It may not be a bot, but it's still a violation of the T&Cs. To witBolding mine) I would say that using the browser in that manner constitutes an "automated way" of participating; one might also interpret it as a "macro," since saved browser tabs are essentially a macro to the browser interface. Hence, using saved browser tabs is a direct violation of the T&Cs.
If you want to apply as broad definitions as possible, you can find a macro in every program, e.g. ctrl+v or clicking a bookmark. Also the idea behind every program is to automate something for its user. I don't see how using nothing but their own browser could somehow violate such generic terms of their T&C.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by freakazoid
I don't see how using nothing but their own browser could somehow violate such generic terms of their T&C.
Because it generates ticket-earning activity through no actual action of the end-user except one click to open the browser. Using bookmarks for search terms is a gray area already but I think would be acceptable, because the user would open each bookmark separately; having bookmarks automatically opened so one doesn't even have to do anything is by any definition an "automated way." Automated = through no intervention of the user. (And no, I don't count "opening the browser" as intervention of the user.)
(And no, ctrl-v and/or clicking a bookmark do not count as macros, even with a broad definition. The built-in script which automatically opens multiple tabs and resets them to their last known URL is a macro, however, even if it's built into the browser.)
As mentioned earlier in the thread, you are now allowed to redeem only one of each prize. Before this "fix" was put in, many of us redeemed several 2,500 mile prizes. Alas, all good things come to an end
Just like egcarter said, I don't think this rule is being enforced.
I'm in the military and deployed, with nothing to do in my off time. I had redeemed three batches of 2,500 miles a year ago and in February thought, wow, with all this time, I'll rack up a ton of miles. I did enough points to redeem one 2,500 a week for eight weeks straight. Then I read on here of the rule change. That totally bummed me because I thought they wouldn't post.
In the past two weeks, four of the eight have posted. Fingers crossed for the other 10,000 miles.
Here's the thing: this is Microsoft. They are a software company. They don't even need people spending time enforcing this "rule." If they wanted to enforce this "rule," then the second time I tried to redeem for 2,500 miles, I should have been redirected to a page that says "Whoops! You've already redeemed that award already! Read the TOS and try again." But their system allows you to order multiple identical awards. So I feel it's fair of them to actually give the awards, and they are.
That said, once I learned of the rule I stopped playing it, because I know they could start enforcing it at any time.
Report: Microsoft to unveil new search engine next week
Microsoft is likely to show a new version of its Internet search engine publicly for the first time next week, the Wall Street Journal said, citing people familiar with the matter.
Because it generates ticket-earning activity through no actual action of the end-user except one click to open the browser. Using bookmarks for search terms is a gray area already but I think would be acceptable, because the user would open each bookmark separately; having bookmarks automatically opened so one doesn't even have to do anything is by any definition an "automated way." Automated = through no intervention of the user. (And no, I don't count "opening the browser" as intervention of the user.)
(And no, ctrl-v and/or clicking a bookmark do not count as macros, even with a broad definition. The built-in script which automatically opens multiple tabs and resets them to their last known URL is a macro, however, even if it's built into the browser.)
Well... how much 'gray area' is your tolerance?
What if one had say 8 tabs opened, and 6 of them happened to have a live search query on them. You shut down, and wanted to save your settings to open up again next time you started the browser? Would this be a violation?
Let's double the numbers to 16 tabs, 12 of them having a live search query?
Ultimately, it's using 'their' browser -- exactly the way it's meant to be used. I actually 'do' shut down my computer, and it's not uncommon for me to have about 15-20 tabs opened up anyway, I do like to get my session back when I re-open. At what threshold of 'tabbed' queries is now a violation (regardless of intent) ?
If Microsoft did not want one to use their tabs to run a 'ticket generating query' upon opening the browser, then they should have made it so that ONLY the searchperks tool bar earned tickets!! Just like the way their club live tool bar works.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by thehawk75
Well... how much 'gray area' is your tolerance?
My tolerance is irrelevant, since I don't make the rules. A strict interpretation of the policy would suggest that having any tabs automatically open to a search query violates the T&Cs, because those "searches" were not interactive for anything but the first session, where you manually typed in the search. Non-interactive = automated = violation.
Quote:
Originally Posted by thehawk75
If Microsoft did not want one to use their tabs to run a 'ticket generating query' upon opening the browser, then they should have made it so that ONLY the searchperks tool bar earned tickets!! Just like the way their club live tool bar works.
