such as processor type and speed (as well as the number of processors), system memory, video memory, and other hardware configuration information.
* File and folder information, such as the number of files and folders located in common places (for example, in Documents).
* Which programs you open (for example, which application you use to read your e-mail).
* Changes you make to your hardware or software.
* Problems you encounter, such as application crashes.


Don't see anything that would indicate keylogging.........

 

[Scarpozzi]

Originally posted by: Billyzeke

Originally posted by: Scarpozzi
How long does it take to get a response email back from them after signing up? I signed up about 2 hours ago and still don't have a reply in my inbox.

I didnt get an e-mail instantly and after about 10 minutes I hit go-back and submitted my info again then I received the e-mail from MS.

Thanks OP in for Vista Ultimate.

I just got it this morning....took about a day.

 

[duzytata]

Just to let you know for those of you having problems getting the email though Gmail. I used my Gmail account and received the email instantly, and it did not go to the spam folder.

 

[creegah]

I just signed up yesterday and got the email today. Went through the enrollment process, downloaded the software and then saw that the program of FREE software has been discontinued. See here: http://www.computerworld.com/a...asic&articleId=9052518 Same link; tinyurl: http://preview.tinyurl.com/29xcqs
So now I don't know if I will get the software or not but I do have Microsoft spyware on my computer now. Sheesh.
Anybody know if somebody who was sent an email STILL is eligible for the software??

 

[creegah]

When I completed their first survey, there was NOT an option to choose free software...so I guess that means I'm screwed.
Will send an email to get out of the "program" and find out how to remove this Microsoft spyware from my computer. :-(

 

[creegah]

When I completed their first survey, there was NOT an option to choose free software...so I guess that means I'm screwed.
Will send an email to get out of the "program" and find out how to remove this Microsoft spyware from my computer. :-(

 

[TanisHalfElven]

Originally posted by: Googer

Originally posted by: ron2368
Same here, I never got asked about software to choose from. If I dont get a gift, is there any info on deleting it, can I use restore?

I went back there and there is NO mention of any software.

I believe you will get to choose when the three months is over.

no apparently if you have not chosen already you missed the cutoff. you still get spied upon just don't get anything free

 

[imported_Section8]

Since I never got to choose a gift, I guess I will not get anything. I suppose I could send a message to MS by taking a picture of my rearend and making it my background. Subtle, yet direct.

 

[TicoAz]

Originally posted by: Section8
Since I never got to choose a gift, I guess I will not get anything. I suppose I could send a message to MS by taking a picture of my rearend and making it my background. Subtle, yet direct.

Even I wouldn;t want to stare at my own Azz all day!

 

[Scarpozzi]

Originally posted by: TicoAz

Originally posted by: Section8
Since I never got to choose a gift, I guess I will not get anything. I suppose I could send a message to MS by taking a picture of my rearend and making it my background. Subtle, yet direct.

Even I wouldn;t want to stare at my own Azz all day!

That sucks. I never saw that option either. I guess that's why it took so long for me to receive my confirmation...they must have pulled the plug on sending confirmation emails so they could state the cutoff date.

 

[amheck]

I signed up right away with a gmail account and didn't get the confirmation email until late in the day. Thankfully Ihad been following the thread here and knew it was dead. I did click on the link in the email and see they are still accepting the questionnaire submissions and will let you download the software. Pretty sneaky, in my book.

 

[Shinare]

It would be nice if there were a "Dead Deals" sub forum to the "Hot Deals" forum where dead deals could be moved to if folks still wished to carry on a conversation about them. This kind of thing clutters up the hot deals with dead deals being bumped to the top all the time.

(oops, I just bumped this dead deal.)

 

[MrChad]

Originally posted by: creegah
When I completed their first survey, there was NOT an option to choose free software...so I guess that means I'm screwed.
Will send an email to get out of the "program" and find out how to remove this Microsoft spyware from my computer. :-(

If you installed the software you can remove it under Add/Remove Programs. If you didn't install the software you have nothing to worry about.

