MS to Launch Paid Security Subscription Service

user24 writes "MSN reports that Microsoft 'is launching a subscription service aimed at providing better protection for the Windows operating system, which has been vulnerable to Internet attacks. Windows Live OneCare will protect up to three computers for about 50 dollars a year.' From the OneCare website: 'Windows Live OneCare works continuously, automatically, and quietly in the background on your PC, ever vigilant against threats but never in the way, allowing you to have fun and be more productive:'"

Re:Odd, isn't it?

[SnotBob]

It's a little like Apple trapping you in their shiny new glass elevator and then trying to sell you an iPod so they will let you leave the store in under two hours. Wait...that would never happen.

Geeze Mistah

[Marko DeBeeste]

Dat's some awful pretty data youse got dere. Me an' Lefty would be heartbroken if sumthin wuz to happpen to it, huh Lefty? Maybe youse is need some prtection insurance?

Re:Obligatory

[Duncan3]

Hrm...

1. Build an OS that's so hard to use only geeks can use it
2. Charge 50 dollars for documentation/support
3. Profit!

Oh wait, that's Redhat ;)

Re:Instead of competing with Symantec,

[flimflammer]

But you see if Microsoft fixed everything, they would be sued for unfair buisness practices by putting companies like Symantec out of buisness in the Windows world.

Re:Instead of competing with Symantec,

[Anonymous Coward]

Unfortunately, users can't be patched.

There are Nicotine patches to stop smoking,
Birth Control patches for unwanted pregnancies,
so why not Microsoft patches to quit Windows?

Re:protection money?

[Anonymous Coward]

That's why they named it OneCare. Their OneCare is to get more money out of you.

Have you noticed something funny about the name?

[Anonymous Coward]

Try saying it real fast... With an Indian accent...

place your bets here....

[lon3st4r]

alright.. alright.. simmer down..
no rushing.. no rushing
place your bets here.. place your bets here..

Today's bet: When will MS bring out another paid service to make sure their Windoze Live OneCare service works as expected?

* lon3st4r *

Sure they can

[SuperKendall]

Unfortunately, users can't be patched.

Sure they can - I slap a Mac on 'em. Then they can't click on anything stupid because there is nothing to click on yet that causes harm.

Yes there could be - but it's hard to ignore the plain fact that there isn't.

Like all patches, it may not last forever but it does fix the immediate problem.

Re:Sure they can

[0racle]

nothing to click on yet that causes harm

Make it sufficiently profitable and that will change in a heartbeat. There have been exploitable problems in OS X, its not like it's impossible to do. Moving to OS X and staying an idiot user fixes nothing, it delays the inevitable for a bit.

Re:Instead of competing with Symantec,

[Fred_A]

Unfortunately, users can't be patched.

Actually Windows Live OneCare comes withe a trained MS Goon that whacks you on the top of the head whenever you do something stupid. That's the "live" part.

I didn't quite get the "allowing you to have fun" bit though.

In my country

[this great guy]

<<
Unfortunately, users can't be patched.
>>

In my country, we patch them regularly.
- Vladimir