I need an advise

[galooma]

sounds like bill wrote it himself 
Thank god for independent opinions


At the moment, Windows Defender is still quite buggy.  While the program still performs correctly and properly identifies / removes spyware, I would recommend not downloading and installing Windows Defender if the user doesn't want to deal with any of the known issues.  Some common bugs which have been identified so far are as follows: (Keep in mind that these are only some of the issues I know of, and it is highly possible that some or all of these issues could be fixed by the time you read this.)

    * The Windows Defender installer doesn't, in some cases, work with Windows which is running in a different language - other than English.
    * Windows Update stumbles on installing the updated definitions by claiming to successfully have installed the updates, and then continuing afterward to pester the user about updates which are available for installation.  This is a bit of a nuisance and a hard issue to put up with, in my opinion.
    * The removal of some detected spyware-related P2P programs within Windows Defender may also result in the removal of the default folder for storing downloaded files.  This essentially means that the user will need to back up his/her files which were downloaded from a P2P application before using Defender to abolish the existence of such P2P apps, or else the user risks loosing their downloaded files also.

Note that the list of other known issues with Windows Defender goes on, but those are a few of the major ones which I felt were the most appropriate to include in this article to assure future Windows Defender users understand the issues and bugs associated with the application.  So don't be alarmed if Windows Defender doesn't update properly or doesn't run on your computer if it's default language isn't English.

The recommended minimum system requirements are as follows:

    * Intel Pentium III Processor or higher (or AMD equivalent)
    * Windows 2000 SP4 or Windows XP SP2 or Windows 2003 Server SP1
    * 128 Megabytes of RAM (Random Access Memory)
    * 20 Megabytes of free, available hard drive space



Full story  http://www.pcmech.com/show/reviews/916/2/

[Mastertech]

Windows Defender even in Beta is perfectly safe to use. The issues mentioned are minor and do not cause performance issues with your system as has been claimed twice so far but not proven (as usual).

[FreewheelinFrank]

Why do you plug MS products so hard?

Do you work for them?

Why should we take your opinion as Gosple?

[Mastertech]

Windows Defender is an excellent AntiSpyware program that does some of the most important things the others do not. Or at least the free versions of other do not.

1. It autoupdates using Windows Update
2. It can schedule a scan

Updates are also very frequent which has forced Ad-aware to release more timely updates.

I am not plugging anything but recommending the best solutions.

Oh don't take my advice on performance, I would prefer to take yours or Cloussaus with Zero data to back any claim up.

[bob3160]

2 more observations:
If a product is made by, supported by an/or approved by Microsoft,
Mastertech usually recommends it.
FreewheelinFrank usually finds fault with it.
Pretty much down party lines only this isn't politics.....

In my personal experience, I've used Windows Defender since it was released.
It's continuously been improved and hasn't affected my systems performance.
It hasn't found anything on my system but then neither have any of the other scanners that I use.

[bob3160]

sounds like bill wrote it himself 
Thank god for independent opinions


At the moment, Windows Defender is still quite buggy.  While the program still performs correctly and properly identifies / removes spyware, I would recommend not downloading and installing Windows Defender if the user doesn't want to deal with any of the known issues.  Some common bugs which have been identified so far are as follows: (Keep in mind that these are only some of the issues I know of, and it is highly possible that some or all of these issues could be fixed by the time you read this.)

    * The Windows Defender installer doesn't, in some cases, work with Windows which is running in a different language - other than English.
    * Windows Update stumbles on installing the updated definitions by claiming to successfully have installed the updates, and then continuing afterward to pester the user about updates which are available for installation.  This is a bit of a nuisance and a hard issue to put up with, in my opinion.
    * The removal of some detected spyware-related P2P programs within Windows Defender may also result in the removal of the default folder for storing downloaded files.  This essentially means that the user will need to back up his/her files which were downloaded from a P2P application before using Defender to abolish the existence of such P2P apps, or else the user risks loosing their downloaded files also.

Note that the list of other known issues with Windows Defender goes on, but those are a few of the major ones which I felt were the most appropriate to include in this article to assure future Windows Defender users understand the issues and bugs associated with the application.  So don't be alarmed if Windows Defender doesn't update properly or doesn't run on your computer if it's default language isn't English.

The recommended minimum system requirements are as follows:

    * Intel Pentium III Processor or higher (or AMD equivalent)
    * Windows 2000 SP4 or Windows XP SP2 or Windows 2003 Server SP1
    * 128 Megabytes of RAM (Random Access Memory)
    * 20 Megabytes of free, available hard drive space



Full story  http://www.pcmech.com/show/reviews/916/2/

This almost sounds like they are totally set against the programs unless you read the full story which they end as follows:

Conclusion
Overall, Windows Defender (Beta Two) looks to be a promising spyware removal and real time protection software from Microsoft.  A few bugs and known issues make Windows Defender slightly intimidating, but it is still 'Beta' and under development.  I would recommend trying out Windows Defender; who knows, maybe it will detect a strain of spyware hidden on your computer that no other AntiSpyware program detected.  I give Windows Defender an 8.5/10 and I am very impressed with the highly detailed Software Explorer.  Like I said, give Defender a try, maybe you will like it too.

