Microsoft Security Essentials to nag Windows XP users


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Microsoft Security Essentials to nag Windows XP users

Summary: The next version of Security Essentials will include prominent warnings that Windows XP is not a safe operating system.

 

In addition to Windows XP nagging users once a month, the next version of Microsoft Security Essentials, Microsoft's free antimalware program, will give prominent warnings to users running Windows XP.

 

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The current engine version in Security Essentials is 4.4. Version 4.5 is available in Microsoft's Security Essentials Prerelease Program. The system requirements for version 4.5 say it works only on Windows Vista and Windows 7 (Windows 8 users are served by the included Windows Defender).

 

But a reader tells us that Security Essentials 4.5 will install on Windows XP. When it does, the user sees warnings such as the yellow bar in the image above or the yellow tray icon nearby. These yellow warnings stay up even if the product is completely updated and the system scan is clean.

 

In spite of the currently-listed system requirements, Microsoft tells ZDNet that "Windows XP customers already running Microsoft Security Essentials will receive version 4.5 when it ships." The company has already announced that Windows XP users will no longer be able to do new installations of Security Essentials after April 8.

 

Source: ZDNet

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Nice to see Microsoft turning this app into nagware...

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Nice to see Microsoft turning this app into nagware...

It's right for them to do so. The XP is out of support, any flaws won't be patched. Time to move on. 7 and 8 are both way better than XP anyway.

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Any operating system that's not getting updated is a huge security risk... kind of the whole point of programs like this is to point out security problems.  That aside, it's not like you have to use it, there's a ton of options.

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How are a single popup and a warning message within a product that will soon cease to support the OS people are using.....

 

Yeah making people aware of something is immediately nagging.

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It's right for them to do so. The XP is out of support, any flaws won't be patched. Time to move on. 7 and 8 are both way better than XP anyway.

 

Yep.  I doubt most people that are still on XP fully grasp what it means for Microsoft to end support so it's good that Microsoft is doing this, even if only to get people to upgrade and get them more revenue.

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How are a single popup and a warning message within a product that will soon cease to support the OS people are using.....

Yeah making people aware of something is immediately nagging.

It depends, if it shows every time you open the application, then I'd consider that nagging. And yes, I do believe that XP needs to die, but I think there are better ways of dealing with the problem than what Microsoft are currently doing.
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It depends, if it shows every time you open the application, then I'd consider that nagging. And yes, I do believe that XP needs to die, but I think there are better ways of dealing with the problem than what Microsoft are currently doing.

 

Name one, then.

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It depends, if it shows every time you open the application, then I'd consider that nagging. And yes, I do believe that XP needs to die, but I think there are better ways of dealing with the problem than what Microsoft are currently doing.

This shouldn't even be discussed. Its a security program which is reporting on the OS being out of date and being open to flaws which won't be patched. It's more common sense than anything that its in there.

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Nice to see Microsoft turning this app into nagware...

 

There's nothing wrong with a Security program notifying users of an impending event that could compromise their system security.

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Name one, then.

Cut the price of Windows 8. It's really expensive in areas like mine. The only reason I managed to get my hands on a copy because of the $15 offer that was available for the first few months.

 

This shouldn't even be discussed. Its a security program which is reporting on the OS being out of date and being open to flaws which won't be patched. It's more common sense than anything that its in there.

That isn't an antiviruses job. If an antivirus company like AVG had done that back when Windows 2000 support was nearing an end, people would have complained about it.

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Cut the price of Windows 8. It's really expensive in areas like mine. The only reason I managed to get my hands on a copy is because of $15 offer that was available for the first few months.

 

They already did, for several months. Do you expect them to -always- offer it at that price?

 

That isn't an antiviruses job. If an antivirus company like AVG had done that back when Windows 2000 support was nearing an end, people would have complained about it.

 

The name of the program is Microsoft Security Essentials. It's not just an anti-virus app, it's an all round security app so warning the user of a potential threat is exactly it's job.

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They already did, for several months. Do you expect them to -always- offer it at that price?

 

 

The name of the program is Microsoft Security Essentials. It's not just an anti-virus app, it's an all round security app so warning the user of a potential threat is exactly it's job.

Yes, It would certainly get more people onto the Windows 8 boat?

 

It's still just an antivirus at the end of day. Plus, how many people do you know that actually listen to application warnings or nags?

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Microsoft are the only company left charging for a consumer OS. They could in theory follow Apple's footsteps and make future Windows versions free. Even if it's just the 'core' version of Windows 8.1 rather than the pro/enterprise version.

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This will supplement my work's new policy nicely. Found out today, that as of April 8th, under no circumstances is an XP machine allowed onto our network at work. No VM, no RDP. Nothing. No XP at all, after April 8th. My coworkers looked at me funny when I screamed in joy over the news.


Microsoft are the only company left charging for a consumer OS. They could in theory follow Apple's footsteps and make future Windows versions free. Even if it's just the 'core' version of Windows 8.1 rather than the pro/enterprise version.

But then how are they supposed to generate income? Microsoft doesn't produce hardware like Apple does.

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Yes, It would certainly get more people onto the Windows 8 boat?

 

It's still just an antivirus at the end of day. Plus, how many people do you know that actually listen to application warnings or nags?

 

 

Microsoft are the only company left charging for a consumer OS. They could in theory follow Apple's footsteps and make future Windows versions free. Even if it's just the 'core' version of Windows 8.1 rather than the pro/enterprise version.

 

Microsoft are a for-profit business. Why would they give away one of their biggest sellers?  Apple only stopped selling OS updates when they got pwned in court over Hackintosh's; before then, they charged $100 or thereabouts for each OS update.

 

You folks just want something for nothing, but I'm afraid that's not how capitalism works. :p

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I have no problem paying for Windows, I'm merely suggesting MS could make the consumer version free.

MS aren't going to go bankrupt over it either; their real money makers are Office and enterprise software anyway.

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You folks just want something for nothing, but I'm afraid that's not how capitalism works. :p

Actually $15 isn't nothing. :p

 

Also, time to nag you because you didn't answer my question posted above: :laugh:

It's still just an antivirus at the end of day. Plus, how many people do you know that actually listen to application warnings or nags?

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But then how are they supposed to generate income? Microsoft doesn't produce hardware like Apple does.

In a similar fashion to the Android market by taking a share of the profits from selling applications in the Microsoft store, eBay made a fine buisness plan out of it.

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Microsoft are the only company left charging for a consumer OS. They could in theory follow Apple's footsteps and make future Windows versions free. Even if it's just the 'core' version of Windows 8.1 rather than the pro/enterprise version.

yeah it would be nice if the core version of Windows was free or highly discounted (~$20)

 

But then how are they supposed to generate income? Microsoft doesn't produce hardware like Apple does.

Microsoft doesn't make most of their money from standard users upgrading. there's no reason the Core version cant be free and the pro/enterprise version still be the usual price

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Right, but remember, "free" doesn't always mean what you think it means. Google's OS's aren't "free", and neither would Microsoft's. In fact, Microsoft is reportedly testing out a "free" OS, that would use Bing to generate profit. There is always cost associated with things. It's how Capitalism works. 

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Microsoft are the only company left charging for a consumer OS. They could in theory follow Apple's footsteps and make future Windows versions free. Even if it's just the 'core' version of Windows 8.1 rather than the pro/enterprise version.

 

Sounds good until you realize that Apple is a hardware company while Microsoft is a Software company. Apple can give away their software for pennies as it makes people buy their Hardware which is where the profits are anyways. Microsoft can't afford to give away Software as they have no (real) hardware line to fall back on. Xboxes, Keyboards and Mice don't pay the bills :p

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