Here are their most common reasons …

• Rave and excitement for the new OS is not enough to change their minds and join the bandwagon of the shrieking fans of the new OS. Most users noticed the same hype and attention were given to Vista on its early days and yet Vista in the end had failed to meet the user’s expectations.
• The fear and uncertainty of scenarios where users will find themselves shortchanged in case they migrate to Windows 7  and the option to revert back is not feasible anymore. This holds true more when the time comes that XP will not be around anymore.
• During Vista’s heydays, a lot of entrepreneurs and SMBs had decided to buy lots of licenses for Vista for migration for their business units and some even upgraded and changed their hardware to accommodate Vista’s hardware requirements. Apparently, when problems and issues started cropping out like hardware and driver incompatibilities, security, frequent crashes and a lot more from Vista, they found themselves downgrading back to XP. Just imagine the merry go round of bucks that were spent at that time.
• Lack of budget is another factor why a lot are still on the waiting list, the instability of the global economy is still lurking around.
• Lastly, a small percentage would like to take their sweet time and hold back to wait and see for awhile on what will be the turnout of this new OS in the coming days. Being cautious and wise is the name of the game.

So are these reasons justifiable? Yes they are in a way and to some extent. Looking at the other side of the coin, companies will also have to weigh the cost of a migration to new hardware and software as well as the upgrading of some applications. A typical time frame schedule for deployment of a new OS in an organization will take less than 18 months, so to delay further will be additional cost on the part of the company.  The truth of the matter is, migrating to Windows 7 is inevitable and for some it’s just a matter of time and for how long, it all depends on their priorities. If Windows 7 can deliver, what’s stopping you anyway? Go and take that leap!

Technorati Tags: installing windows 7, Windows 7 Software, Windows Vista, Windows7

Let us go into the details on what you need to prepare prior to the upgrade …

1. Go perform your housecleaning and a quick rundown utility maintenance first.

• Get an inventory list of all your existing data in your hard drive.
• Jot down all system related information and details.
• Test your backup and restore functions.
• Uninstall all Security related software.
• Clean all unnecessary files.
• Do a maintenance checkup of your hard drive.

2.  Know the System Requirements

Since Windows 7 relatively has low minimum requirements, in fact an XP and Vista based system could run Windows 7 although minimum requirements do not mean a high end performance.  By running the “Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor “, this can help you determine if your PC is apt to run Windows 7.

The following are the minimum system requirements:

Architecture                        32-bit                                  64-bit

Processor                   1 GHz 32-bit processor       1 GHz 64-bit processor

Memory (RAM)           1 GB of RAM                           2 GB of RAM

Graphics Card           DirectX 9 graphics processor with WDDM  drivermodel 1.0 (For Aero)

HDD free space        16 GB of available disk space   20 GB of available disk space

Optical drive               DVD drive (for installation from DVD/CD Media)

3.  Select your  upgrade option from the following:

Option #1   In-Place Upgrade from Vista – This is the easiest among all types of installations, however, the drawback is the long process which can be based on how compact and organized your files are.

Option #2  Upgrading from XP or Clean Slate Installation – This can be considered more of a fresh installation to a blank hard drive or at least a blank partition rather than an upgrade. Using the “User State Migration Tool” will help capture desktop and system settings, user accounts and files that need to be transferred to the Windows 7 system.

Option #3  Dual-Boot Installation – This involves letting Windows 7 co-exist with XP and Vista in your PC.  Installing Windows 7 on the same hard disk needs the creation of a new partition to set up the OS, for XP this means using third party tools to create and manage partitions. For Vista, the use of a built-in disk management facility will achieve the same results. After achieving this, you may to proceed to the installation of Windows 7 already.

Option #4  Boot Camp on a Mac Installation – Apple’s new Boot Camp will allow the installation of Windows to the Mac unit in addition to Mac OS X already installed.

Option#5  Load to a Netbook Installation – Windows 7 unlike Vista can run exceedingly well in Netbooks. The only hitch here is the installation since Netbooks do no not have DVD drives which means installation can be done either through an external drive or boot from a USB stick for a clean install.