Amazing what the whole story reveals....

[FreewheelinFrank]

If a product is made by, supported by an/or approved by Microsoft, Mastertech usually recommends it. FreewheelinFrank usually finds fault with it.

That's just rubbish. Again you're accepting Mastertech's reduction of the discussion to a juvenile Firefox fanboy/MS hater level. The only MS product I have found fault with is IE, and I'm not alone in that: plenty of people have criticised it both on security and on standards compliance. MS Anti-Spyware was not a bad product when I tested it- it locks down Windows pretty well. Windows firewall is better than nothing, but there are other firewalls available that are more secure.

Please resist reducing the tone here with this nonsense.

[polonus]

Well FwF,

Also the MS firewall policy is incomprehensible. Read:
http://news.com.com/2100-7355_3-6065797.html
They only give you half a firewall by default in Vista, because the admins like to regulate traffic on a general basis, and not on an individual user basis, that is what big companies like. The common end-user is taken for a Mr-Ignorantus and for granted that way . "Use this computer, we know what is good for you (and apparently for us)".
We started to climb down to the way using your computer with your hands nicely tied behind your backs model for quite a time now.
Educating people to individuals that know why they do things or why the want things, is not a preferred model, which is a pity.
Sometimes I feel this is a way of devolution, the technique is getting more an more advanced, but the "naked ape" behind the keyboard is growing more and more helpless all the time.


polonus

[FreewheelinFrank]

Hi Polonus,

At least the inbound protection is turned on by default. When I bought this computer, there was no firewall running... 

Fortunately I'd seen some good programs on the BBC World Service (Click Online) about computer security and knew that a firewall was a good idea- the last time I'd really used a computer was back in the days of Windows 3.1: the internet was just coming in but it was only a way for one professor in a university to talk to a professor in another university, in fact to send 'electronic mail' as it was called then.

I installed Norton Personal Firewall and it wasn't till about a year later that I read about Windows having its own firewall which you could turn on.

I've come across several people connected to the Net with no firewall on older systems- including a friend of mine who has a degree in computer engineering and worked in IBM networking for about ten years. 

With a little bit of knowledge, people will be able to turn on the outbound traffic control. Of course it's not really useful unless you have some idea of what is trying to connect out. Some firewalls are better than others in this respect. Sygate was appalling- I saw messages that were totally meaningless to even a experienced computer user like myself. Zone Alarm is probably the best, giving the user non-technical information about the program that is trying to connect out. I believe the pay version even has a database of safe and dangerous programs- that's the sort of thing that outbound control needs if it is going to be useable by reasonably knowledgeable folks.

[DavidR]

By all accounts a similar situation will occur with Vista and the new improved windows firewall, it will also have limited outbound protection, but that outbound protection will be disabled by default. This is to supposedly conform with the wishes of the large corporate customers who don't want it enabled by default. Why it simply can't be disabled in the corporate versions is beyond me.

[neal62]

Neron,

You have asked a question. You have received ALL kinds of different answers to your question. I am not going to tell or suggest to you what to do about the Windows Firewall vs. a free third party firewall. All I am going to tell you is that the majority of users of a pc probably use a third party firewall and turn off the Windows Firewall. I personally use a third party firewall. I don't have to prove anything to anyone because of stating what I do concerning a firewall. Use your own better sense of judgement on whether you want to stay the way you are or get a free third party firewall for better outgoing protection. 

[polonus]

Hi Neal,

Good remark. This aside. Did you know that 33% of the people on the Internet use no protection at all. No firewall, no AV solution - nada. That is why we have the situation we have with all the botnets and such. Most of the people are one click away from malware, and this people who would be better off without computers are not one click away, they are sitting on it and spreading it without knowing it. What is done to protect these people?  Non-Achievement All Around. You do not believe me, 77% of all the people with a virus scanner never uses them or update.
When they see something pop up, and they do not like it. You know what they do? They click it away. There is a long, long way to go. Wish everybody had installed free ZoneAlarm at least.

polonus

[Neron]

Thank you all for your answers.As I said before, windows firewall is not a bad firewall, and since I'm not having any problems with it and I don't access dangerous sites without being prepared(Firefox with scriptblocker,siteadvisor,dr.web antivirus link checker,Winpatrol ,restricted account and avast! of course) I don't really need to change it.I have tried ZA,Kerio,Sygate,Outpost,Lavasoft's firewall and I never really needed this extra protection that a third party firewall can provide.
Thank you again!

[neal62]

Hi Polonus,

I don't doubt what you are saying at all. I know that alot of the people as you say just "sit" on it and do nothing until after the fact. It's a shame but that's the way it goes. Oh well, all we can do is suggest to folks what they may want to use for protection. We can't force them to make a choice. Have a great day.  

[neal62]

Your more than welcome Neron. Have a great day.