Slashdot Mirror
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:'"
Try fixing your operating system first.
They've found the second step!
1. Build buggy OS full of security holes
2. Charge 50 dollars a year to fix said bugs
3. Profit!
I gotta commend Microsoft, planning to make money of things that should be integrated into the system so that the threats never happen in the first place.
Prevention is less profitable than response, thus, they'll never try making a secure system now.
You will be baked, and there will be cake.
Only in the software industry, folks, can you buy a product and then buy another product to make the first product work. I suppose if you are making a bomb that could apply too.
... our new security overlords. Trust us, we're Microsoft.
In other news, the Microsoft automotive line was revealed today. The cars run great when they run (which is occasionally) and come with an optional $50 annual subscription fee that provides seatbelts, a windshield, and doors.
As you can see from the site http://www.windowsonecare.com/ they are offering antivirus, antispyware, firewall, performance tune-ups, and data backup and restore. At least 3 of those are dependant on their windows OS deficiencies.
It's obvious that they wouldn't be launching this service now if it won't also be needed for Vista. This was basically the last reason i needed to switch over to a Mac.
Ludwig Wittgenstein
When auto companies sell defective cars that will injure or kill or even just break down, they are REQUIRED to do a recall and fix them for FREE. When Microsoft sells a completely defective operating system that allows data theft, invasion of privacy, extortion and wholesale hijacking of the internet, at a cost of billions of dollars, they get to charge more money for the fix. The arrogance and irresponsible behavior toward the customer is breathtaking. Why are lawyers not lining up for the class action suits?
From my understanding, Microsoft owns the Windows OS and I only have a license to use that software.
Why should I pay to fix their software??
Now if they want to allow me to become the owner of the software, rather than just a licensed user, then I can see paying for fixes. But I will not pay to fix someone elses software.
If M$ can get away with this then maybe local stores will start charging customers extra for maintaining a computerized inventory of their goods, after all, that is what they use to make sure they have the products on hand for the customers.
Microsoft releasing operating systems with inadequate security is not comparable to repair of products that deteriorate through wear and tear (the software equivalent for that is such tools as defragmenters or registry cleaners). It is much more analogous to selling a car with a faulty brake system. Then you buy a separate braking system from another company. The problem with that is that this secondary braking system is not built into the fabric of the car. Thus, it leads to handling problems, will sometimes conflict with the original faulty braking system, and will occasionally even fail to stop the car when needed. The solution is to produce a car that has a properly designed braking system in the first place.
If you look at the features most of those come standard with OneCare and the windows equal.
50$ a year for a Fancy All-In-One gui to your basic windows programs sound like a lot to me. Doesnt even backup to an remote backup server. Sadly Mac suckers (em, users) have been paying for years, Redmond is catching up and getting in on the action.
Procrastinating life a way at a rapid rate of speed.
Not to be nitpicky and flamebait-ey, but Apple's got holes too, hackers just don't care about them. If it's 50/50 between MS and Apple (yeah, yeah, Linux, I know), you can expect that Macs will be targets too. Something tells me that the [generic mean people] aren't out to prove a point about Microsoft and Apple/*nix, they just go after whatever's easiest. As OSX is Unix-based, I'd imagine finding security holes would be considerably easier should one be looking to do so.
How are sites slashdotted when nobody reads TFAs?
"There's a sucker born every minute." Widely and falsely attributed to P.T. Barnum.
"A fool and his money are soon parted." Thomas Tusser.
MS is apparently hoping that lightning will strike twice in millions of places.
They've said repeatedly that Vista will be the most secure Windows ever, so why would Vista need any additional security software, from the creator of the OS or a third party? Obviously, the answer is that Vista isn't secure, and MS already knows it. They've even thought of a way to turn Vista's lackluster security into a secondary revenue stream.
To which the suckers and fools will gladly contribute.
This may come as a surprise to you, but most viruses exploit flaws in Microsoft software to spread themselves.
Microsoft's initial product is defective, malicious people take advantage of the defects to create problems for users, Microsoft then charges users to remove the problems that their defective software allowed for in the first place.
Who you blame for viruses is debatable, but there's no doubt that Microsoft have a conflict of interests problem if they start selling virus scanner software. If they make their OS too secure, eventually they will kill the need for their new virus scanner product.
The fact that they intend for this service to be used mostly with Windows Vista is proof that they expect Windows Vista to have flaws for viruses to exploit.
If you had taken the class, the instuctor would have pointed you towards the maintaince and service contracts that have been part of the consumer marketplace for over one hundred years. He would have reminded you that Windows has ninety-five percent of the home market and self-service Linux less than three.
As a Mac OS X user, I am not troubled by things like that, and I cannot be bothered with Windows, but I would be equally upset if Apple one day decided to CHARGE for security features! But they again, that would not be Apple's style, would it?
Same with Linux companies. They would never charge you for basic secrity, because a) it is built-in into the OS and b) a move like that would severely hurt the credibitity of the company.
So, in sum: shame, shame on you, Microsoft. You are a poor excuse for a technology company. You have NO credibility left in this world.
Beauty is in the beholder of the eye.
Pay us and we will protect you from ourselves?
Most (all?) antivirus companies have extremely harsh policy against employees writing viruses or other malicious code the software is to protect from.
What is there to stop Microsoft from putting a bug here, a hole there, purposedly, and "discover" it half a year later just to prove how essential the subscription service is to security of a company?
Anagram("United States of America") == "Dine out, taste a Mac, fries"
so how does the OS distinguish between malware vs non-malware? If the user is dumb enough to click install w/o knowing fully what he/she is doing (about 90% of how all malwares are installed these days), in the end, what you have is a compromised system.
HD Trailers
Love those mainframes.
MMO Quests are like orgasms:
You may solo them, I prefer them in a group.
Time to be bitchslapped back to reality. Linux is not ready for the masses just because you can use it.
It's a lot closer than you imagine. My friend uses Linux (Mepis, specifically) and I don't think she even knows what the command line is. And no, I didn't spend hours configuring it for her, she installed it herself and didn't need to do any configuring because it automatically recognized her hardware and came with mp3, DVD, etc support. My mom used my Linux box and is jealous because all the silly puzzle games she buys for $20 a piece are available for free with Ubuntu. I'd give her Linux, but her computer is used for telecommuting with her job, so I really can't.
Linux is great for home use and is getting better all the time. It's problem is that people don't know that. However, and more and more users get fed up with viruses and Windows and whatever, they will take the time to find out.
"What is Internet Explorer 7? Are you saying we can't access the normal internet?" - I love tech support. Really.