What will be the name of the protector program for windows defender? Windows Internal Affairs?

They probably named it defender because it defends your system (at least it tries that). Now this doesn't mean it will succeed in protecting your PC with Microsoft a fix closes a door but opens a few "windows". I have used the program but my pc kept freezing so hopefully the program will be strong and easy to use.

What I want to know is if this thing is gonn abe like thei patches and service packs? Is it gonna screw up as much or more than it fixes.

It sounds like a bad 80's game...

I like the name Windows Antispyware....the windows defender name, I....don't like too much. On one hand it sounds slightly corny, on the other hand it kinda gives you the idea that it's defending windows completely (firewall, antivirus, spyware/malware, etc). For that it should just remain under Onecare as Antispy; but they can't exactly do that because Onecare will be a subscription and Windows Defender will be free. Here's what I expect they're trying to do - give us a light version to go with Vista but sell the full featured no holds barred version under Onecare, which I think is not a bad idea at all. The program itself isn't bad at all, I've seen it work wonders on people's machines and I've been saved by it a few times myself (ever type a website with a wrong url and STILL get a web page, then it tries to dish out stuff on your PC?)

Now pertaining to the Anti-MS comments...I'd love to answer them all, alas I've read through many of them and realized that some of you just don't have anything better to do. I mean, how do you get "Microsoft and MS products are horrible!" from a "AntiSpyware Named 'Windows Defender'" news posting? As well as some of you that just purposely want to pi$s people off and egg them on. For those of you that like MS, it'd be prudent to ignore these pri@ks, lest you actually start caring about what they say.
Let me throw some responses out to some of the posts I remember - about MS buying softwar companies - what big company doesn't? Symantec does, Mcafee, Google, Yahoo...any company that matters.
About MS being evil/bad/sucking - OK, go away, shoo!...this is a MS Windows related posting and you should be in a Linux software forum someplace. Yes, yes, free speech and all but why bother? Are you THAT hung up on MS that you must come to anyplace there's a MS related discussion and stink it up with your crap?
To those who don't like MS Antispy - again, why? Why are you here? When you don't like something you get rid of it and forget about it. There are those of us who DO find use in it, if it was taking up space from my 1tb of hard drive, I'd probably get rid of it as well.
To those who think MS screws up everything they touch - I, really don't know what to tell you. They have a successful OS, a successful office product, a successful media player, a successful search portal, a successful isp....I mean, should I go on? Their spot service is catching like hotfire now, being ported into radios and appliances. The market is showing that you're theory is wrong, unless ofcourse the market is lying, or I'm in the twilight zone.
Finally, for those who don't like the name? I'm with you! LOL

"To those who think MS screws up everything they touch - I, really don't know what to tell you. They have a successful OS, a successful office product, a successful media player, a successful search portal, a successfl isp....I mean, should I go on?"

Just not a successful anti-spyware proggie !

The PC Rat ~ain't~ the anti-Microsoft Taliban. But, face it, they're a hapless giant which can't even produce a new OS in less than a half-dozen years.

Mac Morons and Linux Loonies aside, Microsoft has SERIOUS problems !

The Computer Rodent

"But, face it, they're a hapless giant which can't even produce a new OS in less than a half-dozen years."

Umm...Windows 2000 and Windows XP? 95 and 98? If you truly want to argue and be nit-picky, giving the stupid "oh they're really the same thing" argument, then yes Windows NT 3.1 and Windows 3.1 are COMPLETELY different OSes, and less than a year apart.

"Microsoft has SERIOUS problems !"

No, you have serious problems with them, but 95% (I don't know the exact figure give me a break) or so consumers use their products, so you're a minority. Perhaps you forgot to read Neoprimal's line that said "The market is showing that you're theory is wrong, unless ofcourse the market is lying, or I'm in the twilight zone."

"although I installed it as soon as it was made generally available, it has never caught a single piece of spyware on my computers"

Same here. If it works, can't prove it by me !

The Computer Rodent

Same here, I keep it updated, yet it never catches anything. Then again spybot and adaware rarely catch anything other than tracking cookies.

It has caught spyware on mine although not much.

spy bot better

I am a HUGE Spybot fan, and have been one for a long time. However, I don't know if I would say they are better than MS AntiSpyware anymore. People keep ragging on MS about the "ignoring Claria" deal, but no one says anything about the fact that Spybot sets New.net to ignore by default - it won't even show up in the scan results.

I would consider the latter more severe, but I don't complain about it because it is very simple to fix, just as it is in MS AntiSpyware.

Been thinking about getting rid of MS antispy myself. It never picks anything up. Waste of space in my opinion. Like I said above though, Spybot and adaware only ever pick up tracking cookies and even that is a rarity.

