No anti-virus for Vista, at least not from Microsoft. Touting the enhanced security that Vista will bring, Microsoft will be coupling other protection tools with the OS, though as expected an anti-virus solution will have to be provided separately by the customer or retailer. The Microsoft "OneCare" system that Vista will include had many companies wondering just to how far MS would go with software protection, considering that there is a massive market based around people selling software to protect Windows to begin with. If there are no security holes, viruses or exploits for Windows or its components, where would companies like Symantec, Trend Micro and McAfee fit in? Some just plain aren't worried:
"Symantec, though its assisted enquiries from investigators, has said it would rather take on Microsoft in the marketplace than cry foul to regulators over Microsoft's entry into the consumer anti-virus marketplace. McAfee has made no suggestion it's about to object to Redmond's encroachment on it traditional turf, either. So it seems Microsoft has either decided anti-virus technology is better delivered as a service or else figured out that's a better business model to pursue."
Let's hope that an average user hearing news about "no anti-virus for Vista" doesn't take it to mean the OS will be unprotected. Then again, OneCare is still a long ways off from a Vista version so we have yet to see how well it performs. Odds are, there will still be plenty of room for anti-spyware and other 3rd party software.