 

[S13SilviaK]

Did anybody catch the website it listed at the end of the install? And is there anyway to check how much of the 3 mos. time period remains? Thanks

 

[MrChad]

Originally posted by: S13SilviaK
Did anybody catch the website it listed at the end of the install? And is there anyway to check how much of the 3 mos. time period remains? Thanks

https://wfp.vistatechbeta.microsoft.com/

 

[Wolfcastle]

Originally posted by: gingerstewart55

Originally posted by: Wolfcastle


I think they do keylogging. I sent them an email asking whether they do, but they haven't replied to me. They don't intentionally collect sensitive information, but if you were to type them, then yeah maybe they'll catch those.

Well, that's your problem....you thought.

You sure did skip a lot of what they're looking for in data, none of which is keylogging, btw.

From the part you conveniently skipped:

How does CEIP work?
When you choose to participate, Windows automatically sends information to Microsoft about how you use certain products. Information from your computer is combined with other CEIP data to help Microsoft solve problems and to improve the products and features customers use most often.

Will CEIP collect information about all products on my computer?
No. CEIP only collects information about Microsoft products and you must choose to participate on a product-by-product basis.


Additional data collection
The following list describes some examples of additional data collection our software performs:

* Windows settings and usage, such as the number of user accounts on the computer and the view settings for Control Panel (that is, if you use the default Category view or the Classic view to display Control Panel).
* Details about your computer hardware, such as processor type and speed (as well as the number of processors), system memory, video memory, and other hardware configuration information.
* File and folder information, such as the number of files and folders located in common places (for example, in Documents).
* Which programs you open (for example, which application you use to read your e-mail).
* Changes you make to your hardware or software.
* Problems you encounter, such as application crashes.


Don't see anything that would indicate keylogging.........

Let me just answer you on the merits of your argument and not your snide remark.

There is nothing indicating that they don't keylog even after having read all of their privacy policy. If they want to find out about the problem you encounter when you have an application crash, perhaps they need to find out what kind of activities you performed when the application crashed on your IE, such as certain words typed or mouse activities.

They also say that they don't "intentionally" collect sensitive data. Do you know what that means? And do you know how they might unintentionally collect sensitive data? This isn't to say MS does keylog. I'm saying there is a possibility that MS is keylogging, and the privacy policy doesn't specifically exclude some limited form of keylogging.

And MS has apparently been replying to other inquiries. Just not my particular question of whether they are doing any keylogging or not. If not, they could have simply replied back saying they don't.

 

[Etern205]

Been participating this since last month, but I'm not sure if I got it right because they said they'll send in surveys. The only one I did was the one during the registration and so far there has been no surveys ever since. Oh well I hope I can get my free gift.

 

[kcporsche959]

So if when I signed up I got to choose my free gift, does that mean I'll still be getting it? If not, how do I uninstall this =O.

 

[1Cheap2Crazy]

Originally posted by: kcporsche959
So if when I signed up I got to choose my free gift, does that mean I'll still be getting it? If not, how do I uninstall this =O.

Add/Remove-Microsoft feedback panel

 

[esquared]

Originally posted by: kcporsche959
So if when I signed up I got to choose my free gift, does that mean I'll still be getting it? If not, how do I uninstall this =O.

If you got to choose a gift, you should get it when you're three months are up.

To uninstall look here at the FAQs

How do I uninstall the software?

Windows Vista Instructions:

1. Click Start, click Control Panel, click Programs, and then click Programs and features.
2. Select Windows Feedback Panel, and then click Uninstall.

Windows XP Instructions:

1. Click Start, click Control Panel, click Add or Remove Programs, and then click Change or Remove Programs.
2. Select Windows Feedback Panel, and then click Remove.

 

[GoPackGo]

Just removed that crap...

 

[kcporsche959]

Ah thanks. I'll keep it installed for another three months then for hopes of getting Vista.