Winqual

Windows Quality Online Services (Winqual) is a free Microsoft service provided to software developers who produce software for Microsoft Windows to receive reports triggered by their software in user's computers. Integral parts of Winqual are Windows Error Reporting (WER) and the "Application Recovery" API. Windows Error Reporting gives Winqual access to end-user crash and hang data of applications that fail in Windows platforms, from end-users who agree to report it.

In order to ensure that error reporting data only goes to the engineers responsible for the product, Microsoft requires that interested vendors obtain a VeriSign Class 3 Digital ID. Digital certificates provided by cheaper providers (such as Thawte, Comodo, GlobalSign, GeoTrust, Cybertrust, Entrust, GoDaddy, QuoVadis, Trustwave, SecureTrust, DigiCert, Wells Fargo) are not accepted. [ [http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/isv/bb190483.aspx Introducing Windows Error Reporting] ] [ [http://blog.idevelopsoftware.com/2008/03/08/winqual-registration-head-aches/ WinQual Registration Head Aches] ] [ [http://forums.microsoft.com/MSDN/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=1032285 Microsoft Support Forum: WER with Thawte authenticode signed app] ] [ [http://blogs.msdn.com/oldnewthing/archive/2005/08/10/449865.aspx The Old New Thing: How can a company get access to Windows Error Reporting data?] ] [ [http://successfulsoftware.net/2008/02/27/the-great-digital-certificate-ripoff/ The great digital certificate ripoff?] ]

Software and hardware manufacturers can also close the loop with their customers by linking error signatures to Windows Error Reporting Responses. This allows distributing solutions as well as collecting extra information from customers (such as reproducing the steps they took before the crash) and providing them with support links.

The ability to report crash and hang data from Windows Platforms was first introduced in Windows XP and has been significantly improved in Windows Vista with features such as Problem Reports and Solutions which is a prominent Control Panel user interface allowing users to check the status of their crashes and personalized solution views.

See also

* Windows Error Reporting
* Dr. Watson

References

External links

* [https://winqual.microsoft.com/default.aspx Windows Quality Online Services (Winqual)]