Microsoft Begins anti-virus Software Development 199
An anonymous reader writes "From the article: Microsoft's announcement that it will enter the AV market next year, with initial trials starting next week, could be a sign of many things to come, says SecurityFocus's Kelly Martin. " Not unexpected, given their recent purchase.
Resistance is futile (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Resistance is futile (Score:1, Interesting)
If Microsoft *did* bundle AV with Windows, everyone on slashdot would be jumping up and down saying "Microsoft are being anti-competitive yet again!!". Microsoft have been (rightly) burnt by the fair competition regulations often enough to know that they cannot just bundle this in and need to offer their product so that it can compete on the open market.
That said, many people will use it because it is easiest to take it from the same vendor as the O/S, even if it's not the best solution, technically.
My biggest concern is that MS will use non-disclosed APIs to support their AV, leaving the rest of the market to use the current selection of cludges to make their work. Obviously, this would be unfair and they should be shot if they are thinking it...
Re:Start the week with a dupe (Score:3, Interesting)
-N
wait'n'see (Score:2, Interesting)
People have launched a number of variations on the
"1. massively spread lame s/w w/ vulnerabilites
2. start seling antivirus s/w
3. profit?"
hypothesis. However, this would only turn out to be a correct theory only if the AV s/w worked remarkably well, shifting the virii vulnerability stories focus elsewhere. I wouldn't want to bet a dime on a conspiracy theory or on any type of a silver-bullet solution.
My bet is different - many Redmond products had flaws and some attempts at new niche markets were downright failures. Hence, I'd bet on an AV product that will fit 'normally' into the S win suite, reducing only part of the problems and introducing some (as typical of any s/w) new issues of its own.
A less safe bet, but not to be dismissed, is the ultimate toll-for-disaster scenario, also mentioned times and again in this discussion.
Re:The Register is right when it says... (Score:2, Interesting)
Instead of modding the parent down as "flamebait", why not provide some counter examples?
If you can't then it's hardly flamebait is it?
The way of Roxio? (Score:1, Interesting)
GOD NO!! Not Norton!!
Of course Norton is already geared to take over your PC with mindless popups reminding you how stupid you are and if your system is "secure" or not, so the code should seemlessly integrate with any Microsoft Operating System.
Re:No kidding... (Score:4, Interesting)