OK, this looked rather scary and also rather unbelievable so I did a quick research and unsurprisingly it turned out this is blown way out of proportion (if not downright wrong).<p>The article claims DiagTrack collects "your name, email address, preferences and interests; browsing, search and file history; phone call and SMS data; device configuration and sensor data; and application usage". That description is credited to Microsoft itself ("As Microsoft explained"). But if you follow the link it turns out it's not really Microsoft's explanation, but just what some user on official Windows forum wrote. My guess: Windows Technical Preview did (or had ability to do) that and user confused one thing with another.<p>Next thing, DiagTrack came to Windows (TP) via update KB3022345, so let's check that update: <a href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3022345" rel="nofollow">https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3022345</a><p>"The Diagnostic and Telemetry service collects diagnostics information about functional issues on Windows systems that participate in the Windows Customer Experience Improvement Program (CEIP). CEIP reports <i>don't</i> contain contact information, such as your name, address, or telephone number. This means CEIP won't ask you to participate in surveys or to read junk email, and you won't be contacted in any other way."<p>Of course, it's still possible there's some foul play here, but I'd prefer it would be investigated first and accusations thrown later, not the other way around.
It <i>has</i> to be possible to turn these things off, and the users should insist on their right to do that.<p>When we're there, I've seen today in some traffic I collected some regularly occurring telemetry from Firefox. I don't remember agreeing to that.
> <i>We already knew Windows 10 Threshold deleted third-party data monitoring tools and cleanup tools, including stalwarts like Spybot and CCleaner. It even disabled Cisco’s VPN software. Just a bug, said Microsoft.
Two bugs would be a puzzling coincidence – but something else makes it altogether more troubling.</i><p>I really doubt this has anything to do with the data collection.
So, on one hand Microsoft is starting to become a good open source player, and then on the other it continues to abuse its users.<p>Nope, I still won't use your products.
228 comments are below the article, that speaks volumes. Most people are very angry about how Microsoft acts. The phone home spyware in recent updates for Win7/8 and Win10 is pretty creepy and probably illegal in several countries. It also speaks volumes how some MS employees defend their company with rather ridiculous comments. Since the MS Build event many MS employees are on HN: if you are one, instead of downvoting try to read the angry comments from consumers below the article.<p>@Dang / HN admin: who flag such news? Or why is it already on the second page? Can you investigate if there are some voting/flagging-ring/bots active?
This article is just ridiculous, the author is going out of their way to attack microsoft instead of just reporting the facts. Terrible journalism.<p>>We already knew Windows 10 Threshold deleted third-party data monitoring tools and cleanup tools, including stalwarts like Spybot and CCleaner. It even disabled Cisco’s VPN software. Just a bug, said Microsoft.<p>>Two bugs would be a puzzling coincidence<p>What makes the existence of software bugs "puzzling"?<p>> The data that DiagTrack collected was typical of a spyware programme<p>So credit cards, passwords, etc... right?<p>>Examples of data we collect include your name, email address, preferences and interests; browsing, search and file history; phone call and SMS data; device configuration and sensor data; and application usage.<p>I guess not?<p>> The only way you knew you were being monitored was by eyeballing the list of running processes in Task Manager.<p>That doesn't sound very spyware-esque, you'd probably want to be hiding yourself from the task manager.
If you read this as Connected (User Experience) and (Telemetry) service, it's actually a far better name than the Diagnostics title it had before. And makes perfect sense, when you assume it is for doing the minimal reporting they say it is.<p>/shrugs