Now Available: Microsoft Security Essentials (FREE anti-virus + anti-spyware software)

Yesterday Microsoft released its Microsoft Security Essentials software.  Back in June when I first mentioned it in this thread, it was still in beta testing.  Now you can download and use the software for free.

Personally I use the free version of Avira on my laptop (not free for commercial use).   But I just downloaded MSE and ran a "quick scan" on my laptop.  Looks pretty good, and the scanning speed is noticeably fast.

If you're using Microsoft Security Essentials, let us know what you think.

Thanks for the tip Yann!  I think I will give it a look.  While our org would most likely not use it, I would probably try it for home use.  Currently I have AVG free and Malware Bytes installed on my home computers.

Its not free for commercial use.  None of the vendors that everyone says is free for commercial is actually free for commercial use.  The only one I know of that is truly free for commercial/non-profit use is ClamAV and that's open source.  Directly from the home page of Microsoft Security Essentials: "Get high-quality, hassle-free antivirus protection for your home PC now".  This is a serous pet peeve of mine ;)  Its not free for commercial use.

Thanks Chris, I think you're partly right and I'm partly wrong here.

MSE is NOT free for commercial use, as per Microsoft's Terms of Use, which I just read carefully.  But the software is stated as being free for "personal use" to anyone using Windows on a "home PC".  Do small-business users that work from home (using a home-based PC) qualify to use the product for free?  It's interesting because small-business users apparently are not considered "commercial" users in this sense.  The problem here is that it's unclear how the term "commercial use" is defined.

Companies in general fall into the "commercial" category, but what about small nonprofit organizations?  How about the 1-person NPO being run from their own home office?  Would the software be free for them to use in this case?

Would be nice to have concrete answers to some of these questions.

Anyway, I edited my original post.

Yann

Concrete answers from Microsoft!?  you must be joking...  lol  But, pretty much a small business working from home, or the one person NPO with a home computer - I think that's classified as "commercial" use.  Technically, NPOs don't usually engage in "commerce" but when you get down into the nitty gritty, its free for your personal use, on one home computer.  If you're home computer is running a business, its no longer personal.  If your home computer is helping you run a non profit, it's no longer personal.  Are they going to whack you?  Probably not, it's a pretty grey area I agree.  However, I believe you can buy Microsoft Forefront Security right here on TechSoup, which is what they want you to buy for business.  NPO = business in the US.  Not sure how it is elsewhere.

Now a home user working from home for a small business...  I think if you nail someone down they would tell you that it's probably fine.  But it does remain that its only for a single computer, and a home PC.  So, I'm going to guess that the grey area we're now talking about doesn't apply to most people here.

Ack, ok so the TOU on the bottom of the page for the Security Essentials product actually just leads to the TOU for the microsoft.com web page - it doesn't cover the TOU or license for the actual product.  This does, though!  And they clear up a lot of the questions - specifically about a home-based small business (also assume NPO) and they say: Use. You may install and use any number of copies of the software on your devices in your household for use by people who reside there or for use in your home-based small business.

So yep - small home-based businesses, networks, and NPOs are covered.  :)

A concrete answer from Microsoft about the grey area in question, I'm amazed.

Wow, nice find there Chris.  Nice to see a clear explantion by Microsoft.  I must say I'm impressed as well.

Yann

Here's an article I came across in PC World today:

Independent Tester: Security Essentials "Very Good"

Just my two cents... I am an avowed Microsoft skeptic, but I have had no problems with Microsoft Security Essentials and Windows 7 so far (in fact, I really like W7). I'm not ready to switch from Ubuntu just yet, but Windows 7 has really impressed me and MSE seemed to be the best 64-bit solution for Windows 7 I could find that I didn't have to pay for.

I am normally anti Microsoft when it comes to security, but I have to concur that this is a good setup and I forsee MSE taking over the Windows-based free home antivirus area.