Microsoft announces OneCare official release
After months of beta-testing, Microsoft has announced the official release of Windows Live OneCare, its Windows security and maintenance suite. OneCare includes anti-virus software, firewall, a backup utility, and spyware protection via Windows Defender, plus disk defragmentation, cleanup, and Windows Update features. OneCare is now available through the Windows Live web site and will cost you $49 per













Comments
6
Subscribe to commentsDaveMay 31st 2006 2:27PM
I'm sure you meant $49 per YEAR for up to three PCs.
DiddleMay 31st 2006 2:47PM
I can do all that for FREE!
AndrewMay 31st 2006 2:57PM
"Now available free to new beta testers in the United States, at http://ideas.live.com, Microsoft® Windows OneCare Live will be available in June from retailers and via the Web for an annual subscription of $49.95 MSRP for up to three personal computers."
From the M$ live site, that is the annual price.
james 42May 31st 2006 8:39PM
If the browser is an integral part of the OS, then shouldn't this stuff be as well?
And as Diddle points, we are already doing this for free (even with some stuff from MS), so what is the advantage of paying?
Claudiu SpulberJun 2nd 2006 7:47AM
Yeah, unfortunatelly they finally got it live.
"If the browser is an integral part of the OS, then shouldn't this stuff be as well?"
No because it would mean unfair competition. All the antivirus/firewall/spyware/backup products manufacturers will not be able to compete with a pack that's included by default in the Operating System. Just like the browser thing.
FabuloJun 2nd 2006 5:37PM
Cars manufacturers have an incentive to sell you a car that won't fall apart after 6 days of use, even if they sell you all the repairs you need from their dealer network, because after all, you can shy away from that particular manufacturer that wronged you and buy from a competitor.
Microsoft doesn't really have an incentive to give you a safe and secure OS because they also want to sell you the $50/year subscription to make the OS safe and secure. And it's not like there are competitors ready to sell you another OS compatible with the software that you already own.
This is helped by the fact that end users do not own any software, they buy a revokable license to use (with limitations) a company's software. And this software does not even come with any warranty of fitness or liability. mmm... the software industry has it really good.