Can’t trust it

Of course, the biggest story for essentially anyone with a computer at all is the Microsoft Vista security/anti-trust flap.

The critiques and countercritiques had been simmering for some time, but boiled over nicely on Monday (imagine that) with the appearance of a full-page advert in the Financial Times from software security firm McAfee Inc. McAfee’s ad sought to take Microsoft to task over its seemingly anticompetitive behavior regarding the to be released Windows Vista software.

Microsoft has denied access to certain needed information within the Vista operation system and has resisted pressure from McAfee, Symantec and the very European Union to release said information. McAfee thereby accused Microsoft in print of “attempting to hamstring security companies.” Without this information, argues McAfee, proper protection against viruses and like attacks cannot be created.

McAfee also accused Microsoft of – insidiously enough – incorporating security programming within Vista that is impossible to disable. According to Eweek, “The security software maker contends that at least two elements of Vista, known as PatchGuard and Windows Security Center, will limit the ability of McAfee and other third-party vendors to integrate with the OS and continue to build technologies that offer comprehensive protection for computers running on Microsoft’s latest software.”

Read the full-pager: “Microsoft seems to envision a world in which one giant company not only controls the systems that drive most of the computers around the world, but also the security that protects those computers from viruses and other online threats.”

In September, antivirus software maker Symantec filed complaint with EU regulators that Microsoft was trying to undercut software rivals with Vista’s embedded virus-killer.

On its part, the EU has fined Microsoft €777.5 million (more than US $985 million) since 2004 due to antitrust violations. Zero eurocents have been paid, however, and in fact, Microsoft attorneys filed a new appeal regarding the case on Monday.

Two days later, antitrust battles in the U.S. become more of a probability as well, with McAfee executives going on the offensive with a media blitz. Yesterday, Britain’s The Inquirer online, among others, ran a story in which Microsoft attempted to rebut whiners like Symantec and McAfee.

Microsoft VP Ben Fathi, who has also appeared in televised debate with McAfee reps, colorfully stated that “Symantec and McAfee were asking Microsoft to keep patients sick so they can doling out life saving drugs.” And he dissed the smaller boys heartily with “Symantec and McAfee need to improve their products.” Ouch.

Fathi also claimed that Trend Micro has a Vista anti-virus release ready, while denying that Symantec and McAfee haven’t the application program interfaces they need.