Microsoft through Windows 7 deserves a pat on the back for making available all these installation options to a user.  The flexibility and user-friendliness of Windows 7 will surely pave the way towards greater acceptance and satisfaction from its users.

Technorati Tags: installing windows 7, w, windows 7 review, Windows 7 Software

What is this paradigm shift and how did it happen? This article intends to explain in detail this observation. Hoping that by doing so, PC users would appreciate more the new image Windows 7 is trying to project in the computing arena.

Looking back in the past …

Whether we accept this or not, Windows 7 came out at a time when Microsoft needs a big major push. In fact, the launching of Windows 7 confirmed this assertion. Windows 7 with its powerfully enhanced features is a silent acknowledgment somehow on Microsoft’s behalf of the failure they had committed out of Vista. For the past two years and a half, Microsoft had gropingly tried to cover all the gaping holes Vista had created in terms of performance issues and hardware compatibility. If one will be keen enough to notice the introduction of Vista is a complete overhaul in their lineup of past OSes – the very same reason that brought Vista down to its knees. The high level of hardware requirements of Vista had taken toll on its performance; leaving a lot of disgruntled users who cannot cope with the resource intensive Vista. In short, this can be the scenario that triggered the sudden shift.

Presently now…

Looking back at Microsoft’s history and comparing now the present situation wherein Windows 7’s requirements are slightly lower than those required to run Vista. This strikes us with the plain truth that Windows 7 tends to run better on the same hardware configuration as a Vista PC. Windows 7 now becomes the very first OS that does not require more hardware resources than the version before; a completely new trend being introduced by the Microsoft camp. Very subtle and convincing, Microsoft had made the change happen.

Future Implications…

Microsoft’s stance to become customer driven instead of being pulled by the strings of PC vendors is a revelation indeed. With this breaking of link on the upgrade cycle between the OS and hardware, small hardware vendors will eventually close shop giving way to a monopoly of a few giant vendors within the next ten years. On the part of Intel, more innovations beyond the PC CPU had to be developed to cope with the ability to maintain a market’s demand for faster and smaller microprocessors. As for Microsoft, it has to maintain the balance between its OEM division and the newly recovered image brought about by Windows 7’s changes. Lastly, the greatest bulk of benefits will go to the PC end users, surprisingly thought it may seem, but Microsoft intends to make everything usable for PC users this time around. Perhaps after two to three years, we will know if this trend is here to stay or just a ‘one time fad’ of Microsoft.

As for now, eyebrows will continue to raise as more speculations will come as the new PC market dynamics brought about by Windows 7 is slowly fitting in. Whatever implications or consequences that may arise out of this new trend, definitely it is for the better – at least seeing it from a user’s perspective.

Technorati Tags: windows 7 blogs, windows 7 review, Windows 7 Software, Windows Vista

Microsoft is no exception to this. Ever since the release of their first operating system they had vowed to consistently elevate the security ground to a higher level. Sad to say, Microsoft’s release of Vista had jeopardized whatever good intentions the company had. Vista’s security loopholes had led to the loss of credibility on the part of big corporations and ordinary PC users. Thus, the company cannot afford to miss another step but instead once again harness its powers to reclaim its dominance on the computing industry and its rivals.

Indeed, Windows 7 is out to make a redemptive break for whatever security lapses and shortcomings in the past and hopes to emerge as the most reliable and stable OS that Microsoft had ever developed. Recently conducted reviews of the software are showing how convincingly Microsoft had finally nailed it down.

Below is an impressive list of Windows 7 security enhancements:

