>The registration process (several successive HTML forms) asks you 2-3 questions like "Do you want unsolicited e-mail from Microsoft?" "Do you want unsolicited postal mail from Microsoft?" "Do you want unsoliceted [x] from other vendors with products related to this Microsoft product?"
>
>If you answer no to the questions, Microsoft doesn't spam you, nor do they give your postal or e-mail address to anyone outside of Microsoft.

Yes, now that you remind me, I checked "no" and "yes" as you describe, I'll bet, since that's my general attitude...Now I wish something had a "No Telemarketers" checkbox that would pertain to all businesses, too :)