MSE available for FREE to Small Businesses in October !

[hackerman1]

hi !

MSDN Blogs > Microsoft Partner SMB Community Blog - By Eric Ligman:

"...we are extremely excited today to let you know that Microsoft is making its Microsoft Security Essentials available to small businesses on up to 10 PCs for FREE, beginning in early October !"


Announcing: Microsoft Security Essentials available FREE to Small Businesses in October! - Microsoft Partner SMB Community Blog - By Eric Ligman - Site Home - MSDN Blogs

 

[swarfega]

Go MSE!

 

[BCXtreme]

I thought MSE was free anyway...? :huh:

 

[24c]

I thought MSE was free anyway...? :huh:

That's what I was thinking.

 

[hackerman1]

it most probably says somewhere in the EULA: "for personal use only" or something similar,
which would explain the "News" for small businesses...


i found this after some research:
"Originally released last year for single-PC use at home, Microsoft Security Essentials was designed as a comprehensive security solution in a lightweight package. Smith says a growing chorus of requests prompted Microsoft to extend the service to small businesses.
“When we launched Microsoft Security Essentials last year, small businesses kept telling us that it was exactly the type of thing they need at work too,” says Smith. “What they really wanted from their antivirus software — inexpensive, quiet protection from a provider they can trust — were all things Microsoft Security Essentials could clearly deliver.”
"
Free Microsoft Security Essentials Coming for Small Businesses: Award-winning virus and malware protection available for both home and work.


it was as i remembered: "single-PC use at home"...


EDIT: added new info !

 

[pparks1]

Yes, a lot of free software that is out there is only free for personal use. When you want to use them in a commercial business to generate revenue or profit, you have to pay for them.

 

[Hondajt]

Great! I rather like MSE. It's lightweight, and does a good job. The only real downfall I have of this, is that it brings it more into the spotlight. Which makes it more vulnerable to attacks.

 

[Francis93]

This is good news indeed!

By the way, it's been a few months now since the first beta of MSE was released. Upon its release, numerous bugs were reported, and feedback/suggestions/comments flooded the Microsoft Connect site. I just hope MS listened to these beta testers and is now developing a whole new MSE! I can't wait for the second beta release!

 

[HQuest]

MSE has a huge value for business, small or big. Microsoft has already tons of ways to deploy large scale updates and MSE virus definitions is not different from the usual patches sent via Windows Updates.

Now if they create a central management point for all MSEs... Oh wait, that was Intune...

 

[jimbo45]

Hi there
This is actually great stuff -- the equivalent product for businesses was Microsoft Forefront Client Security --actually an OK product too but obviously "Chargeable" as Enterprise software. It uses essentially the same mechanisms as MSE anyway.

Not all businesses are the size of Shell Oil or IBM so this is indeed a nice approach by MS and should make the product even more robust.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[Layback Bear]

Great point jimbo45. I know of quiet of few small businesses with 5 or 6 computers that should jump on this new deal.

 

[Nickmix]

Yes, it's really worth the news, especially in relation to the situation with the keys on Technet.

 

[alphanumeric]

Truth be known a lot of small businesses were probably doing it anyway. Who's going to know unless you do an audit of their software licenses etc.

 

[marsmimar]

Looks like Microsoft is challenging the security "big boys". Be interesting to see how they respond, if at all.

 

[hackerman1]

This is good news indeed!

By the way, it's been a few months now since the first beta of MSE was released.

a few months ???
where have you been ??? :sarc:

the first MSE-beta was released in September 2009...

2010-07-20 (July 20, 2010)
"Today we are announcing the beta for the next version of Microsoft Security Essentials. Microsoft Security Essentials was first released in September 2009"

Beta for Next Version of Microsoft Security Essentials Now Available

it´s a few month since MSEv2-beta was released....
i´ve been testing it since july....
and it works vey well, i haven´t noticed any real problems at all.
so you don´t have to wait for it´s "RELEASE"....

Upon its release, numerous bugs were reported, and feedback/suggestions/comments flooded the Microsoft Connect site. I just hope MS listened to these beta testers and is now developing a whole new MSE! I can't wait for the second beta release!

oh yes, the first beta had some problems....
but those were fixed in the "final" release, i know since i tested the first beta myself, and discovered a few things....

the released first version has worked very well without any of those beta-problems, i used it for months until i decided to test for any differences in performance using only a-asquared (a2) or both a2 & MSE.

 

[pparks1]

Truth be known a lot of small businesses were probably doing it anyway. Who's going to know unless you do an audit of their software licenses etc.

I would hope not many. This can be a very costly mistake if you are ever turned in. Far wiser to properly license what you use...and most likely far cheaper than getting caught.