• Less Annoying User Account Control is an enhancement of Vista’s UAC which constantly pops up to reduce the frequency that users run with administrative privileges thereby lessening the chances of malware attacks. In Windows 7, a four-position slider was introduced to control these pop ups. The new UAC default setting permits Windows executables to automatically run with administrative privileges.
• Configurable Multiple Active Firewall Policies is also an enhancement of Windows Firewall policy wherein Windows distinguishes between Public, Home, and Work Networks and each one having its own profile. In Vista’s case only one profile can be active on the computer at a time and this is where the problem arises. Windows 7 resolved this by allowing multiple firewall policies to be enabled at the same time putting into effect the appropriate firewall policy and ensuring protection for mobile and remote users while giving access to the specific networks.
• Applocker is a Windows 7 feature that offers flexibility for administrators in controlling how users can access and use files such as exes, scripts, dll, etc.  This is a very useful feature for computers running in shared or inside organizations for it reduces the risk of information leakages because of unauthorized software.
• Bitlocker was not embraced well in Vista’s time because of it not being so user-friendly. Thus, Windows 7 had simplified the encryption process of a system drive. Bitlocker to Go enhances the technical capabilities of Bitlocker and works independently from it.  Seeing that it is a full-disk encryption for removable storage devices, this was designed primarily for enterprise environment in order to protect the loss or theft of corporate or even of personal data.
• ActiveX Installer Service’s crucial role in making an application run well was highly regarded by Windows. As such Windows 7 has enabled this by default making you use the Group Policy to configure the Trusted sites zone that can identify sites that are free to install ActiveX controls on computers.

This list is far from complete and neither is each one a perfect fit solution to all security concerns. Windows 7 can never be a 100% malware and security proof OS, just  like any other application in the market. But one thing is for sure, the long wait is over – here is an OS that is equipped enough finally to address a lot of security headaches.

Technorati Tags: top 10 security for windows 7, windows 7 features, Windows 7 Protection, Windows 7 Software

10. MS Office 2010

Microsoft has announced that the public beta of Office 2010 would be available from November. One of the most essential software in a PC, Microsoft has announced that Office will release in 2010, three years after Office 2007. Following the trend set by Google, Microsoft will walk new paths, with it offering a Web based version and a free ad-supported version called Office Starter Edition.

09. Mozilla Firefox

Firefox is still the most popular browser despite being challenged from all quarters (read: Chrome, Safari and Opera) due to its trust, stability, offering users the option to free themselves from the troubles of Internet Explorer. Despite other browsers offering the same, it is the word of mouth which is paying off for Firefox. Despite a poor default User Interface (UI) among the current crop of browsers, this grouse will also soon go with Mozilla upgrading the look in future versions.

08. Trillian

Despite not being officially released, Trillian is one software which is creating waves. Trillian is a chatting client offering users the freedom from multiple chatting clients which clog system resources and make the computer slow without the user being aware about it. It offers users a simple yet beautiful UI which is very essential for novice users and which will help users to not miss the UI of their previous chatting clients. Having a large number of IM networks on board is the cherry on the cake which helps this software win a spot on this list.

07. MS. Security Essentials

On the No. 7 spot we have Security Essentials from Microsoft which is currently the best free security software available to users. Microsoft had basically created Security Essentials to address the woes of users who were constantly targeted by hackers. With this, Microsoft has some reason to shut up its competition who constantly made mockery of Windows constantly being a security threat. Although not the best security software it certainly has managed to create a special spot for itself.

06. WinRar

WinRar developed by Eugene Roshal, is the most versatile and popular file compression software on the planet. Available since 1995, it is able to compress and extract a wide variety of files. It is able to create and extract about 10+ file formats which may well be the best any software could do.

05. VLC Media Player

VLC Media Player reached version 1 this year, though don’t get mistaken by its version number as it is one of the best media player supporting a wide variety of formats that you may never have even heard of. It has been in development for several years (from 1996 but was re-written from 1998) thus, making it one of the oldest players available. It is popular mainly as it is light-weight, has a basic UI, and apart from many other notable features, it also has the ability to play incomplete, or damaged video files.

04. CCleaner

Formerly know as Crap Cleaner, CCleaner is a freeware used to optimize the user’s computer performance and clean the registry. It is developed by Piriform and is available in 37 languages. It is light-weight, has a simple UI and has enough power and features to command a place in this list.

03. Foxit Reader

Foxit Reader is a PDF or Portable Document Format file opener. PDF is a document format and is very popular among the masses. Many people believe that as PDF is developed by Adobe there should be no other PDF file opener but they are wrong as this is not the case. Foxit Reader is a software which can open PDF files and is really light compared to Adobe Reader (its file size is less than 7 MB). It offers users a welcome relief from the slow load times and high setups (Adobe Reader has a file size above 20 MB).

02. Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Photoshop: the name itself speaks for itself. Photoshop is the most used graphics editing program in the world and is used by graphics professionals all over. The site on which you are reading may have its graphics developed by Photoshop it self. Ads, sites, they all are made of Photoshop. Photoshop also has a wide yet advanced variety of features some of which the average user may not be even aware of.

01. µTorrent

µTorrent is the lightest torrent client available having packed so many features in a very small size. It is less than 1 MB in file size and consumes extremely low system resources. It is true to its name with µTorrent meaning “Micro Torrent” and has been correctly described by its makers as a “Powerhouse with a tiny appetite”. It therefore should be no surprise that µTorrent has come up so high in this list.

5. Bioshock 2

Bioshock 2 as the name says is the sequel to Bioshock, developed and published by 2K Games will release on February 9, 2010.

The game is set in the New Years Eve of 1970, ten years after the events of BioShock. A number of towns around the world are reporting kidnappings of young girls, with witnesses reporting the attackers as both extremely fast and thin, with red lights often reported as either being worn by the attacker or spotted nearby in the sea.

4. Dark Void

This game is developed by Airtight Games for Capcom and will release on January 12, 2010.

The game’s story centers around a cargo pilot named William Agustus Grey who crashes in the Bermuda Triangle. From there, he is teleported to a parallel universe where he encounters other humans, called Survivors. Together, Will and the survivors must battle an alien race known as the Watchers to return to Earth. The Watchers came from afar, making humans do their bidding, whilst being treated as gods.

3. Mass Effect 2

Mass Effect 2 takes place two years after the conclusion of Mass Effect. The game will release on January 12, 2010 in North America and is developed by BioWare for Electronic Arts (EA).

With the Reaper invasion stopped and Saren and the geth defeated, Commander Shepard learns that the entire human colonies are mysteriously vanishing. Teaming up with the human supremacist organization Cerberus in the investigation, Shepard will also journey across the galaxy to recruit “up to a dozen of the galaxy’s most dangerous operatives” to face this new threat.

2. The Lord of the Rings: Conquest

The Lord of the Rings: Conquest game is an action game based on the movie trilogy of the same name and is developed by Pandemic Studios for EA. It will release on January 13, 2010.

The game allows the player to play as both the forces of good and evil, and is based around Sauron stopping the One Ring from being destroyed before he uses it to regain his lost power.

1. Mordern Warfare 2

Call of Duty (COD): Modern Warfare 2 (MW2) is an upcoming first-person shooter video game developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision. The game is due for worldwide release on November 10, 2009. It is the sixth installment of the COD series, and the direct sequel to COD 4: MW, continuing along the same storyline.

MW2 is set several years after the conclusion of COD 4. The radical Russian Ultranationalist organization has returned to prominence under the leadership of Vladimir Makarov, a former associate of Imran Zakhaev with his own ambitions. Makarov has publicized Zakhaev’s death as an act of martyrdom to garner support for his cause, enabling him to build a strong power base in Russia over the years.

Honorable Mentions

These games did not make it to the list but certainly are impressive enough to deserve a spot in the Honorable Mentions list:

Dragon Age: Origins

Dragon Age: Origins (DAO) will release on November 3. It is developed and published by EA.

DAO has been described by its makers as being a dark heroic fantasy story which will be told on an epic scale with mature themes.

Borderlands

Borderlands has been developed by Gearbox Software and will be published by 2K Games. The game has released on October 20.

Several colonization ships will journey to Pandora, a planet which is located on the edge of the galaxy. The main reason the colonists are going to the planet is in search of a better life and the prospect of striking it rich by claiming the vast deposits of mineral resources rumored to be there. After finally arriving, the colonists discover that the planet is barren of anything of significant value other than deteriorated alien ruins scattered across the land.

AVG Anti Virus Installation

The setup has a file size of less than 900 KB due to it being merely required to launch the setup while MSE packs the whole setup in a file size of 4.8 MB (for Windows 7 x64). The installation begins with a language check, then an internet connection check and then whether the user wants to install the trial of AVG Internet Security or the free anti-virus version. The setup then begins downloading the actual setup files which takes a rather long time. After downloading the required files, installation finally begins.

