November 30, 2005
@ 06:19 PM
Comments [5]
Windows OneCare Live beta

These Windows Live services keeping popping up. The general public can now sign up for the Windows OneCare Live beta. More information about the new beta can be gleaned from the blog post entitled Consumer Beta Goes Live! from the Windows OneCare team blog. For those who are wondering what the service is below, the following brief description may help

What it is:
An automatically self-updating PC health service that runs quietly in the background. It helps give you persistent protection against viruses, hackers, and other threats, and helps keep your PC tuned up and your important documents backed up.
What it does for you:
• Runs quietly in the background, providing anti-virus and firewall protection
• Updates itself to help you keep ahead of the latest threats
• Runs regular PC tune ups
• Provides one-click solutions to most problems
• Makes back-ups a breeze
• Lets you see the status of your system at a glance
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a beta?
Beta is geekspeak for “not finished yet.” A beta product is something we are still working on and invite regular users to test out. We’re asking you to check out Windows OneCare Live beta and let us know what you really think—good and bad. That way, we can make the final product the best it can be.
Does it cost anything?
Nope. The beta version of Windows OneCare Live is free, though the final service will be a paid subscription.
What if new viruses or other Internet threats come out?
Windows OneCare Live regularly updates itself based on emerging Internet threats. So you can have better peace of mind.

I've had some interaction with the OneCare folks as part of my day job and the definitely are working on building a compelling service. Give it a try.


 

Categories: Windows Live

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Wednesday, 30 November 2005 19:01:43 (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)
Sounds like spyware. Why does it have to run "quietly in the background" and "update automatically"? I would feel *much* more comfortable if it prompted me when it was doing stuff.
pwb
Thursday, 01 December 2005 04:37:28 (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)
Have you seen the AOL TV ads recently?

"Automatic Updates" is presented as a positive thing.

And in truth, it is. I certainly don't want to have to worry about updating my computer protection, and I love having absolute control over my machine. I don't use OneCare because I can't stand how neutered the interface is.

However, the target market for the product is mainstream computer users. People who want the machine to JUST WORK - without further tinkering. Without having to worry about updates, security, internet connectivity, network maintance, disk defragmentation, etc. People who would love backup to be automated so they don't have to worry about it.

The concept is to eliminate all repetative tasks so people are constantly doing the same over and over again.

I don't think spyware should be defined as "products that automatically send and retrieve data via the internet." Or maybe it should - and the focus should be on malware, not spyware or adware or anything else. Programs that don't do what you WANT them to do, or they tell you they're doing.

Either way, I fail to see automatic updates as a bad thing. I'm not going to endorse the product, because I find it personally unuseable . However, I'd certainly install it on a technologically incompetant relative's machine. There's almost no way they could screw it up.
msjgriffiths@gmail.com (Michael Griffiths)
Thursday, 01 December 2005 13:16:17 (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)
I think it's very brave of them to stick with that name, even after all the obvious "Microsoft Wanker" jokes.
_
Thursday, 01 December 2005 16:25:54 (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)
how do you uninstall it?
bg
Friday, 02 December 2005 16:30:09 (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)
Could you guys remember to qualify 'general public' as US general public and 'everyone' as everyone in the US? OneCare is either hiding from me because it hates me, or isn't available to IP addresses marked as non US.
mary branscombe
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