Microsoft will soon unveil FREE anti-virus software **NORTON/MCAFEE KILLER**

[cambiogris]

http://www.reuters.com/article/CMPTRS/idUSN1044924620090610
 

* Microsoft prepares to unveil free anti-virus service
* Will soon put beta version on website
* Company employees testing it internally
* Shares rise 2.1 percent (Adds Symantec comment, updates shares)
By Jim Finkle
BOSTON, June 10 (Reuters) Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) is getting ready to unveil a long-anticipated free anti-virus service for personal computers that will compete with products sold by Symantec Corp (SYMC.O) and McAfee Inc (MFE.N).
A Microsoft spokesman said on Wednesday that the world's biggest software maker is testing an early version of the product with its own employees. Microsoft would "soon" make a trial version, or product beta, available via its website, he added, but declined to provide a specific date.
Symantec shares fell 0.5 percent on Nasdaq and McAfee fell 1.3 percent on the New York Stock Exchange, while Microsoft was up 2.1 percent. The Nasdaq composite index .IXIC was down 0.47 percent.
Investors are closely monitoring the free service, code-named Morro after Brazil's Morro de Sao Paolo beach, amid concern it could hurt sales of products from Symantec and McAfee, which generate billions of dollars of revenue a year protecting Windows PCs from attacks by hackers.
"It's a long-term competitive threat," said Daniel Ives, an brown townyst with FBR Capital Markets, though he added that the near-term impact was minimal.
Microsoft has said that Morro will offer basic features for fighting a wide range of viruses, which would likely make it comparable to low-end consumer products from Symantec and McAfee that cost about $40 per year.
Their top-selling products are security suites that come with features including encryption, firewalls, password protection, parental controls and data backup.
Three years ago, Microsoft entered that market with Live OneCare, which turned out to be a commercial flop. It announced plans in November to kill that product suite, saying it would launch the free Morro service by the end of 2009.
brown townysts said they are looking forward to Morro's beta to see exactly how its features compare to those in products from competitors.
Microsoft has said it will provide protection from several types of malicious software including viruses, spyware, rootkits and trojans.
Officials with Symantec and McAfee have said they do not see Morro as a threat. Continued...

I don't know about you guys but that sounds like a pretty good deal. Thoughts?

[Ad Bot]

[Frogg]

Microsoft sucks.

[cambiogris]

Microsoft sucks.

Unless you're using OS X or Linux right now, you have no privilege to say that.

[Dropshock]

Unless you're using OS X or Linux right now, you have no privilege to say that.

"privilege?" He can say what ever the forget he wants.
Leave now, while you still can, friend.

[Random Name Here]

AVG, for the win.

[n0cturni]

Too bad both of those AV's suck.

[Flying Ace]

AVG, for the win.

[Plateau]

Cambio your really starting to piss me off

[Ryuu]

AVG, for the win.

[Jsk2003]

Stop saying "<thing> KILLER"

[Hugums]

Leave now, while you still can, friend.

Be nice or fluff will cry :(

[cambiogris]

"privilege?" He can say what ever the forget he wants.
Leave now, while you still can, friend.

That doesn't make any sense. It's dumb to bitch about Microsoft when you use their OS every day. Don't like it? Get a Mac or download Linux. The world runs on Microsoft. Deal with it.

And yes, AVG/Avast are nice softwares but think about it. If you get Microsoft antivirus for a Microsoft OS, you're bettering your protection. Microsoft knows the ins and outs of their OS and how to protect it.

So I am really looking forward to this one.