Same here, but I am not sure if getting rid of either will make my PC more secure or less secure. Without MS Antispy, I was finding more things with Adaware and Spybot, but with, only tracking cookies. Could it be a good combination?

Will have to wait and see, rather than make a hastily move in removing it now.

I've been using MS Antispyware since it was released as a beta and I've not had any problems with it. It does inform you if system changes are being made and gives you to option to allow or disallow. If a person who is a little bit on the know with computers they should have this little buddy, but for the folks who don't know what the heck they are doing it may give them options that they make the wrong choice to... so in the end what ever was supposed to work does not and they don't know what they did wrong... and heaven forbid they inform the poor suxer who is trying to fix the machine. Anyway over all I'd say it's nice piece of programming and I personally like the new name - Windows Defender, but that's just me.

And to KoozeBo below and I think we all know who I speak of... bla bla bla. :o) have a good one.

In my experience with it, it is not bad, and really it's no big deal microsoft bought it from Giant, as long as they keep it good and stay up to date with the latest threats and don't sell out to spyware who claims to have turned over a new leaf.

MS Antispyware seems to work well, with no noticeable slowing of my system. But to tell the truth, although I installed it as soon as it was made generally available, it has never caught a single piece of spyware on my computers, because they are all caught or blocked earlier by AdAware, SpyBot, or SpywareBlaster.

Meh, if it works, great... and it looks great so far, so let's hope it stays that way.

Agreed.

It is a very good piece of software. I think AntiSpyware is a better name.
Does anyone know what Microsoft is doing (if anything) with Giant's Spam Inspector software. This is easily the best anti spam software I have tried but nothing seems to have happened with it since Microsoft took over Giant.

Windows AntiSpyware came from Microsoft's acquisition of GIANT Software. The Redmond company has bulked up the tool with its "Strider" rootkit detection engine and is integrating the technology directly into Windows Vista - much to the ire of some partners.

Awwww poor Sony won't be able to put any more rootkits on your windows:)

I'd believe that if Gain hadn't already gotten a get by the spyware checker free card.

Does gain completly get passed or just put into the low risk catagory a little more info would be nice.

The reason i used Sonys rootkit as a referance was because i found it funny that people were using it to cheat in some of Sonys online games.

not gonna call it window wiper? window washer? hmm

it'll have to prove it to me, my money is with the panda software antivirus with spybot search and destroy and adaware atm.

But since it is free by buy panda software?

Window Washer is already used (www.webroot.com) ...Window Wiper? Worse name than Windows Defender...

mm think that was my point :-P

did not understand sorry. Please forgive me :)

I would like to see it incorporated into One Care.

Many of the detected malware AntiSpyware detects are detected by OneCare as well, so it kinda is...

I think that's part of the game plan. I thought I heard a while back that they were planning on integrating the two before they both go final. I could be completely wrong on that though...

And of course if they did that, you would only get both if you paid for OneCare - it's not free - and they would have to offer Windows Defender as a separate program as well.

I like the name. The actual product is gonna suck though.
Microsoft can't do anything good. They just make every product bad.
It won't work properly and they won't update it often enough.
Just like Windows XP with the "critical fixes" it is still waiting for which have been known about for months.
Microsoft is a hackers dream :)

Here's a tag-line for this product for Microsoft:
"Windows Defender: The next in a line of bad, poorly working products from Microsoft!"

You are talking like you can't try it now, "gonna" "won't". You know you can get it now right? You know that it does work great right?

How about less prediction, and more fact.

It might work "great" for now, but give it a few months when Microsoft have moved on to their next pet project and don't update the definitions for a month (or more) at a time.

Microsoft just aren't a company that keep their products going.
Look at their track record of fixing their products. Products that need urgent attention to fix flaws and exploits, that they leave for 6 months and then only update once a month.

With all the adware and spyware out there now, their attitude is not good enough. I'll entrust my computers security to a company that isn't so complacent.
I'm sure they could make a good product if they tried. They just make half-assed jobs of most things so they can start on something else to try and keep people tied into the Microsoft OS.

So basically, you're saying EVERY PRODUCT EVER MADE BY MICROSOFT SUCKS... and that there are absolutely NO EXCEPTIONS, right?

I'm not going to waste time flaming you for such ignorance, but I am going to say that you're wrong. There are plenty of products like Exchange Server and Outlook 2003 which not only have a great interface, but also do a darn good job of keeping my mailbox clean.

LOL. A man with some sense. I love it. I am tired of always being the one to point out, this is either Pro or Anti Microsoft.. its not about the products anymore, its about how to complain about Microsoft...

Yeah, its cool to hate Microsoft.. whatever.

Great for now? Umm. so Windows, what was that a fad? Do I need to point out, you are using Windows right now, which has been around for what.. umm.. what year is this again? 2005? So that would make it.. yeah over 15 years now..

