Vista May Put Anti-Spyware Companies Out 392
Ant wrote to mention a C|Net article with an interesting premise: Windows Vista's tough approach to spyware may put anti-spyware companies out of business. From the article: "While this may be good news for buyers of Vista, it is not for anyone who makes a living from selling anti-spyware software. The worldwide market has boomed recently, reaching $97 million in revenue in 2004, up 240.4 percent from a year earlier, according to IDC. However, companies such as Webroot Software and Sunbelt Software are in for tough times, analysts said."
Who broke my window? (Score:5, Interesting)
In actual fact were the windows not being broken the resources could be put to better use elsewhere - the time of the labourer and the money spent could be used to grow the economy rather than in the mantainance of existing infrastructure which is an activity that adds zero to the bottom line.
In this case not needing spyware companies will allow the workers and the capital emplyed to go and do something more efficent, in economic terms... such as innovating new and better spyware, seeing as how well Microsoft's other security related announcements have worked out
Re:They'll find a way. (Score:5, Interesting)
But true. The only sure protection is to build something that cannot be circumvented because of some law of physics. Software-driven systems will probably never reach this point. We just have to educate people to be safe enough that only the most inventive criminals can get in (and make it so that people understand how to be safe, not just install X because it will "protect" me from Y). It's just like common sense in anything else - know where not to go, what not to do, and if you are unsure, don't do it.
About this kind of software competition (Score:4, Interesting)
I really don't mind if Microsoft would similarly put Windows antivirus companies "out of business" either. Yes, sucks to be them, but security is among the most important aspects of an operating system, and as important to me when I use an OS as basically the GUI itself.
Re:...well... (Score:4, Interesting)
And there is no "???" step.
Re:...well... (Score:2, Interesting)
This is a sample of what I meant (first result from Google): http://www.esecurityplanet.com/views/article.php/3 586511 [esecurityplanet.com]. More specifically the promise of spam disappearing entirely.
I agree with you, in general. As I said, I know (hope?) Vista will be more stable than XP, which is already very stable and secure. But it is very unlikely, probably unfeasible for a Windows release to be spyware-free, even with (or despite having) Microsoft security tools being part of the OS. Never underestimate opportunists looking for money and human ignorance.
Hope this clears things up.
Re:They'll find a way. (Score:2, Interesting)
And we're not evil, I just don't have a problem making money off of other people's stupidity. They could easily fix their stupidity, but they choose not to. Not my problem.
Re:...well... (Score:2, Interesting)
Whatever the case, AntiVirus and AntiSpyware companies should not look at solving an insecure OS's problems as a permanent business - it is a very lucrative short-to-mid term business strategy, and the out should be something like video games or productivity apps in the long term. Diversification is the key to long-term survival, ESPECIALLY when the target market is Windows, and Microsoft has shown time and again that they stab partners in the back, and if it goes to court, Microsoft wins all too often, and when they do lose, they don't get much more than a token slap on the wrist. Wait, not a even a slap on the wrist, just a frownie sticker. Remember the Stacker fiasco where Microsoft misappropriated Stacker code, and stabbed Stac Electronics in the back?
Re:...well... (Score:3, Interesting)
Sure there is, it's called DRM. Granted it won't be used for this purpose but it would work.
Imagine this.
Your computer is set to only install programs that are signed by some authority. FOr the sake of argument let's assume the authority is the debian foundation. After this the OS will not install anything that hasn't been signed by the debian foundation for debian stable and presumably they have tested everything in their distribution. Voila, no more spyware.
Same could be done with MS, Apple, etc. Of course a programmer would be much more likely to trust debian then MS but those are political issues that need to be sorted out. Technically it's easy to prevent viruses and spyware.
Re:...well... (Score:5, Interesting)