Microsoft Discusses Anti-Spyware Plans

LaughingCoder writes "Microsoft has announced their plans for the (currently free) AntiSpyware application, which is now in Beta. It is currently slotted to be bundled with Windows Vista. The end-user has the option of switching it out and using a different vendor's spyware protection if they want." From the article: "Microsoft gave an official name to its software for protecting computer users against spyware. The software, which has been known as Windows AntiSpyware Beta 1, will be called Windows Defender when the finished version becomes available next year, a Microsoft spokesperson said Tuesday. A posting on Microsoft's TechNet Web blog announced the change on Friday and also revealed some details about capabilities coming to the software. The current version of Windows AntiSpyware Beta 1 has 18 million users, the spokesperson said. "

Comments

An "engineering change"?

[sczimme]

Making the engineering change from "Windows AntiSpyware" to "Windows Defender" took a lot of careful coordination across our team to ensure that the strings in the UI got changed, the help files all got updated, registry keys, file names and properties, as well as a couple of images all got changed.

You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

Re:An "engineering change"?

[Red Alastor]

Personally, it's the "defender" part that I don't trust. After all, defender was about saving civilians but you ended up shooting half of them by mistake and would die in 3 or 4 level due to the overwhelming number of bad guys.

Plans!?

[darth_MALL]

Somehow I think they will involve a wheelbarrow and a holocaust cloak....

I understand that

[$RANDOMLUSER]

Back in the day, Ford was willing to sell you a Ford fire extinguisher to go with your Pinto.

The interface is wonderful!

[Anonymous Coward]

It is possibly the first anti-spyware program to use a joystick. Malicious executables appear as little moon landers and you have to shoot them before they can abduct your good files. I actually look forward to getting infected with spyware, but my thumbs start to hurt after a time.

An example of typical Microsoft quality:

[Futurepower(R)]

I just tried to update my spyware definitions through Microsoft AntiSpyware. I got an error message: "Could not connect to the internet."

Somehow Slashdot has no problem, however.

Re:Trademark Problems?

[saskboy]

You think that will cause problems? Just wait until Gates announces his latest brainchild, a Windows search utility called:
Windows Goggle.

-/It does nothing.

Re:Rewrite

[holy zarquon's singi]

Yes indeed. The brothel should provide condoms, not antibiotics for it's customers.

Re:Alternatively...

[NardofDoom]

So what you're saying is that we need to eliminate users, since they're the largest security hole.

I don't have a problem with that.