14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has overhauled the website it uses to serve its free security solution to Windows 7, Windows XP and Windows Vista customers.
The redesign of the Microsoft Security Essentials websites comes a bit out of the blue, but then again, so did the actual release of the latest version of MSE 2.0.
Just head over to the Security Essentials corner on Microsoft.com to witness the new design introduced by the software giant.
To me at least, it looks like the Redmond company strived to make the MSE site more attractive to small businesses, and not necessarily to end users.
Microsoft changed the license agreement for MSE in 2010, allowing small business customers to run the security solution in their organization, but only on up to 10 PCs at most.
“Microsoft Security Essentials provides real-time protection for your home or small business PC that guards against viruses, spyware, and other malicious software,” the company said.
Microsoft Security Essentials is a free download from Microsoft that is simple to install, easy to use, and is automatically updated to protect your PC with the latest technology.”
Microsoft Security Essentials is indeed offered as a free download, but only to customers with genuine versions of Windows. Yes, the antivirus will run a genuine check.
Version 2.0 was released in December 2010 with Microsoft barely mentioning that the product was available for download.
I for one, expressed fears at the time that the company’s silence on the MSE 2.0 launch was eerily familiar to that that preceded the death of Windows Live OneCare.
Let’s hope that the revamping of the MSE site is a sign that the software giant continues to be investing in Microsoft Security Essentials, and that this free security solution is not going anywhere.
Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) 2.0 RTM is available for download here.