The Associated Press WASHINGTON - Microsoft Corp., whose popular Windows software is a frequent target for Internet viruses, is offering a free security program to remove the most dangerous infections from computers. The program, with monthly updates, is a step toward plans by Microsoft to sell full-blown antivirus software later this year. Microsoft said that starting Thursday, consumers can download the new security program from the company's Web site — www.microsoft.com — and that updated versions will be offered automatically and free each month. Also being offered is a free program to remove "spyware," a category of irritating programs that secretly monitor the activities of Internet users and can cause sluggish computer performance or popup ads. Read more at MSNBC
It was just a matter of time. After they aquired an AV company a while back they were only going to do this with it. Don't know if they're antivirus is going to be any good.
Here's the link to the program. MS should be able to do ok with AV, between aquiring the companies they have and having the ability to hook their AV solution into the OS it has the capabilities to crush all the other AV vendors. Edit Unable to reply to thread so I'll add a bit here. First of all MS will be going to a subscription version eventually, subscription models are where the revenues are. They've been using it for a while with their enterprise customers and it's been successful so if they can get recurring revenue out of consumers of course they're going to take it :chk:. Secondly while MS released MS Anti-Spyware beta 1, it's from Giant which they just recently acquired and not much has changed. For the AV program MS bought GeCad so while both these programs will be under the MS banner the programs probably won't change much from when the companies where independent of Microsoft. For ex. Anti-Spyware is basically Giant's solution with the MS logo slapped on it, cookie removal removed and it's now free instead of a paid program.
Considering Microsoft and Windows are responsible for 99% of the viruses out there, then it better be free. They owe it to us. It also should be very good as the coders know what to look for in their own software, huh? EDIT: Just saw the video...jesus. "Sphywhare isht very bad. Sphywahre isht shlowing my comphuterr..." And what's with that dodgy looking man popping up occasionally??
yeah I just got it. As per nom with microsoft, it looks pretty, but thats about it so far. Hasn't detected any spyware on my rig, but will try it on my brothers who is prone to getting every form of anything.
Has it occured to anybody that this is just another Microsoftism? They're almost certainly going to start charging a premium for this service once enough people are onboard. In the AV market they'll win by default, regardless of the quality of their offering. Aside from this, it's pretty stunning that you actually require software of this nature just to stay running on their platform... that should say something about their quality and practices. Instead of fixing the problem with a real, long-term solution, they work around the work-arounds ...and the situation just gets uglier than before. "It is not communism which will destroy capitolism. No, it is large, greedy corperations which will be its downfall." --Joseph Stalin
