I have always been concerned with the launch of MSFS, with the causal references to telemetry logging.
It has always been my understanding and experience, that if a Microsoft Program sent “DISGNOSTIC” data from my PC, back to Microsoft, ( especially as a result of a CTD ) that it would tell me “Each time” and offer to show me the data to be sent, before sending it.
I have NEVER seen such an option being presented to me by MSFS.
Don’t get me wrong, I want MS & Asobo to take all steps to help fix the Stability issues with MSFS, but to do so within accepted guidelines.
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Came across this while pre-researching this Topic… makes interesting reading .
For anyone interested in this subject, Microsoft has extensive “Data Protection” policies and websites, dedicated to this subject.
Personally, I welcome Microsoft to obtain information from my PC, about why MSFS is “Crashing to Desktop” --------- but I ALSO would like to be made aware of this information, and wonder why the data is not being offered to me BEFORE being sent out automatically (without my control ? ) to Microsoft ?
Whatever telemetry data the program is phoning home, it clearly isn’t enough to get the problems solved.
When the sim crashes, it should prompt the user to submit an error report including the following information:
Crash dump (compressed)
List of packages/addons currently installed and their version numbers
Coordinates of the aircraft, ICAO of airport, etc. at the time of the crash
Allow the user to describe more precisely what they were doing at the time of the crash, and allow them to provide an e-mail address (or other method of contact) if any further information is required in the future.
Msinfo and dxdiag reports could also be included in there, and probably a few other things.
I’ve taken several network traces to determine round-trip response times. All the data packets sent to/from MS are encrypted as they should be. It is impossible to determine what is or isn’t telemetry. Asobo would have to divulge (publish) anything about any possible telemetry collection.
When Flight Simulator crashes, it’s toast. I don’t believe it has its own error handling mechanism. Windows Error Reporting kicks in and submits the information to Microsoft. With all of the issues that this sim has, it’s not an ideal solution.
Yet I, a mere user, can look at my Full Crash Dumps, run them through the MS WinDbg, and see exactly the line of disassembled code, that is causing the CTD (typically a VERY OBVIOUS Null Pointer, returning Zero or -1), but without the symbol table / source or interfaced to VS, it is difficult to tell where in MSFS this bit of code is running.
As a user, also NOT what I should be expected to be doing
It’s all about crashcodes and numbers, the more that suffer the higher the priority.
Not that I care but I expect NSA can delve into just about anyone’s Microsoft or Apple PC if they really wanted to … Of course they would always deny this.
MSFS is an online platform which constantly provides Microsoft servers with data. The data could be anything. Abuses of data happens in the least likely places of concern where users are not going to find. I don’t believe it is a concern about reporting data.
Many addons require additional software running in the background and these platforms are more likely to send data of concern. Why does an addon developer require users to install additional running in the background software to use an addon product in MSFS? That’s unnecessary for addons.
Eh, yes and no. There are definitely cases where these additional applications aren’t necessary but there are plenty of other reasons why they can be.
To help people install and update products, to report bugs, detect piracy, or even to enhance the simulator - there have been plenty of planes in the past that have used external simulators and then represented the results within the sim. IIRC the Majestic Q400 is an example.
If the sim has to stream in photogrammetry and map information for the area you’re flying over, the sim has to tell the server what area you’re flying over.
--------- but I ALSO would like to be made aware of this information, and wonder why the data is not being offered to me BEFORE being sent out automatically (without my control ? ) to Microsoft ? 
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