Visual Studio code name "Orcas" and Visual Studio Team System code name "Rosario" Pre-Release Versions Privacy Statement
Published: July 2007
At Microsoft, we're working hard to protect your privacy, while delivering software that brings you the performance, power and convenience you desire in your personal computing. This privacy statement explains many of the data collection and use practices of Microsoft Visual Studio code name "Orcas" and Visual Studio Team System code name "Rosario" Pre-Release Versions ("Visual Studio"). This is a preliminary disclosure that focuses on features that communicate with the Internet and is not intended to be an exhaustive list. It does not apply to other online or offline Microsoft sites, products or services.
Collection and Use of Your Personal Information
When we need information that personally identifies you or allows us to contact you, we will explicitly ask you for it. The personal information we collect from you will be used by Microsoft and its controlled subsidiaries and affiliates to provide the service(s) or carry out the transaction(s) you have requested or authorized, and may also be used to request additional information on feedback that you provide about the product or service that you are using; to provide important notifications regarding the software; to improve the product or service, for example bug and survey form inquiries; to provide you with advance notice of events; or to tell you about new product releases.
Except as described in this statement, personal information you provide will not be transferred to third parties without your consent. We occasionally hire other companies to provide limited services on our behalf, such as packaging, sending and delivering purchases and other mailings, answering customer questions about products or services, processing event registration, or performing statistical analysis of our services. We will only provide those companies the personal information they need to deliver the service, and they are prohibited from using that information for any other purpose.
Information that is collected by or sent to Microsoft may be stored and processed in the United States or any other country in which Microsoft or its affiliates, subsidiaries or agents maintain facilities, and by using a Microsoft site or service, you consent to any such transfer of information outside of your country. Microsoft abides by the safe harbor framework as set forth by the U.S. Department of Commerce regarding the collection, use, and retention of data from the European Union. Microsoft may disclose personal information about you if required to do so by law or in the good faith belief that such action is necessary to: (a) conform to the edicts of the law or comply with legal process served on Microsoft; (b) protect and defend the rights of Microsoft (including enforcement of our agreements); or (c) act in urgent circumstances to protect the personal safety of Microsoft employees, users of Microsoft products or services, or members of the public.
Collection and Use of Information about Your Computer
Visual Studio contains features that communicate with services on the Internet. When these features are used, they send certain standard information from your computer ("standard computer information") to Microsoft. Standard computer information typically includes information such as your IP address, operating system version, browser version, your hardware ID which indicates the device manufacturer, device name, and version and your regional and language settings. This information is generally not personally identifiable and is similar to the information your browser sends to each website you visit.
The privacy details for each Visual Studio feature listed below will disclose what additional information is collected and how it is used.
Security of Your Information
Microsoft is committed to protecting the security of your information. We use a variety of security technologies and procedures to help protect your information from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. For example, we store the information you provide on computer servers with limited access that are located in controlled facilities.
Changes to the Privacy Statement
We may occasionally update this privacy statement. When we do, we will revise the "last updated" date at the top of the privacy statement. We encourage you to periodically review this privacy statement to be informed of how Microsoft is protecting your information.
For More Information
If you have questions about this privacy statement, please contact us by e-mail at vsswp@microsoft.com.
Visual Studio Privacy
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Specific Features:
Customer Experience Improvement Program
What This Feature Does:
If you choose to participate, the Customer Experience Improvement Program (“CEIP”) will collect basic information about your hardware configuration and how you use our software and services to identify trends and usage patterns. CEIP also collects includes the type and number of errors you encounter, software and hardware performance, and the speed of services. We will not collect your name, address, or other contact information.
Use of Information:
We use this information to improve the quality, reliability, and performance of Microsoft software and services.
Choice/Control:
You are offered the opportunity to participate in CEIP during setup. If you choose to participate and later change your mind, you can turn off CEIP at any time by:
- From the Help menu, select Customer Feedback Options…
- To turn CEIP off, click No, I would not like to participate.
To turn CEIP on, click Yes, I am willing to participate…
- Click OK.
For additional, general information about CEIP, see http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=52097 .
Error Reporting
What This Feature Does:
The Error Reporting feature allows you to report problems you may be having with Visual Studio to Microsoft and to receive information that may help you get around or solve such problems.