I hate to point out how idiotic this statement makes you, but lets do some research shall we? Lets start with Office... Word Perfect was first, where are they now? Yeah replaced with Microsoft Office.. that's at least 10 years old.

SQL server, another MS product, has been around for over a decade and its consider *THE* database of choice for programmers.

MS Visual Studio, which includes C+, Visual Basic, et al. those again, over a decade. Not to mention the original MS game, Flight Simulator.. yeah, its still going strong.

Yeah, good one moron, lets point out the fact you don't really know what you are talking about. MS makes products that work. PEOPLE break them, because its people like you that can't follow the directions.

If no one tells you to change the oil in your car, I suppose its the vehicles fault it breaks down too right? Its called maintenance, bonehead, and you don't follow up, NO OS is going to work without some care.

Why don't you go to the Linux Lovers of america. You can be their poster boy. Or at least you can mouth off to people that want to listen to this blather of an idiot.

If you don't like them, don't use MS, no one is holding a gun to your head...unfortunately.

"Microsoft can't do anything good."

At least they know the proper use of 'well' vs. 'good.'

How do you know he's using Windows?

Well, calc is pretty good.

Wait no it isn't.

:-P

HAHA

read:

waah waah hate hate hate waah waah hate hate hate waah waah hate hate hate waah waah hate hate hate waah waah hate hate hate waah waah hate hate hate waah waah hate hate hate waah waah hate hate hate waah waah hate hate hate waah waah hate hate hate waah waah hate hate hate waah waah hate hate hate waah waah hate hate hate waah waah hate hate hate

Actually, I gotta back him up on the statement where he says that if you don't like it, use something else. Other than that...um...whatever.

Meh, what's a few rounding errors among friends? LOL

People are making fun of the name, but if this had been Google Defender everyone would be bowing down and praising it. The moral: the kiddies think it's kewl to make fun of anything involving Microsoft.

Agreed.

-cheers- and -applause-

If it was Google Defender, I would still think it was stupid.

The company has nothing to do with my opinion of a freaking piece of software's name. For crying out loud.

People just love to pull the "MS" race card.

I'm sorry...I just can't help picturing a dude in spandex trying to protect a pane of glass.

Now a dude in spandex trying to protect googles of numbers...that's more believable. :P

How about "We couldnt do it, so we bought a company who could"

Might be a little lengthy though...

You act like no other company has done this. Large companies do this all the time, the haloed-Google has even done it.

What Microsoft, and all of the other companies that do this, has done is take an already-in-existence product and improved it. Now, I'll agree that AntiSpyware seems to have slipped recently, but hopefully it'll return to its prior status as it goes public.

As far as the name is concerned, I think it's good! It tells what the program does and it's very straightforward. Original? Probably not. But was Windows AntiSpyware? Hardly. I look forward to the next release (Beta 2, RC, final?) hopefully by December 31 (when the current Beta runs out, although it could be extended again).

I'm curious what google bought.

Blogger immediately comes to mind... Oh, and Picasa... And was it Keyhole or that other map software?

And those are just obvious.

Ahh, k, stuff I've never used.

"You act like no other company has done this. Large companies do this all the time, the haloed-Google has even done it."

I act like? I made one comment that really didnt say I criticized the move.

The Google doesnt make sense because its adding service on top of its own.

Defender is an application that performs what Windows itself should be designed to avoid.

Its like the USA Gov contracting another country to defend our borders.

These are apple/orange comparisons.

None of these are services expected by Google to do themselves.

A safe OS that prevents spyware whould be expected from the maker of the OS, agree?

"A safe OS that prevents spyware whould be expected from the maker of the OS, agree?"

No. I don't.

Linux doesn't. Mac doesn't. They're just such small markets that nothing is targetted at them (I'm referring specifically to the end-user desktop market - not servers).

It is not the job of the OS writers to consider every conceivable software configuration to see if there *might* be a hole somewhere, especially when the software is written 5 years after the OS was released.

"I hope you like the name, and we can't wait to get Windows Defender into your hands to try."

That's probably the cheesiest name I could have come up with.

...but at least it's easier to type/say than Windows AntiSpyware.

Like everything else though, the name doesn't really matter. If the product is good, the name won't make one bit of difference.

I use to love it, however it doesn't work with a crap now. It seems that all the new stuff circumvents it. I have to use Spybot - Search & Destroy, ZoneAlarm's junky one that works better, and Ad-Aware Pro. MS just never detects anything anymore.I have tested this several times over the past month, it just doesn't work.

It's certainly a better name than Windows Geek Superhero: http://www.geeksuperhero.com!

Gee, let me see what I can find..ooh look at that, a search reveals a few names that aren't nearly as good:

Spyware Warrior. What is this the WB network? Yeah that sounds a lot like a TV show rather than a antis-spyware program.

