Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Vista May Put Anti-Spyware Companies Out

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the getting-ahead-of-ourselves dept.

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."

12 of 392 comments (clear)

  1. ...well... by BewireNomali · · Score: 5, Insightful

    didn't msft put anti-spyware companies into business in the first place?

    msft giveth, msft taketh away.

    --
    un burrito me trampeó.
    1. Re:...well... by Pneuma+ROCKS · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I don't think spyware is going anywhere. Just as spam, it's here to stay. Many promises have been made by Microsoft in the past and they've been broken like little dry twigs. Giving them lots of credit, one might think they can eliminate and prevent all current forms of spyware, but there are always new ways, and they are always found. I hope Vista is more secure, but infalible? Not even close.

      --
      Favorite quote: "
    2. Re:...well... by frogstar_robot · · Score: 5, Funny

      So what was the design goal for WindowsME? Give the source code to 1000 monkeys, wait a year, then see what they came up with? :/

      Don't you think that is unfair to monkeys?

  2. Just Fair by Zo0ok · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If you are in business just because another company sells crappy products to lots of people you dont deserve to stay in business forever.

    1. Re:Just Fair by TubeSteak · · Score: 5, Insightful
      There's no "deserve" in doing business and trying to meet a demand in order to make money off of it.
      Tell that to the natural gas companies.

      Their rates are regulated by the state, so they basically work out a rate that includes costs + profit.

      If demand goes up, so do prices
      If demand goes down, guess what happens.

      Yep, prices go up. Why? Because they aren't making their agreed upon level of profit. It's a fairly cushy deal.

      Be glad MS isn't truly a monopoly, cause if they were, they'd be regulated & their profit margin would be enshrined in law.
      --
      [Fuck Beta]
      o0t!
  3. How dare they! by NitsujTPU · · Score: 5, Funny

    How dare Microsoft enhance the security of their product, putting poor companies that thrive on the shortcomings of Windows out of business?!?!

    I, guess?

  4. erm by BitterAndDrunk · · Score: 5, Funny

    I thought it was still running Internet Explorer?

    --
    You better watch out, there may be dogs about . . .
  5. Tough on spyware? by linguizic · · Score: 5, Funny

    The only thing microsoft is tough on is stains, though oh so gentle on carpet. Wait, that's Bissel. That's right MS is tough on network administrators.

    --
    Does this sig remind you of Agatha Christie?
  6. Who broke my window? by Realistic_Dragon · · Score: 5, Interesting

    This is known as the Browk Window theory in Economics - that is, by running around breaking windows I create work for glaziers.

    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 :)

    --
    Beep beep.
  7. Re:Analysis by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    I don't know about *better*, given it is a subjective measure, but the NT line has generally improved in security with new releases. Win2000 was relatively indistinguishable from WinNT security-wise, but WinXP at least considered security in its design, and improved on it a little with SP1 and markedly with SP2.

    I'm not saying it's all sunshine and rainbows; it's still not a fully locked down OS but they have been improving.

  8. Re:They'll find a way. by richdun · · Score: 5, Interesting

    You sound like a bitter Frenchman...

    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.

  9. Re:They'll find a way. by the+argonaut · · Score: 5, Funny

    They are just "evil" or don't have/believe in ethics.

    They're Republicans?

    --
    fuck you.