Microsoft Antispyware development ceases and therefore no longer free...

[squash]

No comment, since I don't use it - but may be shock to users of MSAS:
http://neowin.net/comments.php?id=29891&category=main#comments

[dog]

I couldn't careless, I don't use, won't use it, and certainly don't recommend its use ... it has too many issues IMO. ... I don't think this is the entire story, as I'm sure it hasn't been completely written yet and surely the story is continuing to unfold as we speak and will continue to do so over the next several months. They're be a few more curveballs along the way.

[Notok]

I'm really glad I never bought Giant :P

[Ailric]

People who want free real-time top notch antispyware protection WILL CARE. There is no free product (and only 2 paid) that even compares.

I hope this is just internet chitter-chatter. ;)

[22473]

It doesn't actually say that MSAS will become payware, it's really just a discussion saying that it looks like it will become payware. I wouldn't be surprised if it did become payware though, that sounds more like the Micro$oft we all know and love.....well for many it's love to hate, but anyhoo. ;)

[akshay_k72]

As long as it is free, I will continue to use it. The day MS wants money for that, I will dump it.

Cheers

Akshay.

[bellgamin]

I will not readily use ANYTHING by M$ -- whether free or even if they paid me. I only continue to use their OS because of Wilders (no Linux thread here yet, sad to say).

[polyglory]

It will be interesting to see what happens, when my Giant subscription runs out. I just bought it a week before MS took them over. ::)

[WSFuser]

well i guess ill have to pony up some cash for CounterSpy or something.

[Bubba]

There's always another side of the story\rumor.

AntiSpyware and OneCare Live (http://blogs.technet.com/stevedod/archive/2005/08/11/409019.aspx)

-{ Quote: "Today when I came in to the office, I was made aware of an issue which stated that a Microsoft Representative was quoted as saying Windows AntiSpyware would no longer be available for free.

The statement quoted in many forums is not true." }-stevedod....a Microsoft TechNet blogger (http://blogs.technet.com/Profile.aspx?UserID=4491)

[spm]

Threads like this always amuse me. Why is that some people just can't resist jumping on a bandwagon powered by unsubstantiated, untrue and malicious rumours, and so reveal their innermost blind prejudices, rather than comment on the true situation?

Whether you like MS or not, and whether you like MSAS or not, they (MS) have been utterly consistent ever since Bill Gates' initial announcement that the standalone (i.e., desktop) version of MSAS will be free for licensed Windows users.

They have also been upfront and clear that a yet-to-be-announced corporate version of MSAS will be available with additional features for a fee, and that MSAS will also form part of their future OneCare service (now in US beta), a service which will be provided at a cost.

So why this nonsense thread??

[Trooper]

Does not concern me either. I have no plans to use OneCare, and I am satisfied with CounterSpy. :D

[bellgamin]

-{ Quote: "So why this nonsense thread??" }-Because it's there. ;)

[squash]

Urm are you trying to blame me for bringing some news? As I said, I have to comment to make - I am simply bringing the news in that may be of interest, I never said that the news is accurate.

Try not looking a gift horse in disgust.

[spm]

-{ Quote: "Urm are you trying to blame me for bringing some news? As I said, I have to comment to make - I am simply bringing the news in that may be of interest, I never said that the news is accurate." }-
What news? You have not reported any news, you have simply engaged in malicious rumour mongering as is quite apperent to anyone who actually reads the thread you refer to.

[JRCATES]

This is one program that I would NEVER put back on my computer. I am definitely not a part of the "bash Microsoft" crowd, but this application was worse than probably most rootkits to remove from my PC! Seriously, I thought Norton and AOL were bad....but this one takes the cake!

While it's a useful and effective anti-spyware application for free, if it is discontinued I won't lose any sleep. And as for commercial products if it goes pay, well....there are better AS apps out there for the money.

[Smokey]

-{ Quote: "So why this nonsense thread??" }-
Maybe for you, maybe not for other forum members???

[Stephanos G.]

The only reliable antispyware software is Webroot spysweeper. I have tried CounteSpy, M$,Lavasoft but im not satisfied.

