Microsoft today launched its version of anti-virus cum security system for Windows Operating System called OneCare.
From their website : Windows Live OneCare helps protect your computer, and its automated optimization features keep your PC running at its speediest. OneCare even regularly backs up your important files. You get all this in one convenient package: Read the rest…
Microsoft will be directly competing against the giants in the field, Norton and McAfee. OneCare is offering similar features to that of the other two but the catch is OneCare being a Microsoft product could be better integrated with the Windows OS than others. But still the real test is when OneCare is evaluated functionally with the others.
Microsoft’s intoductory price is unbeatable. The license for a year is at $50 and there is a free phone support available as well. Norton and McAfee are priced at $70 a year with an extra fee for phone support. In addition, OneCare can be used on up to three computers; most competitive products are limited to just one system.
In response, Symantec this morning announced plans to release a public test version of its new all-in-one security and tune-up service this summer. Previously code-named Genesis, the service will go by the product name Norton 360, Symantec says.
Norton 360 was expected to be launched in fall this year but Symantec has deferred it until the end of their fiscal year i.e March 2007. But a symantec spokesperson is heard quoting that the product is due for launch in Fall.
McAfee is not way behind, their all in one service “falcon” is due to be released in a couple months…
With this new war emerging, there is certainly going to be a stiff competition to reach every computer which in turn benefits the user of a superior quality and economical prices. Competition is always good for the end user.
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June 1st, 2006 at 8:04 am
I Beta-tested OneCare on 3 PCs for just about a year, and although it’s an easy all-in-one anti-virus/back-up/firewall solution, I deleted it last month.
First and foremost, an all-in-one security package is not a good idea: if something goes wrong with it (as it did several times during my testing), it shuts down. That means you have no anti-virus and no firewall. Nothing. Of course, it was a Beta product I was using, but it automatically upgrades itself each time MS fixes bugs, and 3 weeks ago, it was the “final” product…
As I said, I had it on 3 PCs, and last month, 2 OneCare installations completely crapped out–so much so that their support people told me to uninstall & reinstall (online, of course, meaning I was connecting to the web completely unprotected), edit the registry, run a few MS uninstaller products, etc. That was a pain in the ass, but the support instructions were even worse, and the follow-up was literally non-existent.
Tech Support is not available 24×7, so if you have a problem at night or on a weekend, you’re screwed. Worse still, the instructions they gave me were useless; I had to figure it out myself. Even after I wrote to 4 different MS support units, I never got a response, until I posted a message on a MS board, detailing their horrible customer service for Beta testers. And to add insult to injury, the new instructions they gave me were impossible to complete, since the old instructions messed up my registry, which disallowed a fresh installation of OneCare!
Anyway, for the casual PC user who doesn’t want to bother with security, OneCare is fine. But for anyone who actually uses his/her PC regularly, avoid OneCare & use separate security products.
After finally getting OneCare off my PCs, I opted for NOD32 antivirus and Kerio firewall, and they’re a breath of fresh air.