[Privacy Policy Overview] To provide you with a better experience when you use our Analytic Solver for Excel products, we use tracking software in these products to "log" information about how our software is being used. This logging is similar to what happens in a Web site log, but instead of recording visits to Web pages, it records events such as menu selections in the software, or error messages produced by the software. We use this information to better understand how our software is being used, what features are most popular or important to users, and what kinds of problems users encounter, so we can improve the experience in our next software release.
What is Tracked
- Successful installation/license activation, or problems/error messages
- Runs or "solves" and the Solver Result message, or error message
- Model diagnosis, the model type (linear, nonlinear, etc.), and the number of variables and constraints
What is Not Tracked
- Any contents of any cells in your Excel model
- Any results (optimal solutions, simulation data, etc.) from running your model
- Any other data on your computer - only events in our software are tracked
Tracking, Cookies, and Active Supoort
When you use our software in Standard Support mode, the effect of tracking is similar to what happens when you visit our website but do not login or register: You are an "anonymous" user as far as our software usage analytics is concerned; a cookie (a small text file on your PC) is simply used to determine that several events occurred on the same computer. When you use our software in Active Support mode, the effect of tracking is similar to what happens when you visit our website and login: Your username or email address can be associated with software usage from your PC.
The advantage of Active Support is apparent when you have a problem with the software -- either something you don't understand, or something that isn't working right. With Standard Support, tracking may tell us that some users are having a certain problem, but nothing about which users are affected. With Active Support, when a problem arises, and we know the solution, we can contact you and give you the solution -- either via email, or via messages sent to our software. This is especially helpful with licensing problems, since we can send you a new license that can be activated automatically.
Controlling Software Usage Tracking
You can control software usage tracking from the Options - Support Mode menu in any of our enhanced Solvers for Excel:
- Support Mode - Active Support enables usage tracking that can be associated with your username or email address, allowing us to respond to you.
- Support Mode - Standard Support enables usage tracking that is not associated with you, only as an "anonymous user."
- Support Mode - Basic Support turns off usage tracking completely.
You can change this selection at any time, with one limitation: During a free 15-day trial, the software is preset to Active Support, and you cannot change this to another mode. This is part of the consideration in our granting you a free 15-day license. Our experience has shown that it's especially important for us to be able to respond to you if you have a problem during this initial period (our "legitimate interests"). With any type of paid license, you are free to set the Support Mode to any of the three options above, at any time.
We hope this discussion answers your questions about our Privacy Policy. If you have any questions, please contact us. Thank you!