Installation is thus slow, cumbersome, and confusing for the average user in comparison to MSE which has a fast installation, and is less cumbersome and confusing. Installation which is one of the most vital points in a software but such poor installation procedure sets off a rather bad impression in the user’s mind about the overall software. This round is thus easily won by Microsoft.

MSE Vs AVG Anti Virus – User Interface

The User Interface has three tabs one each for ‘Overview’, ‘Computer Scanner’ and ‘Update Now’. Users are reminded that the version they are using is a ‘Basic version’ all thanks to the horizontal banner which is displayed at the bottom by AVG but can be turned off. Otherwise the UI is pretty well-designed.

UI is thus a welcome relief after the cumbersome installation procedure. The UI of MSE is pretty basic but easy enough for the user to understand. The second round is thus a draw between the two companies.

Microsoft Security Essentials Vs AVG Anti Virus – Performance

Users can choose between two types of scans ‘Full computer scan’ or ‘Custom scan’ in which users can choose the specific files and folders. Scans were comparatively faster and there were few false threats.

The results of AVG Free anti-virus edition were not published by AV TEST. The closest we can get to them is to consider  the results of AVG Internet Security in AV-TEST - AVG IS performed averagely with a 95.8% malware on demand score in comparison to Security Essentials’s 97.7% score and a disappointing 87% score in adware/spyware on demand test with Security Essentials getting a 97.1% score.

This round is also thus easily won by Microsoft and AVG free edition miserably fails it.

Conclusion – MSE beats AVG Anti Virus Free Edition

AVG free edition cannot match the power of MSE in performance and takes a lot of time to install. User Interface which doesn’t matter much to users as compared to the performance is well designed but that is the only talking point in this software. MSE is a winner in the free security software category and it will take much more from AVG and others to overtake MSE.

Piyush’s Score : 6/10. We’ll also be adding an in-depth review of AVG Anti Virus down the line.

Technorati Tags: avg antivirus, avg vs mse, microsoft security essentials

Here are the Top 10 Windows 7 AntiVirus Software based on information gathered from forums and surveys and a review of each software -

AVAST Windows 7 Anti Virus
Considered one of the best anti-viruses in terms of over-all balance, Avast is compatible with Windows 7. It still has all the qualities most users would like in an anti virus software:

1. Easy to use.
2. Works in the background.
3. Doesn’t eat a lot of CPU resources.
4. Changeable skins so you can pick a look you like.

The Avast version for Windows 7 has anti-spyware protection.

The best part of all, this anti-virus is free.

There is one glitch - Automatic updates for Avast anti-virus for Windows 7 sometimes are not detected so you have to manually update virus definitions.

However, overall Avast is great. When it comes to scanning and protecting your PC from malwares and viruses this is the anti-virus to use.

AVG AntiVirus for Windows 7
AVG is one of the most used anti-virus software in the entire world. This is because -

1. It is easy to use and the user interface is easy to navigate.
2. You can also choose from a myriad of options on how your anti-virus behaves while running in the background.
3. The AVG free edition not only gives you anti-virus protection, but also it includes anti-spyware, email scanner and a resident shield.
4. The user is given the capability to change to speed of scanning, the faster the scanning, the greater CPU resource is needed.

One downside is that when using AVG in windows 7 you will get two anti-spyware programs running at the same time which is not advisable (due to the burden it places on the computer).

AVIRA AntiVirus Software
Another free anti-virus option, Avira is at par with AVAST and AVG.

1. It runs smoothly in the background.
2. Automatic update works.
3. It has a user-friendly interface.

But as of October 16th,  2009 AVIRA is not officially compatible with Windows 7. You may suffer some glitches when using this anti-virus with Windows 7 -

• For instance it is very hard to fully uninstall due to its update definitions.
• Also there is a slight hang-ups when scanning your PC.

Hopefully in a few months this anti-virus will fully work with Windows 7. Like any other anti-virus, it gives the user the ability to customize the behavior of the anti-virus software for scanning, and the level of protection. Avira also gives a detailed report of on all the scans and updates that take place.

