Microsoft to add 'black box' to Windows

[GTaudiophile]

SEATTLE--In a move that could rankle privacy advocates, Microsoft said Monday that it is adding the PC equivalent of a flight data recorder to the next version of Windows, in an effort to better understand and prevent computer crashes.

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[UNCjigga]

I thought they already had that?? Don't they give you the option of sending crash information to some server somewhere?

 

[dug777]

well privacy advocates get very excited about very trivial things, i'm certainly not too worried

 

[Shawn]

In that case..... WinXP for life!

 

[CaptnKirk]

Originally posted by: UNCjigga
I thought they already had that?? Don't they give you the option of sending crash information to some server somewhere?

No, what you think is a 'Crash Report' is Microsoft sending your credit card numbers & PIN to Malaysia, or to the Nigerian Prince who needs a cash laundrymat.

 

[mb]

I'm worried because everything Microsoft does is unbreakable. WinXP activation is flawless!

 

[tm37]

Originally posted by: dug777
well privacy advocates get very excited about very trivial things, i'm certainly not too worried

Nor am I.

Hey if you payh for your software you can't get busted for piracy.

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

Well remember when Intel put the Serial # crap in the p3's. Everyone weas like OMG they will ha><0rz my rig. Nothing ever came of it.

 

[Afrotech]

i don't care, as long as i can turn it off

 

[Ulfwald]

Time to spend more time learning how to install and configure Linux, on servers as well as workstations. I will probably learn how to set up the DHCP, DNS, and Domain structure as well.

 

[Patt]

Hmmm ... oh well, if they can figure out how to put it in, people will figure out how to disable it.

 

[Cerb]

...and I thought Longhorn would suck before this...

 

[mwmorph]

the only part that pisses me off is

The tool will build on the existing Watson error-reporting tool in Windows but will provide Microsoft with much deeper information, including what programs were running at the time of the error and even the contents of documents that were being created.

what if i'm typing something confediential?

 

[Heisenberg]

I'm just about to the point where I'm going to stop using Windows altogether because of crap like this, especially if you can't turn it off.

 

[GTaudiophile]

Actually, the black box doesn't even pass "GO" to collect $200 before it hits M$. It goes straight to the CIA/FBI/NSA.

MS has to be the greatest intelligence gathering service the CIA/FBI/NSA ever dreamed of.

 

[JoeKing]

I still r0x0rs the win98!!!

 

[Mucho]

Originally posted by: Patt
Hmmm ... oh well, if they can figure out how to put it in, people will figure out how to disable it.

:thumbsup:

 

[clamum]

Originally posted by: mwmorph
the only part that pisses me off is

The tool will build on the existing Watson error-reporting tool in Windows but will provide Microsoft with much deeper information, including what programs were running at the time of the error and even the contents of documents that were being created.

what if i'm typing something confediential?

Yeah that's a crock of sh!t. :thumbsdown:

 

[MrScott81]

did any of you morons even bother to read the article? It's just like the current Windows XP error report....you can choose to send it or not, and according to the article all information is anonymous if you choose to send it anyways :roll:

For consumers, the choice of whether to send the data, and how much information to share, will be up to the individual. Though the details are being finalized, Windows lead product manager Greg Sullivan said users will be prompted with a message indicating the information to be sent and giving them an option to alter it, such as removing the contents of the e-mail they were writing when the machine crashed. Also, such reporting will also be anonymous.

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: mwmorph
the only part that pisses me off is

The tool will build on the existing Watson error-reporting tool in Windows but will provide Microsoft with much deeper information, including what programs were running at the time of the error and even the contents of documents that were being created.

what if i'm typing something confediential?

I suspect you won't be.

 

[rh71]

Originally posted by: mwmorph
the only part that pisses me off is

The tool will build on the existing Watson error-reporting tool in Windows but will provide Microsoft with much deeper information, including what programs were running at the time of the error and even the contents of documents that were being created.

what if i'm typing something confediential?

exactly what I was going to post.

But it can be turned off completely... right ????

 

[Lonyo]

Anyone bother to actually read the story?

For consumers, the choice of whether to send the data, and how much information to share, will be up to the individual.

Windows lead product manager Greg Sullivan said users will be prompted with a message indicating the information to be sent and giving them an option to alter it, such as removing the contents of the e-mail they were writing when the machine crashed. Also, such reporting will also be anonymous.

As far as this feature goes, I think for some people it will be very useful.

Businesses will also choose whether they want their own technology managers to receive such data when an employee's machine crashes.

=WIN.

 

[NogginBoink]

Originally posted by: mwmorph
the only part that pisses me off is

The tool will build on the existing Watson error-reporting tool in Windows but will provide Microsoft with much deeper information, including what programs were running at the time of the error and even the contents of documents that were being created.

what if i'm typing something confediential?

It's not like Microsoft goes out of its way to look at documents you were creating.

When a process crashes, Dr. Watson dumps out the address space of that process so that it can be debugged. The process address space contains both code and data; Dr. Watson has no way of knowing what bytes are data.

Collecting data is a side effect of collecting the code that crashed.

 

[EyeMWing]

Originally posted by: mwmorph
the only part that pisses me off is

The tool will build on the existing Watson error-reporting tool in Windows but will provide Microsoft with much deeper information, including what programs were running at the time of the error and even the contents of documents that were being created.

what if i'm typing something confediential?

Amen. It had BETTER be an optional service or XP64 is as far down the Microsoft road as I'm going.

Of course, since it's built on top of the existing shiz, it SHOULD be disableable, if memory serves.

 

[spherrod]

Originally posted by: Lonyo
Anyone bother to actually read the story?

For consumers, the choice of whether to send the data, and how much information to share, will be up to the individual.

Windows lead product manager Greg Sullivan said users will be prompted with a message indicating the information to be sent and giving them an option to alter it, such as removing the contents of the e-mail they were writing when the machine crashed. Also, such reporting will also be anonymous.

As far as this feature goes, I think for some people it will be very useful.

Businesses will also choose whether they want their own technology managers to receive such data when an employee's machine crashes.

=WIN.

Yep - no problem with it as far as i'm concerned