What happens when Spyware expires?

[cem]

My Beta copy expires on 31 July 2005, what happens after
this date?

 

[Mikolaj]

My Beta copy expires on 31 July 2005, what happens after

this date?

Noone knows , but before the expiration date you can expect another update
according to Steve Dodson from Microsoft, who has written:

"I would say that the expiration issue will be resolved fairly soon as we
will push forward the timebomb. We are in the final test pass on the next
release and as soon as we have finished the testing, it will be broadly
announced. The next version should put a dent in reducing the following
major issues:

1) July 31 Timebomb
2) LSP breaking.
3) Flying toasts when start bar is docked on the side.

I am real excited that these items will be fixed soon so we can focus on
finalizing beta 2."

 

[Guest]

No ones really know expect the microsoft antispyware tm,
but expect a surprise from microsoft. they say there's
going to have beta 2. october is a good target as people
is not away from there computer,

 

[Guest]

-----Original Message-----
My Beta copy expires on 31 July 2005, what happens after
this date?
.
tje softwear says to contact microsoft for an updated

version. If you read the user agreement it says when this
expires you will need to buy a retail copy when it is
sold in stores. Sorry I know thats not what you wanted to
hear but all good things must come to an end.

 

[Bill Sanderson]

This is not correct. There will be an update offered soon which will fix
some high-visibility and important bugs, and will extend the expiration
date.

Additionally the product will not require additional payment for use once it
goes final, beyond your original cost for the Windows license.

The capabilities of this product may well also be included in subscription
products which do cost extra, but there will be a free vehicle as well, I
believe.

--

 

[Hagrinas Mivali]

This is not correct. There will be an update offered soon which will
fix some high-visibility and important bugs, and will extend the
expiration date.

Additionally the product will not require additional payment for use
once it goes final, beyond your original cost for the Windows license.

The capabilities of this product may well also be included in
subscription products which do cost extra, but there will be a free
vehicle as well, I believe.

I believe that too, but I don't think Microsoft has made any official
announcement. If history is any indicator, I would expect a free version.
I would also expect Microsoft to continue improving the product until it
does substantially all of what other competing products do, and then better
them in some, but not all areas. I would also expect Microsoft to make the
subscription version available for free for a year when it is bundled with a
new OS, and I wouldn't be surprised if they do the same thing to some extent
with the generally available version. Then, when the competition is on its
last legs, and the trial period expires, you will be able to look at your
history log and find all the things that the premium version prevented over
the past year, and you will have the opportunity to pay for a subscription,
just as you do with anti-virus software. People will not be considering
alternatives such as Adaware or Spybot at the time since this will come
bundled and they will already have it. Those other products will no longer
be commonly discussed as tools needed to remedy the problem, so people will
have no reason to even look for them.

This is all just supposition, of course, but given Microsoft's history, I'd
be surprised if it doesn't happen this way.

 

[Bill Sanderson]

Here are a couple of announcements that fit into this line of speculation:

http://www.microsoft.com/billgates/speeches/2005/02-15RSA05.asp

---
We've looked hard at the nature of this problem, and made a decision that
this anti-spyware capability will become something that's available at no
additional charge for Windows users -- both the blocking capability, and the
scanning and removal capabilities. Those are features we think should be
available to protect every system.

---(quote from Bill Gates at above URL)

If you read more he also announces that there will be an antivirus solution
available by year-end, and here's another URL:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/onecare/default.mspx

(I think antispyware is mentioned in the press release.)

Someone else in these groups mentioned the Sybari purchase, and speculated
about a corporate oriented product parallel in concept to OneCare, but with
server protection and administrative console pieces. That seems reasonable
speculation to me.

I don't think either subscription piece will be free, but what promotions
might be offered I don't know.
--