[ErikAlbert]

Microsoft talks more than a parrot and acts more like a bank, than a software company.
What can you expect from such a company, that losts its CREATIVITY and MOTIVATION ?
How long is it ago, that MS really surprised us with something NEW ?
MSAS ? MSAS is the result of a business deal in stead of software development.
MSIE ? MSIE is so good that people replace it by Firefox or any other gecko based browser.
And how many other MS Softwares/Tools have a much better alternative on the market ?
What are they doing with all that money at MS ?
I'm not bashing MS, I have pity with MS.

[Why]

-{ Quote: "I will not readily use ANYTHING by M$ -- whether free or even if they paid me. I only continue to use their OS because of Wilders (no Linux thread here yet, sad to say)." }-

LOL, are you kidding?

[Smokey]

-{ Quote: "I only continue to use their OS because of Wilders (no Linux thread here yet, sad to say)." }-
:P ;D ;D ;D *puppy*

[controler]

-{ Quote: "Microsoft talks more than a parrot and acts more like a bank, than a software company.
What can you expect from such a company, that losts its CREATIVITY and MOTIVATION ?
How long is it ago, that MS really surprised us with something NEW ?
MSAS ? MSAS is the result of a business deal in stead of software development.
MSIE ? MSIE is so good that people replace it by Firefox or any other gecko based browser.
And how many other MS Softwares/Tools have a much better alternative on the market ?
What are they doing with all that money at MS ?
I'm not bashing MS, I have pity with MS." }-

Have you looked at their Microsoft shared computerToolkit?

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/sharedaccess/default.mspx

Oh BTW it is free for now too.

controler

[ErikAlbert]

-{ Quote: "Have you looked at their Microsoft shared computerToolkit?
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/sharedaccess/default.mspx
Oh BTW it is free for now too. " }-
Controler,
Thanks for the link, unfortunately I have win2000proSP4, not winXP, but that isn't important.
I consider such a toolkit as a patch to fix the imperfections of Windows.

If I was Microsoft, I wouldn't be proud of making such a tool, because it would prove that MS Windows has still many shortcomings.
What this toolkit does, has to be a part of Windows itself.

And of course it has to be free of charge, MS should be ashamed if it wasn't.
After all it's not the user's fault that MS Windows isn't good enough.

I sincerely hope that Windows Vista and all the next Windows versions, don't need such a toolkit.
My computer is already overloaded with softwares, that I wouldn't need when MS Windows, MSIE, MS Outlook were safer and better than the competition and these softwares are just a few examples.
If I would put enough time in it, the list would be longer.

[bigmouth]

-{ Quote: "
I consider such a toolkit as a patch to fix the imperfections of Windows.
" }-
of course you have no imperfections, now do you?
-{ Quote: "If I was Microsoft, I wouldn't be proud of making such a tool, because...." }-

because you don't know how or where to even begin?

[The Hammer]

-{ Quote: "of course you have no imperfections, now do you?


because you don't know how or where to even begin?" }-
It would seem we have Bill Gates as a guest? How else can the venom be explained?

[ErikAlbert]

-{ Quote: "of course you have no imperfections, now do you? " }-

With all that money of MS, I would hire nothing but brilliant people to create the safest Windows and I would hire another group of brilliant people that try to crack and attack the same Windows constantly in order to remove the security holes.
If the bad guys are able to compromise Windows, the good guys can do the same thing.
You just need two different groups of people to accomplish that.
You don't run after the bad guys like MS does, you have to run faster than them. That's how you beat them in stead of waiting until something happens.

-{ Quote: "because you don't know how or where to even begin?" }-
I don't even need to begin, I'm not the security expert.
I'm just a typical user who posts his opinion, like many other members.

[WSFuser]

no OS is completely bug free or bug proof. and if spend all teh time bug hunting, when do u decide its bug free and ready for teh public? also isnt the shared computer toolkit similar to deepfreeze?

[bigc73542]

I just searched microsoft and Their AS is still free and yes it does have an experation date but you just have to install the next version free.