4. Kaspersky AntiVirus
This anti-virus isn’t freeware, its about 60 dollars, but there is a 30 day free trial after downloading the client.

Kaspersky AV is a mixed box -

1. Even after all the updates Kaspersky AntiVirus still lacks some valuable features compared to the other anti-viruses.
2. The new version has removed it best feature, the Safe Run program sandbox, where you can use the anti-virus even in Safe Mode.
3. On the other hand it has added a better anti-virus engine, which runs at blazing speed compared to the free edition anti-viruses.
4. A new feature allow customers to send their PC’s scans for analysis for better protection. However, this costs an extra $20.

Would recommend using the trial and seeing whether you like it before committing to this anti-virus.

5. TrendMicro AntiVirus for Windows 7
Unlike most anti-virus software that scans incoming files and protects your files, Trend Micro is different. This nifty program has the ability to protect your files from being sent without authorization for the client. Also by subscribing manually, users are allowed to use the Smart Protection Network, which monitors any malware files that are being created and destroys them before they can spread.

Trend Micro (when a scan is going on) does not causes stoppages when playing games or watching videos. Trend Micro can scan and protect your PC without limiting what you can do.

6. Norton AntiVirus from Symantec
Ever since Symantec released Norton, it has become a household name. Unfortunately, that has led to it being a big target.

Most malware creators target Norton out of all anti-viruses and and their success rate is above the norm. Don’t get me wrong - Norton is a good anti-virus. Unfortunately it doesn’t even come close to AVG or Avast. None of the updates are groundbreaking and new features and utilities added are usually unnecessary.

All hope rests in the New Norton Anti-virus 2009 -

1. It has a sleek user-interface design.
2. Uses less PC resources as compared to earlier versions.
3. Has 24/7 virus definition updates.
4. An array of security tools.
5. Most of all it has free technical support for users.

To be able to use all these, you have to pay an annual subscription fee.I’m not sure if consumers would pay for something that AVAST or AVIRA offer for free. Norton gets around this by paying PC manufacturers to bundle its antivirus software with Windows 7 in new PCs.

7. BitDefender
Another pay-to-protect antivirus, Bit Defender is not as good as its name sounds.

Sure, it defends like any other anti-virus, but it makes little sense to pay 50 dollars a year for something you can actually get for free.

1. Most users complain that it puts your computer speed into a screeching halt if you want to scan and do something else.
2. Also uninstalling through conventional means is a headache. You’d need another software to uninstall it or have a lot of patience.
3. Also, customer support doesn’t function very well. Having to wait for more than 5 minutes before getting an automated response is just bad.

8. F-Security
Finally, an anti-virus that has an online tutorial. Maybe thats the only thing that separates F-security from the rest. However, an online tutorial is probably necessary with the rest of the problems encountered in this software.

1. From the installation process, there is a slight slowdown in CPU processor speed. However a reboot takes care of that problem.
2. F-security has a myriad of security tools, however what is lacking is the “SCAN NOW” option, which is actually hidden in along with the disky utility feature.
3. Also its firewall has trouble recognizing programs like Google and Skype toolbars and it has to be flagged first before being able to be used.

Also, like any other anti-viruses, pop-ups are supposed to be discreet and at least simple. F-security’s pop-ups are not. They are usually found in the center of the screen, old-school style. And above all, F-security is expensive by 20 to 30 dollars. Users should think twice before picking F-Security.

9. Bullguard
Not as famous as its counterparts, Bullguard is what people would call normal. Nothing would entice consumers into buying this software. No new security tool, no new interface-user design, no online support.

It does have Full-email protection, and supports KAZAA, ICQ and MSN messenger.

Bullguard doesn’t really pop out from the rest of the pack. The hardest pill to swallow is the annual subscription, which is 69 dollars. The free trial does last 60 days. Bullguard is commonly used for email spam filters (commonly used in offices and firms).

10. McAfee
Mcafee is in tight competition with Norton, so every software update is supposed to top the former’s update. As of the moment, both are on equal terms.

