Windows: Microsoft Security Essentials, free if you have Microsoft Windows XP or higher, and it does work especially for the technical, not too adventerous link clicker. Gives you that extra layer of protection you seem to want for those 'oh shit' moments.
I can second this, and I should also add that the functionality is built-in to Windows 8 as Windows Defender. Same functionality as MSE, just relabeled. The old Windows Defender is dead.
I can third this, but I'm wondering where the antitrust lawsuit is... I think MS were tiptoeing around it by making MSE a separate download, but as soon as they start bundling it with the OS it has antitrust written all over it...
They were sued out for internet explorer because they were using anti-competitive practices to stifle the entire internet ecosystem. MSE is only for Windows and can only be for Windows so Microsoft making it might as well have it considered a part of the OS since it is only there to solve the problem of bad user privileges that have plagued Windows for 20 years.
Reasons why I think there is not, and will never be an antitrust lawsuit over this: 1. Antivirus should be part of the operating system. It is a critical aspect of a stable system. 2. Nobody cares about Microsoft anymore, they are loosing so much market share to Apple etc. Microsoft have good grounds to say 'not a monopoly' 3. Antivirus is an industry that has peaked - not a growing, sexy industry like the dotcom was. 4. (Conspiracy warning) Prior to viruses having economic benefit in themselves as botnets and
An entire industry was spawned because Windows was conceived without security in mind. Now that Microsoft is redressing the oversight, I don't think many people outside the third-party AV industry will be crying foul.
I'm no fan of Microsoft but I'm happy with MSSE and do not foresee an antitrust suit because of it.
The Antitrust suit was all about Microsoft's anti-competitive practices, such as making you pay for Windows when you buy new PC and punishing vendors who sold PCs with anything else. Those days are over. Yes, they caught flak also for bundling IE but most importantly making sure other browsers ran like shit.
Bundling AV is not an anti-trust issue because you can always uninstall it and run whatever you want...
"If you want to know what happens to you when you die, go look at some dead
stuff."
-- Dave Enyeart
Simple (Score:5, Informative)
Windows: Microsoft Security Essentials, free if you have Microsoft Windows XP or higher, and it does work especially for the technical, not too adventerous link clicker. Gives you that extra layer of protection you seem to want for those 'oh shit' moments.
Re:Simple (Score:5, Informative)
Re: (Score:2, Redundant)
I can third this, but I'm wondering where the antitrust lawsuit is... I think MS were tiptoeing around it by making MSE a separate download, but as soon as they start bundling it with the OS it has antitrust written all over it...
Re: (Score:3)
They were sued out for internet explorer because they were using anti-competitive practices to stifle the entire internet ecosystem. MSE is only for Windows and can only be for Windows so Microsoft making it might as well have it considered a part of the OS since it is only there to solve the problem of bad user privileges that have plagued Windows for 20 years.
Re: (Score:3)
1. Antivirus should be part of the operating system. It is a critical aspect of a stable system.
2. Nobody cares about Microsoft anymore, they are loosing so much market share to Apple etc. Microsoft have good grounds to say 'not a monopoly'
3. Antivirus is an industry that has peaked - not a growing, sexy industry like the dotcom was.
4. (Conspiracy warning) Prior to viruses having economic benefit in themselves as botnets and
Consider MSEE a "fix" for broken windows. (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
The Antitrust suit was all about Microsoft's anti-competitive practices, such as making you pay for Windows when you buy new PC and punishing vendors who sold PCs with anything else. Those days are over. Yes, they caught flak also for bundling IE but most importantly making sure other browsers ran like shit.
Bundling AV is not an anti-trust issue because you can always uninstall it and run whatever you want...