Symantec Says MS Is Withholding Vista Tech

Mommy! Billy won't share his toys!

http://news.com.com/Symantec+Microsoft+wont+give+us+key+Vista+tech/2100-7355_3-6120219.html?tag=nefd.top
from WinCustomize Forums

As it has recently come out that Symantec is one of the companies central in encouraging the European Commission in causing trouble for Microsoft and its Vista launch next year, it's no surprise that the security software and services company would start leveling accusations aimed directly at the software giant in Redmond.  Symantec, a company best known to consumers for its anti-virus and anti-spyware tools, is now accusing Microsoft of withholding key APIs needed to build effective security tools that can operate with Windows Vista.

Microsoft fired back saying that as of Friday, September 22nd, coinciding closely with the release of Vista RC1, the APIs needed to disable Windows Defender and use some of the functionality to enhance third party security applications.  Symantec claims that Microsoft, despite the Sept. 22nd announcement, have yet to make the APIs available.

This comes at a crucial time as software developers race to build Vista compatible applications.  For many who sell in the retail space, or as bundled products with computers from companies like Dell or HP, the deadline to get disks and boxes to manufacturing and then through distribution is rapidly approaching.  Symantec has a late-October deadline to get their software out for OEM distribution.  Their fear is that Microsoft will finally release the APIs a few days before that date so they can say they technically provided it, but not give enough time for developers to actually make their software function with it.

7,411 views 21 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
just to make sure that Microsoft onecare demos get installed instead ?
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Yea, sure, because Symantec made great anti-virus software for XP. hmmm... what was that software that screwed up my network settings rendering my computer to not automaticly receive IP address when it was uninstalled... oh wait!
Star Control: Origins
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Good for MS on this one. I hope they hold out from Symantec till the last possible moment.
PCCillin is alredy available for Vista. It's a bit more resource intensive than SAV (Corporate) but a much better product.
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I really don't think MS is "obligated" to provive the API's but eventually they will have to give in. I think all the Symantec products are crap anyway ever since we went from Win98 to Win2000/XP. But after saying all this it is probably why Symantec products aren't any good because they always have to wait so long to get the API's and thus rush to market with an inferior product! Hmmm
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top

God! And people wonder why I went to a Mac.........

Nope....I didn't, not at all....

Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Anythings better than Symantec.
Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top

According to the article, they requested permission to develop using the API and were granted permission on two days ago. It sounds like a case of impatience to me.

One question that I do not currently know the answer to is: "are the PC manufacturers allowed to sell machines running Vista prior to the January release of the OS to retailers? If not, then there is still plenty of time for a company like Symantec to get their ducks in a row and provide the necessary products to their manufacturing partners. It doesn't sound like any other competitors have received anything before Symantec has.

I have to say that the Avast free AV combined with the Vista firewall passed the "Shields Up" testing with flying colors, so this would seem to indicate (at least to me) that the "end all, be all" solution that Symantec seems to be working towards is not needed. Any of the other main stream security products are fine as well, including (one would think) the 'OneCare' product which is due to release a beta compatible with RC1 soon.

I would bet that there is at least 60 days until the real threat of being late to the table is a reality. Just a guess of course.

Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Sorry for the bad grammar and punctuation in #8, no editing ability on this page for me.
Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I guess they were to stupid to reverse engineer Vista and figure out the api....DUMBASSES!!!!!!

Symantec SUCKS SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO BAD!!!!!!!


Get a rope.......

Speedy
Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Bizarre.

I use Avast and it installed just fine some 3 weeks ago on Vista.

Eh, Symantec gets what they deserve. I hope they never get the keys.

PC
Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I don't like Symantec. I had Norton Antivirus and it didn't find any viruses. I installed PC-Cillin which immediately found it and cleaned it. Not to mention those stupid warning boxes from Norton that you can't minimize but they always stay on top
Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Oh, here we go again, Symantec's bumping its gums and crying foul....or should I say fowl, being their press release guy's a bit of a goose for publicly crying in his pretzels.

Eh, Symantec gets what they deserve. I hope they never get the keys.


I dunno, PC, anybody'd get the idea you don't like Symantec. You're right, though, Symantec are the biggest cry babies in the computing world and deserve every bit of ridicule they receive, especially when their products are too recource intensive and just plain crap.

I also use Avast in XP, but seeing as you've found it works well in Vista, I'll give it a try in my copy as well....it's a good AV proggie and, in Vista, would most definitely out-perfom Symantec's resource hogging junk with its much smaller footprint.

BTW, has anybody got a spare pair of boots? I've enjoyed kicking Symantec while they're down so much, mine are plain wore out.
Reply #14 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Wouldn't touch Symantec with a 50-meter pole....have used AVAST & AVG without complaint & will try BitDefender based on Jafo's recommendations a couple of months ago during one of those AntiVirus/Adware "which do you prefer" posts here. Symantec is POISON - stay away from it!
Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I guess they were to stupid to reverse engineer Vista and figure out the api....DUMBASSES!!!!!!


Ummm... a drastic violation of EULA.

Think again "Speedy"
Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Symantec is POISON - stay away from it!


Not completely accurate.
The Corporate edition is actually pretty good. It doesn't foul your systems with the extra fluff.
Home editions... Norton AV etc.. therein lies your poisons.
Reply #17 from WinCustomize Forums Top
It maybe a violation of the EULA, however it would'nt be the first time they have violated something and I just figured if they wanted it so bad they would do their normal BS along with whining that's all.

Speedy
Reply #18 from WinCustomize Forums Top

The Corporate edition is actually pretty good. It doesn't foul your systems with the extra fluff.
Home editions... Norton AV etc.. therein lies your poisons.

So yet again the 'big guys' are OK....just the measily little peasants get the short stick...

Reply #19 from WinCustomize Forums Top
me wonders if its cheaper for ms to buy symantec, integrate in to windows whatever they havnt been able to do on their own before, dust off their hands, and walk away whistling.

In the long run it might be cheaper.
Reply #20 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Symantec is an abomination, I don't know how many computers I've encountered that has been completely bogged down and/or screwed up by the Norton apps. Maybe if you have absolutely no clue what you're doing when using your computer it can be good, as it tends to stick its big nose into everything you do, but for everyone else all alternatives are probably better. Me, I don't even have resident AV anymore, just regular ClamWin scans and a ClamWin extension for Firefox (and SPF). Never ever had a virus. 98% of keeping your machince clean and uninfected is common sense, caution and knowing what you're doing. Let's educate people instead, I say, and rid the world of bloated, invasive "security" suites like Symantec's.
Reply #21 from WinCustomize Forums Top
So yet again the 'big guys' are OK....just the measily little peasants get the short stick..


Always been the way...always will be! Symantec just took the step of dishing up the crap to the lower end of the socio-economic scale one step further: firstly, so they can suck up to their corporate clients with offers of much better than those to the average joe; and secondly, to conserve their financial resources to go whinging to the courts about MS, anyone else they take a disliking to.

me wonders if its cheaper for ms to buy symantec, integrate in to windows whatever they havnt been able to do on their own before, dust off their hands, and walk away whistling.


Not a bad idea, but not to acquire Symantec for its alleged knowledge of internet security....rather to trash and burn it and "dust off their hands, and walk away whistling."

Let's educate people instead,


There's some people you just can't reach (educate). Just take a look at Symantec, for example! Despite all the warnings and complaints, they've still got the duck sh!t in their ears and continue to deliver crap software....and when anyone else proposes to deliver competitive software that is more efficient, less resource intensive, they cry foul and either buy them out to stifle it, or to go running to the courts, the EU, Steve Jobs and anyone else who has it in for MS.