Antispyware

[john vane]

The microsoft antispyware system seems to be reasonably
compatible with other software out there but given the
resources available to its developers that is not
unexpected. One thing that has me bemused about it is the
so called 'Spynet Antispyware Community' that the millions
of Beta testers out there are cheerfully supplying free
adware, malware and spyware signatures to, not to mention
details about all manner of Active-X's, BHO's, start up
programs, running processes and registry entries.

Normally any organization developing such a program
develops and expands its own database, it doesn't send out
a minimal database and then get everyone to send in new
entries for it. Of course that wouldn't be so much of a
problem if the Alpha version was going to be free (ha) and
if the old Spynet Antispyware Community consisted of
anyone else other than Microsoft. Don't get me wrong
here, I use all of Microsoft's products and like
everything except the price but to me this is just a bit
too cynical.

Please email me to debunk my words but make sure you title
it 'antispyware myth' or I won't open it.

John Vane

 

[RobbieA]

Hi John:

We've read lots of bemusing things here lately, thanks.

Let's see, which would be faster and likely to grow
larger:

1. A database built by three to four people sitting up in
an office someplace in the state of Washington working on
an unsupported Beta 1 program or

2. Give out the unsupported Beta 1 free worldwide and
have the millions of users provide database and user info.

Seems to me, based on months and months of feedback from
untold thousands of users, this might be a good way to
confirm practical compatibilities with most other
software/hardware environments.

RobbieA