[Severed Hand of Skywalker]

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

http://news.com.com/Microsoft+to+add...51.html?tag=nl

[Person Man]

Originally Posted by Severed Hand of Skywalker

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

http://news.com.com/Microsoft+to+add...51.html?tag=nl

Ok... I can understand why they need to know what other programs were running at the time of an error, but WHY THE F**K DO THEY NEED TO KNOW THE CONTENTS OF DOCUMENTS BEING CREATED!?!?!??

There is absolutely NO need for them to know that type of information to fix bugs.

[Goldfinger]

Ah well, people will still buy it

[turtle777]

Good-bye, Bluescreen of Death.
Welcome, Blackbox of Death.

-t

[Millennium]

A case could be made that sometimes knowing documents' contents can be very helpful. I remember finding a bug in a program once that occurred if and only if the 200th character of the document being edited was a > (closing angle bracket).

This said, such bugs are so rare that this feature is only useful in very isolated circumstances, and if it's made an option then it should be disabled by default, locked behind security measures, and generally made very annoying to activate.

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by Millennium

I remember finding a bug in a program once that occurred if and only if the 200th character of the document being edited was a > (closing angle bracket).

Bug ? Sounds like a feature to me

-t

[Xeo]

Originally Posted by Millennium

I remember finding a bug in a program once that occurred if and only if the 200th character of the document being edited was a > (closing angle bracket).

That has to be violating a proof of some kind.

[alphasubzero949]

Now with a built-in keylogger!

[alligator]

I give it about 20 seconds of life before some user finds a way to disable it. They can't be so stupid as to release it - it just won't last.

[Mafia]

Originally Posted by alphasubzero949

Now with a built-in keylogger!

SWEET!!!

[MilkmanDan]

Now we can know the sound of a thousand windows users screams of pain as their system crashes.

[Severed Hand of Skywalker]

Originally Posted by alligator

I give it about 20 seconds of life before some user finds a way to disable it. They can't be so stupid as to release it - it just won't last.

Since it asks you I don't think it would be much of a hack.

[macaddict0001]

Originally Posted by turtle777

Bug ? Sounds like a feature to me

-t

uhh html(other languages)?

[Zimphire]

Yeah it's going to be turn-offable.

But it will probably be ON by default (Like many other holes in Windows) and will probably have the setting set on "Grab it all" And clueless users wont know the difference.

This will also probably open more ideas for Virus writers and hackers to get info.

YAY MS! One step forward! Two steps backward.

[t6hawk]

I'd be more worried about the security implications. If you are working on a confidential document and you crash, I'd be worried about that keylogger sending MS all the confidential info. There has to be some major legal implications with this black box thing. If MS doesn't inform all users of Windows that this feature is there I'd assume MS could get in crap for it.... ?

[alphasubzero949]

You expect MS to tell people about its black box? Hell, automakers don't even disclose that kind of information.

[angelmb]

I misread the title, was thinking about the upcoming longhorn featuring a retail black box

[olePigeon]

Originally Posted by angelmb

I misread the title, was thinking about the upcoming longhorn featuring a retail black box

I wouldn't put it past them. They've copied everything else about Tiger.