For example, you often have to give your name, address, phone number, and maybe some other personal information. That data can be a gold mine to marketers who can use it to figure out what kinds of items you are likely to buy. At the very least, you can expect more telephone sales pitches during dinner. I'm not a big fan of rebate offers, but there is a payoff for those willing to put up with the hassles. The titles included Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia 2000, Crayola Make a Masterpiece, and a Y2K Survival Kit.
Households can receive only one rebate.
One of the best sources of small software utilities is PC Magazine. Both the print and online versions usually feature a free program each month. The software often includes the source code for programmers interested in learning how the software works. The most popular ones seem to be games. Sun Microsystems is giving away StarOffice, a set of programs that include a word processor, spreadsheet and presentation applications that are compatible with Microsoft Office 97 documents.