Information Collected, Processed, or Transmitted:
The Error Reporting feature collects Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, which are not used to identify users. It does not intentionally collect anyone's name, address, email address, computer name, or any information that will be used to identify you or contact you. It is possible that such information may be captured in memory or in the data collected from open files, but Microsoft does not use it to identify you.
In rare cases, such as problems that are especially difficult to solve, Microsoft may request additional data, including sections of memory (which may include memory shared by any or all applications running at the time the problem occurred), some registry settings, and one or more files from your computer. Your current documents may also be included. When additional data is requested, you can review the data and choose whether or not to send it.
Use of Information:
Microsoft uses the data it collects is for solving customer problems and improving its software.
Choice/Control:
Each time an error occurs, a report is generated and you are asked if you want to send this report to Microsoft. You will have an opportunity to view the information contained in the error report before choosing whether or not to send the report.
Enterprisecustomers can use Group Policy to configure how Error Reporting behaves on their computers. Configuration options include the ability to completely turn off Error Reporting. If you are an administrator and wish to configure Group Policy for Error Reporting, technical details are available at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=35776.
Important Information:
For more details on what information is collected and how it is used, see the Error Reporting privacy information at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=31490.
Microsoft Visual Studio Documentation
What This Feature Does:
Visual Studio gives you a choice about whether to use Online Help from the Internet, (which lets you access the latest version of the help content), local help on your machine, or a combination of the two. Help is available online from MSDN (the Microsoft Developer Network) and third party Web sites.
The Online Content feature lets you query online Web sites automatically when performing a search, including Microsoft’s MSDN Online Web site and third-party community Web sites. In addition, you can get information from these same Web sites in response to pressing the F1 key on language keywords in the code window.
Information Collected, Processed or Transmitted:
In order to return relevant results, the Online Help and Online Content features transmits to MSDN Online and any third-party Web sites you designate in the Online Content option, information including standard computer information, the search text string you entered or the keywords associated with the language keyword you pressed F1 on, and the sources to be searched (such as MSDN Online).
Use of Information:
The information is used to respond to your search query or F1 key press. Microsoft also uses this information to develop new content and revise existing content.
Choice/Control:
By default, Visual Studio will search for help only on your computer. No information is sent to Microsoft if you do not choose to use the Online Help or Use Online Content settings.
Important Information:
This disclosure only covers interactions with MSDN Online; how other Web sites you choose to search for help may collect and use search information depends on the particular site selected. For more information about MSDN Online’s privacy practices, see http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=25076. For more information about the privacy practices of the third party Web sites you choose to query, you may review the sites’ privacy statements.
Registration
What This Feature Does:
When you register Visual Studio, you will be providing personal information to Microsoft for the purpose of receiving information about product updates and special offers.
Information Collected, Processed or Transmitted:
If you register the software, you will be asked to provide some information about yourself, such as your name, address, telephone number and email address.
Use of Information:
Microsoft will use your registration information to send you additional information about product updates and special offers. All registration information is protected using a variety of security technologies. Your information will not be shared with partners without your consent.
Choice/Control:
Registration is mandatory for all Visual Studio Express products and optional for all others.
Setup Reports
What This Feature Does:
If you choose to participate, each time you exit setup for any Visual Studio product, a report will be sent to Microsoft about all of your Visual Studio setup experiences.
Information Collected, Processed, or Transmitted:
For more details on what information is collected, see the Visual Studio Setup Reports privacy statement at http://msdn.microsoft.com/vs2008/bb964509.aspx.
Use of Information:
We use the data collected in Setup Reports to improve our software. For more details on how information is used, see the Visual Studio Setup Reports privacy statement at http://msdn.microsoft.com/vs2008/bb964509.aspx.
Choice/Control:
To turn Setup Reports on or off, run the Setup wizard for any Visual Studio product and check or uncheck the “Yes, send information about my setup experiences to Microsoft Corporation” checkbox.
Enterprisecustomers can use Group Policy to configure how Setup Reports behave on their computers. Configuration options include the ability to completely turn off sending Setup Reports to Microsoft. If you are an administrator and wish to configure Setup Reports, technical details are available at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=73604 .