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Tech Guide

Microsoft AntiSpyware (Beta): a first look

Kai Schmerer ZDNet Germany

Published: 11 Jan 2005

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A major plank of Microsoft's corporate strategy has always been to buy products from its competitors, rather than pour resources into home-grown developments. Famously, back in 1980, when IBM was seeking an operating system for its PCs, Microsoft bought q-DOS (a.k.a 'Quick and Dirty Operating System') from developer Tim Paterson for $50,000 and called it MS-DOS. As we all know, MS-DOS licenses subsequently earned Microsoft billions.

With the purchase of anti-spyware specialist Giant in December 2004, Microsoft obtained the basis for its AntiSpyware product, which has now appeared in beta form. There are plenty of other anti-spyware programs available: the most popular, Ad-Aware, is available in a free version, although others are paid-for products. Life could become more difficult for the latter if the final version of Microsoft's tool becomes available for free.


On starting, Microsoft AntiSpyware automatically delivers the latest status report.

Microsoft AntiSpyware recognises more suspicious programs than, for example, Ad-Aware or Spy Sweeper. However file sharing programs such as eDonkey2000 are falsely classified as Adware Bundler.

The About screen shows that the current beta version expires on 31 July 2005. In the licence conditions, Microsoft also limits the life of the utility up to the completion of a commercial version.

The System Diagnostic Report shows the current status of Microsoft AntiSpyware. The current version of the utility and the operating system is also shown.

The Advanced Tools screen offers extra functionality.

The Security Agents Status screen gives detailed information about the selected agents.



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12 comments

  1. After installing this program on our WinXP Pro (SP... Anonymous
  2. We have this installed on approx 100 test mac... Anonymous
  3. i am not very computer literate, but rel... Anonymous
  4. It would appear that Mr Leslie Pasq... Nick Barrett
  5. Regarding a Java app not working after instal... Anonymous
  6. I have used this so called anti spyware product si... Mr Leslie Pasque
  7. I am afraid that the person with the Java problems... Anonymous
  8. Installed ms-antispyware today (25/02/05). It... Anonymous
  9. I installed ms-AntiSpyWare weeks ago and I fi... Andy Fisher
  10. I happen to come upon this website after looking f... Kellie Frances
  11. Just to let everyone know. I am not against Micros... Kellie Frances
  12. I've tried to use the program and have been gettin... Ricardo Alonso

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