June 26, 2009 1:16 PM PDT
Watch what Microsoft's new security app can do
The public beta for Microsoft Security Essentials, the free replacement for Live OneCare, is now closed, but that doesn't mean you've missed your chance to see what it's like.
In this First Look video, we look at the new interface, the new features, and the new limitations of the latest free antivirus to enter the market. Should AVG and Avira be scared? Watch and find out.
Seth peers into the deep, dark corners of software so that you don't have to. He has yet to suffer a single nightmare about OS/2. You can follow him on Twitter. 
So are you saying Open Source is the only reason you'd add a useless and unrelated feature?
If you have no useful comment, then just ****.
LOL. Your comment is equally as useless.
And your comment is as equally useless as both of theirs
I personally think its alright for basic things lightweight.
Now, if your one that really enjoys kicking the tires on your antivirus program, you might not get much out of this new app. On the other hand, excepting perhaps the readers of cnet, most people don't care how many "features" are in their antivirus program, as long as it keeps them safe 24/7. And one could argue that the largest security risk nowadays is not any one specific virus, but user confusion.
I think it makes perfect sense to build an "idiot proof" security application that just works.
Its been good at guarding/removing trojans in a timely manner -- no issues at all.
I like it, but it does not load on the task bar on startup like defender...which can be fixed by launching it, then it stays there.
Appears not to auto-update..
Nice that you can send microsoft a missed sample, then get an email of what/if it was detected as and when/if it will be added to detection.
It IS still available here: http://www.softpedia.com/get/Antivirus/Microsoft-Security-Essentials.shtml. Remember things will always be on the internet due to 3rd party mirrors :).
Once you grab the EXE from Softpedia, does it actually install and work?
Nah.
It might work to get a lot of idiot IT professionals to install some form of AV on networked machines but otherwise, not helping much.
By the way, the idiot IT guys are the ones who don't realize that Windows needs AV badly.
...and you have the nerve to call others idiots.
Still, the recent Mac ads show very clearly that Windows machines are still seen as secure. You could say that this is a failure of Windows, but I think in many ways its also a failure of the antivirus industry. Until OneCare, Microsoft had left antivirus completely in the hands of the antivirus industry, and they are taking a pounding for it. The Mac ads don't target Windows, they target the failure of Symantec and others to keep Windows safe. So what is an OS maker to do, when it is getting slammed for the failure of its antivirus partners? Microsoft has no choice at this point but to step it up by providing security for ALL windows users. Personally, I hope they are successful. I long for the day when the terms "world hunger", "nuclear weapons" and "computer virus" are all but eliminated from our vocabulary.
As for me, safe and sound on my lovlely Linux SuSE laptop.
PS. Is winbloze your favorite word? Like a BWF? Dude. Sweet.
try stepping away from your compute, leave Mom's basement, and go outside sometime.
However in order to discuss things with the adults, you may wish to learn the vernacular to have your points taken seriously. Speak gibberish and expect the same in return.
I'm not a Microsoft lover but I think we are here to find what works and what does not. This piece of softwar eworks good. So I think people should use it. It is comparable to other free suites. For me it is lighter and very easy to use, well integrated with the O.S. and in Vista it works very fast. And you know: to detect viruses the antivirus need to know it. This means lot of people working continuously on the virus database updating it daily. Larger is the firm, more money and more people it can use to update the virus database. And I think Microsoft is veeeery large.
Just thought you should know.
Geo
- by estevpico June 30, 2009 7:08 AM PDT
- For the people like myself who purchased Live One Care (for ex-Vista system) and are now running (the incompatible) Windows 7 RC, let?s put one fact straight first of all : - This is not a free replacement! Plus it will need to be bolted onto a utility package before it can be given that distinction!
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(39 Comments)After saying that, this beta seems to cover the antivirus section adequately, is not resource hungry, and is very quick in ?Quick Scan? mode. I look forward to giving it a more thorough test in the future.