In an update to the Steam client users will be able to allow Valve to scan software on their PC’s, by permission only of course. This will be in addition to the optional hardware scans they have had in place already. The new opt-in scan is only for PC right now (not on Mac yet), and will only scan your Programs and Features control panel to pull the data from.
In an official statement, Valve addressed the new survey plan:
Even though this sounds obtrusive, it seems like a harmless initiative in my opinion. Anyone who uses Steam or any of Valve’s releases know they are a company who wants to make their users happy and can be trusted. The hardware scans are very routine and are only done to benefit the gamer’s experience by ensuring that various hardware setups are compatible. In giving Valve permission to see what software you run on your PC will help them compile potential new features based on the trends of what people run on their computers. I’d assume they could also use this data solve different issues such as crashes and hiccups during your experiences.
So, as I said, pretty harmless. I mean, after all, its not like its Facebook asking!
What are your thoughts on sharing your hardware or software specifications with gaming companies?
Source: Kotaku
