Microsoft Buys Tools Vendor Winternals

Very bad news...

 

bktII,
I just noticed this thread, so I apologize for jumping back a little. You cannot be serious in citing this test as being credible. Leaving all dates aside, any test that rates Lavasoft's Ad-aware higher that Webroot's SpySweeper should raise a red flag. Even in Oct. of 2004 a test that arrived at that conclusion must be flawed.

 

Hi dallen,

The link to the AS testing serves no other purpose that to show the relative standing of the various AS products at that time, October, 2004, prior to Giant being acquired by Microsoft. With regard to the veracity of the test, here is my response:

1) The link http://www.spywarewarrior.com/rogue_anti-spyware.htm is used by the Wilders Security Forum to identify links to rogue sites that are not allowed to be posted at this forum. Here is a thread at Wilders where a link I posted was removed and an explanation was provided by one of the moderators:

https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=128746&page=2

Thus, the Wilders forum, at least, has some respect for this ste.

2) This site is not a commercial enterprise and not subject to the criticisms of forum members of influence by advertisors, etc. like PC Magazine, PC World, etc. It is truly independent. Please note that this cannot mean that their assessment is technically valid, a different issue that I believe is somewhat addressed by 1) above.

3) A number of threads at this forum have lamented about Lavasoft's AS product's standing having fallen over the last few years. This also speaks highly of Webroot.

4) If you feel that the results of the AS product comparison I posted earlier is an anomaly, then I would like to see some evidence. I am happy to use a weight-of-evidence approach to this issue.

bktII

 

Yawn. With blind obstinance like that, it's no wonder you post as you do.

 

bktII,
Sometimes the results speak for themselves. However, since you requested evidence of an anomaly consider this. After briefly reading over the manner in which the tests were conducted, a few things jumped out at me. Here is a brief explanation of potentially problematic modus operandi:

First,
"Two substitutions were made in the anti-spyware scanners used for the second group or round of tests."
Anyone with any research experience at all (which I have none) can identify this as a major mistake. In conducting research, one should strive to keep everything except for the independant variable constant. This unnecessary manipulation renders the test invalid resulting in false conclusions. I give credit only to the fact that the manipulation was disclosed.

Second,
Based on the explanation of the methodology used, it seem that a biased sample of spyware was used. This biased sample renders the conclusions invalid.

I have only quickly reviewed the authors methods and as a result have only identified some of the potential problems with this "test." I'm sure there are many more.

 

I agree that there have been positive reviews of MS Windows Defender and that it is a decent product. My point is that Microsoft acquired Giant AS when it was the leading AS vendor (Microsoft is generally very smart about their acquisitions) and have turned it into a mediocre, but certainly usable, product. The current reviews show Windows Defender lagging behind Webroot Spy Sweeper, etc. If you don't agree, fine, but provide some links to current AS reviews that show Windows Defender LEADING the pack.

In October, 2004, Webroot Spy Sweeper lacked multi-user capabilities. Today, they have this capability. One can only speculate on Giant in this regard as they were acquired by Microsoft.

Slinging insults demeans your posts and just means that you cannot find any hard evidence to show that, today, Microsoft Windows Defender leads the field.

bktII

 

bktII... You just don't get it do you? Only *you* seem to think this thread is about Giant AS, WD, or whatever. It is not, despite your attempts to make it so I can only presume you are employing this tactic to cover up the fact that your only 'contribution', if you can call it that, is to sling mud. It is not an intelligent thing to do. It is transparent, and it is pointless. At this point, I'll adhere to eyes-open's signature tag and bow out at this point.

 

Good or bad....this news could split off into numerous "whatever" directions which could include the ramifications this will have on products many of us have freely used for quite sometime. With that direction it is only inevitable that a companies track record be discussed and\or mentioned

Having said that....what I would like to see is a continued discussion that does fall into a reasonable area as it relates to this companies purchase without the further "get a life" or any other such personal attack type comments Please.

Bubba

 

An immediate effect has been to make the sysinternals web site so busy, it is nearly impossible to get there.

Sure hope things calm down soon.

 

I was able to get there after jammed for half and hour.

 

Main site works, but clicking on other links to get to the software is slow. Really slow.

 

Thank You. Guess I have been to busy looking in other directions and missed that.

 

Maybe just too many people (including me ) are getting there to get the stuff and this makes the server overloaded... I just thought that M$ has killed the site when it was heavily conjested two hours ago.

 

I managed to get to the forum.
Typed in a Reply.
But no response to Submit.
Could not post my words of wisdom!

 

In the Tech field....that's a little more important than some folks realize.

 

Sysinternals

Anyone wanting to archive the sysinternals tools with the Microsoft EULA from yesterday can get the entire package from Steve Gibson's grc.test NG. Microsoft has changed the EULAs again today and now if you download the tools from Sysinternals, you have the right ONLY TO TEST the tools. Today's EULA is much more restrictive than yesterday's.

http://www.grc.com/x/news.exe?cmd=article&group=grc.test&item=30830&utag=

I don't think this will be there much longer so get it now.

Steve just removed the file. So, you will have to put up with the new, restrictive Microsoft EULA if you get it from Sysinternals. But Steve's file can stil be obtained using BitTorrent.

 

Mark writes in his blog that the sysinternal tools will stay free

http://www.sysinternals.com/Blog/

 

Microsoft certainly is getting bigger and bigger and EVEN bigger again! They're so greedy it seems that they're gonna take in every expert left standing out there under the hot sun.

Certainly, IMO I do think Mark and Bryce can perform and work better without Microsoft.

Bill might have some ideas ready in his old backyard for the both of 'em.

 

On Topic

Cant be bad for MS. Might be needing some help with Vista !!

Could be bad for us

There was always tremendous support at the forums there.

Any "hot topic" software glitch or OS problem always seemed to have a solution from Sysinternals and thier toolkit.

I hope that will continue: A "backdoor" into Windows OS.

Maybe some of the forum help there will end up spending some time here?

 

Just curious - the results shown at that link are two years old. How does Microsoft AntiSpyware compare with Webroot Spy Sweeper nowadays?

 

Absolutely not. In my opinion, and I've ran both, Webroot Spy Sweeper is among the best AS in the industry. Microsoft AntiSpyware seems to be improving, but it is marginal, at best.