Microsoft's Free Anti-Malware Product is Out Today
Microsoft is officially launching its antivirus tool today following a Beta launch in June.
The Redmond-based company pushed out a beta of Microsoft Security Essentials in June, making the software available to users in the United States, Israel (English only), People's Republic of China (Simplified Chinese only) and Brazil (Brazilian Portuguese only). However Bob Muglia, the president of Microsoft's server and tools division said that the tool will be available for everyone today.
Formerly known as Morro, Microsoft Security Essentials endeavors to provide basic protection from various types of malicious software, including trojans, spyware, viruses and even rootkits. Following today's launch Microsoft will completely discontinue OneCare, the company’s current security software that it released three years ago.
While Microsoft's offer of a free security suite that requires no registration, trial or renewal sounds like something that would have competitors worried, it seems major rivals are unfazed by the product. When the Beta launched, neither Symantec nor McAfee batted an eyelid.
Janice Chaffin, Symantec's Consumer division president, said that Morro is basically a stripped down version of OneCare. "A full Internet security suite is what consumers require today to stay fully protected," she told Reuters when news of the software broke this past summer. McAfee said it remained confident in its ability to compete with "anyone who might enter the marketplace."
Download MSE by visiting the download page here and be sure to let us know what you think.

"Janice Chaffin, Symantec's Consumer division president, said that Morro is basically a stripped down version of OneCare"
attacking a free product seems like worry to me. it should come with Windows 7 for the old people that don't know that they can get free AV protection from Panda, AVG, and a dozen other products that don't rape your wallet like Norton.
"Janice Chaffin, Symantec's Consumer division president, said that Morro is basically a stripped down version of OneCare"
attacking a free product seems like worry to me. it should come with Windows 7 for the old people that don't know that they can get free AV protection from Panda, AVG, and a dozen other products that don't rape your wallet like Norton.
As for the microsoft comment: Doubtful. MS knows how to walk the line rather well by now. In any case, they aren't the worst corporation out there by far.
kapersky is even worse imo. I've found it well worth the price though.
i'm open-minded at this point. hey yes it's free software from M$, but they have actually delivered a number of neat and useful free tools (e.g., SyncToy).
Or just run Linux or buy a Mac, enough said.
If I buy a Mac or run Linux and manage to get a virus, would you reimburse me plus some kind of 'fee'?
Or wrote it yourself.
It's funny in that McAffee has been for a long time one of the worst security programs out there, full of holes, and endlessly slow consuming about 3 to 5times the resources some competitors did.
My experiences with McAfee stem from around 1999.. 10 years ago, but they where so bad, I never used it again. I don't know if they've gotten any better since.
Sorry, I couldn't hold that one. Seriously, I'm gonna try it out tonight at home. I use AVG so expect the same "basic" protection. "A full Internet security suite is not what I require", but I understand that it might not be the same for the average user.
The pay-to-scan anti-virus companies aren't worried because they have Best Buy and other stores on there side. Why would Best Buy advertise that you DON'T need anti-virus for a PC when they can sell you one saying the free solution is crap. Not to mention they are embedded in countless companies that are so slow to change things they are still using IE6.