Or, they could have written the T&Cs to prohibit such actions and then deny tickets/prizes to those people whom they deem in violation of the posted rules... which is what they did. Just because one is physically capable of breaking the rules doesn't mean that it's suddenly allowed. To make a completely hyperbolic analogy: if the gov't didn't want people to speed, they should have prevented any cars from going faster than the speed limit. Or, if they wanted everyone to wear a seatbelt, they should have mandated automatic seatbelts in every car.
The point is that the rules are posted; just because there are ways to break them doesn't mean that breaking them is allowed, nor that one should complain when one is caught and subsequently penalized.
Delta miles posted to acount in less than 48 hours
I redeemed for 100 and 500 miles a couple of days ago. Sorry, I can't be more precise than that. The miles are already in my Delta account - it took less than 48 hours for them to post!
My husband redeemed American miles about half an hour after I redeemed my Delta miles, and his American miles have not yet posted.
I have no idea why my Delta miles posted so quickly, but I am *not* complaining!
Oh, I redeemed for 100 and 500 because I had already redeemed for bigger amounts, and I thought 600 miles was better than nothing.
Using 'picture this' it doesn't take more than 25 minutes to rack up 2000 points (1000 per account).
How do you get so many points? Are you playing against each other? When I play, I can't get more than 5 or 6 points per game. What am I doing wrong or am I just a poor guesser as to what picture the other player is going to choose?
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Quote:
Originally Posted by calliecat
How do you get so many points? Are you playing against each other? When I play, I can't get more than 5 or 6 points per game. What am I doing wrong or am I just a poor guesser as to what picture the other player is going to choose?
Yes. I believe thehawk detailed a strategy in which you can have two people in the same room start at the same time. If they get the same pictures, great. If not, restart until they are paired up. Then pick the same pictures and you can get up to 40 tickets per game in less than a minute I believe.
On picture this, I always select the first photo for at least the first 3 sets, hoping that the mystery person on the other end will figure out what I am doing and select the same, it hasn't worked yet, but watch out, if anyone can figure it out, then we will get a lot of tickets.
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I'm pretty sure I'm done with the program and just donated my remaining tickets to the American Red Cross - had to do something useful with the SearchPerks points.
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On picture this, I always select the first photo for at least the first 3 sets, hoping that the mystery person on the other end will figure out what I am doing and select the same, it hasn't worked yet, but watch out, if anyone can figure it out, then we will get a lot of tickets.
The pictures are arranged randomly for each participant.
On picture this, I always select the first photo for at least the first 3 sets, hoping that the mystery person on the other end will figure out what I am doing and select the same, it hasn't worked yet, but watch out, if anyone can figure it out, then we will get a lot of tickets.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Aus_Mal
The pictures are arranged randomly for each participant.
Aus_Mal is absolutely correct. I have absolute proof of this as I have two windows side by side to compare Although each partner has the same pictures, they do not appear in the same order. You really should expect that though, because that strategy, as logical as that is, is not original, and would be one of the first (and very easiest) strategies to circumvent.
Quote:
Originally Posted by edlin303
Yes. I believe thehawk detailed a strategy in which you can have two people in the same room start at the same time. If they get the same pictures, great. If not, restart until they are paired up. Then pick the same pictures and you can get up to 40 tickets per game in less than a minute I believe.
I have since refined the strategy to getting paired up. So it can be done in last than 1 or 2 tries.
Both people have to 'load' the page that has the 'game' menu at the same time. I find the easiest is get both windows on the 'all games' screen. And then refresh both screens within a fraction of a second of each other.
Naturally, also select the game at nearly the same time.
If you fail to match, don't close the popped up windows. Just go back to the calling windows, refresh both of them, and then select the game again.
Reason for the 'refresh' now is because it's not a 'completely random' pairing. You get 'seeded' on to a select group of people to be paired with. If you don't regenerate the calling window by refreshing, you might be stuck on a 'random seed' that will never let you pair to your partner -- or at least not for a very freak'n long time. I figured this out one night when only 6 people were online playing (I being 2 of them), and was not getting paired to 'my partner'...at all... This 'not-so-random pairing' also works to your advantage, say for example, if you accidentally hit 'play again with NEW partner'. You might still end up back to playing your 'old trusted' partner again.
Now... let's hope that after having explained everything my golden goose doesn't get cooked...
Bolding mine) I would say that using the browser in that manner constitutes an "automated way" of participating; one might also interpret it as a "macro," since saved browser tabs are essentially a macro to the browser interface. Hence, using saved browser tabs is a direct violation of the T&Cs.
Although each partner has the same pictures, they do not appear in the same order. You really should expect that though, because that strategy, as logical as that is, is not original, and would be one of the first (and very easiest) strategies to circumvent.