1. McAfee’s wide range of security tools would give viruses a fit.
2. It’s also great that Mcafee has combined all those security tools into a single  user interface. The user can now not only change the behavior of the software but also enable or disable any security tool Mcafee has installed.
3. A new tool was added in the new update. Mcafee’s Active Protection or Artemis detects threats that are only a few minutes old.
4. Virus definition updates are instantaneous and up-to-date.

Customer Support is limited compared to Norton or Trend Micro. There is a ‘first 30 days’ free customer support provision. After which the user has to pay nine dollars a month. Other than customer support, Mcafee gives you more than adequate virus protection for your Windows 7 system.

Do leave your thoughts on what Windows 7 AntiVirus worked well for you.

Technorati Tags: Top Windows 7 antivirus, windows 7 antivirus, windows7 antivirus software

Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) as the name suggests is Microsoft’s product for protecting your PC from viruses, malwares, spyware, rootkits and trojans. This is Microsoft’s second attempt at security software after ‘OneCare’ and first attempt at free security software.

Formerly codenamed “Morro”, it was first announced in 2008 and first unveiled in June to a select group of beta testers after being re-branded as Microsoft Security Essentials. It is interesting to note that it is powered by the same malware protection engine which once powered OneCare.

MS Security Essentials Review – Installation

The problem with most security software is that they take a frighteningly long time to install but this is not the case with MSE. After you run it, the software does a check to verify if the Windows is genuine and installs itself in a few moments.

After the software is installed it checks for updates and after updating itself, it does an initial scan.

MS Security Essentials User Interface

The user interface is not cluttered and carries four tabs ‘Home’, ‘Update’, ‘History’ and ‘Settings’.

The ‘Home’ screen as the name applies is for informing the user about basic things like timing of scheduled scans, real-time protection and definition updates. The ‘Update’ tab is for updating the software while the ‘History’ tab is for viewing the quarantined files. ‘Settings’ tab as the name implies is for configuring the software and offers basic configuration to the user such as excluding certain files, locations, etc.

To simplify things for the average user Microsoft has taken the age old practice of the red color symbolizing ‘danger’ and the green color ‘safety’.

Microsoft Security Essentials Performance Review

The user can choose between ‘Quick’, quick system scans; ‘Full’ whole system scan and ‘Custom’ user chosen custom directory scans. Scans are quick and there are less false threats.

Security Essentials has also passed one major hurdle – the AV-Test (AV-Test is a test in which security software are pitted against a major collection of viruses, malware, Trojans, etc.) but in cleaning up malware samples, the software lags:  the product removed all active components as part of its repair process but in many cases, some remnants of the malware were left behind, as inactive executable files or empty Registry keys.

MSE’s main purpose was to be less intrusive, take less time to install and consume low system resources so that it is able to work as well on a system with 256 MB RAM to 4 GB RAM.

After using this software, the market shares of AVG, McAfee, Panda, Symantec and other security companies will surely slide. Symantec has already issued a statement that MSE is not effective in protecting the user against the threats originating from Internet and a video which says that free security software are not able to give the full range of protection that you would normally get from paid security software.

They maybe partially right as this is really a basic security software with basic features mainly for those who don’t install security software and perhaps cannot suitably replace software like AVG, Panda, etc. AVG has announced their own free security software as a response.

Technorati Tags: windows 7 antivirus, windows 7 security

You have to see the video –

I think it looks really cool and useful and goes really well with Windows 7’s multi-touch. You can download BumpTop at their website.

My favorite features of BumpTop are -

1. Getting a whole new dimension to work with.
2. Selecting multiple items and organizing them into piles.
3. The icons on the side which represent actions so you can just throw files at them. 
4. Its a feature that makes sense for a Windows 7 multi-touch environment.  

Ironic that the best touch related feature that’s available is not from Microsoft. And the BumpTop.com guy ought to run through a few runs of a demo before releasing it to the world.

Will play around with it and let you know more.

Two more write-ups -

1. Engadget’s thoughts on BumpTop. 
2. Katherine at All Things D reviews BumpTop.  

Technorati Tags: bumptop, windows 7, windows 7 ui