Free Security Software from Microsoft

The offer has been labelled as a “surprise move” from Microsoft. It is the offer of free anti-virus and security that will protect XP, Vista and Windows 7 machines:

“…It will stop selling OneCare, its all-in-one security and PC management service, from the end of June 2009.

The new software, code-named Morro, will be a no-frills program suited to smaller and less powerful computers.”

link: Microsoft to offer free security

I asked a chief executive of a prominent software company if this offering would be considered a business threat to software security firms. His answer was that it might be the case in the long long long term. It is always a possibility. However he reminded me that Internet Explorer was free but people sought out alternatives. When the Opera browser was not free, many people were willing to pay to avoid the Microsoft product. He just considers Microsoft another competitor - arriving late in the security niche.

Catherine Forsythe