 <blockquote> <p>How nice of Microsoft to require registration now if we want to provide them information that will make their tool better.</p> </blockquote> <p>The reasoning behind it is probably this:</p> <ul> <li><p>Registration is for your own protection: If there was no registration, anyone could have error reports for your app problems sent to them. Even (and specifically) your competitors!</p></li> <li><p>A Certification Authority (CA) verifies the identity of the ISV (independent software vendor) companies that register with them. Microsoft uses the certificate as proof of identity of an ISV company that registers with Winqual. If they had to do the ID checking themselves, they'd likely need an own department for this.</p></li> <li>The registration is to allow <em>you</em> to make <em>your</em> application better, to cut down on future support and to keep <em>your</em> customer base happy. It's not for "their tool". Correct? :-)</li> </ul>