Spysubstract. What are we doing math class now? 1+1 = spyware.

Safer Networking Spybot. What exactly is a spybot. Is that a little guy running around the desktop, looking for stuff? I never liked the term "spybot" its sounds like the jetsons are infiltrating my computer.

Pest Patrol. Yeah, Orkin does software! Good one.

Counter Spy. Yeah, include this with spy espionage, or spy terrorist network, or ISpy! Yeah, that's original.

Spyware Elminator. OOh.. that's a good one. NOT. That's right up there with Windows Cleaner, since when did Windex start doing software?

Yeah, Windows Defender.. At least its descriptive.. and again proves you people pick on Microsoft because you don't have anything else better to do..

Read this list and tell me Defender at least has somewhat of good name to it, the rest of them don't even "defend" as well as some other products..

What's in a name anyway?

"What's in a name anyway?"

If you would read the rest of my comment, you would see that I agree with you. I don't like the name. I'm entitled to my opinion, and whether or not I like the name has nothing to do with whether or not I like the product. In case you hadn't noticed, I'm one of the few people who defends (no pun intended) Windows AntiSpyware as being a very good product.

He never reads more than about 2 lines of a post.

ROTFLMFAO

That's all I've got.

Really.

... "Windows Defender is about what Windows will do for customers, defending them from spyware and other unwanted software."...

Haha, don't get me wrong I am not anti-MS, I do prefer Linux but develop for MS for a living..

That has gotta be the funniest thing I ever heard !!! Windows Defender is there because Windows is the main reason you get spyware and other unwanted software!!!

LMAO

The same thing can happen to Linux. If I purposely install software on Linux, that becomes a vehicle for allowing vulernabilities onto a machine. Windows in and of itself is NOT the cause of spyware/rogue applications, its the USERS. you people kill me. Guns don't kill people, PEOPLE kill people....

Windows isn't any more dangerous than Linux, the fact that more people attack windows than Linux is irrelevant.. windows gets more attention because it HAS more users... duh!

Bigger cities get more crime, why? More people, gee what a novel concept.. its all linear .. the higher rate is a direct correlation with more people. higher population, means higher rate.. 10% of 1000 people is 100 people. 10% of a million is a 100,000 people. but 10% is 10%. Its still consistent with math.

Laugh all you want, the only thing you are laughing at is your inability to grasp simple math and software that gets used more frequently. Linux isn't any less likely to get attacked than Windows, you just don't hear about it, because its a smaller niche, and smaller doesn't get the attention.

OMMFG I can agree with you partly on something for a change.

Well put.

I'm not sure about the whole crime-rate-in-bigger-cities analogy, but the rest is right on.

Guns with faulty triggers kill people there bubba.

Linux owns lots more of the internet than you have ever seen.

Windows is much more dangerous, just look at your nearest virus tracking database.

Thing is, you can't see the big picture because you are a desktop kind of guy.

If you did, you wouldn't be here telling your tall tales of how the grass isn't greener on the other side when in this instance with that respect it absolutely is.

Now, if you are talking COTS Linux doesn't stand a chance in he** these days but, that's not the topic.

I assumed his comments were directed toward the end-user desktop market.

If you consider them in that context, I think he is right on.

When it comes to servers, Linux is millennia ahead of Windows in my humble opinion.

Well I should have known beforehand that a simple post trying to point out a humerous slant on a Microsoft topic would insight someone to blow. ;)

Something as trivial as a name doesn't warrant as big a deal as Microsoft seem to have made of it, so when they throw in an amusing sideline it seemed to deserve the post.

I think that you might have misunderstood what I was saying a little bit, not your fault, it didn't come across quite correctly to me this morning on re-reading it, and I did sound a little bit Slashdot-y. Although the response, I have to say, far surpassed my indesgression.

I was actually commenting on the "Marketing" quote from Garms which can easily be interpreted as pushing Windows itself as safe and secure (which we all know it isn't, as with all OS's there are loop-holes and insecurities) rather than saying Windows Defender is making Windows safe and secure, if this was the case Windows Defender would not be needed and, if it is, it would be an integral unit within the core OS not a bolt-on.

"Windows Defender is about what Windows will do for customers, defending them from spyware and other unwanted software."

It is not Windows defending them, it is a bolt-on solution that shields the multitude of sins underlying Windows and the end-users inability to read warning messages and prompts.

IMHO it was simply a bad choice of words (which I think I proved can be easily done).

Right I'm now off to launch my Windows Development VM on my 64-bit Linux and get some work done, if I dont catch anything nasty on the way that is.

"Something as trivial as a name doesn't warrant as big a deal as Microsoft seem to have made of it, so when they throw in an amusing sideline it seemed to deserve the post."

Lol. Agreed.