14 DAY TRIAL // When someone's doing something useful for the competition, buy him out. At least this seems to be Microsoft's policy towards the acquisition of the antivirus company Sybari Software, because the Redmond giant has announced that once the deal is settled, it will end the delivery of company's Unix and Linux versions.
Sybari offers virus signatures updates by using antivirus engines from other companies, as Sophos, Computer Associates and Kaspersky Labs, but Microsoft will also integrate its own antivirus engine, obtained through the purchase of GeCad in 2003.
Microsoft will continue to offer the Sybari products according to the existing contracts, but only for the remaining validity period, and the Unix or Linux versions of the Antigen program will be completely removed from the company's offer.
The close of the Sybari acquisition comes a day after Microsoft began soliciting beta testers for its OneCare online service that combines anti-virus, anti-spyware and firewall protection for consumers and small businesses.
All these initiatives are a part of Microsoft's ongoing effort to enhance the security in its platform. The company has also bought the anti-spyware developer Giant in December 2004, which is now available in a beta version under the name Microsoft Anti-spyware.