Product Review: Microsoft Windows Live OneCare

Whenever Microsoft wields its powerful marketing and dominant market presence to introduce a new product, vendors competing with them in the new arena have reason to fear. For home users, the name recognition of Microsoft and the ease of just using the security and PC maintenance software recommended by the vendor of their operating system, web browser, email client and office productivity suite is a much simpler proposition than trying to find and install 3rd-party tools.

Microsoft took the one-suite-fits-all approach to PC maintenance and security. It is generally accepted that the keys to securing a home PC include antivirus, anti-spyware and a personal firewall, but that patching or updating the system and backing up critical data are also important tasks. Microsoft rolled them all together and through in a few other general PC maintenance functions for good measure to create one killer suite called Windows Live OneCare.

On the security side, OneCare has antivirus, anti-spyware (through an integrated reliance on Microsoft's Windows Defender software, currently in Beta 2 testing) and firewall protection.

On the maintenance and performance side, OneCare performs tasks such as backing up data, applying patches and updates automatically, defragmenting the hard drive and cleaning the hard drive of unneccesary or unused files.

The concept is a good one in my opinion. Essentially, Microsoft approached the issue from a broader stance of trying to maintain the system as a whole rather than addressing each concern or threat individually. Often the two are inter-related anyway, so this approach makes sense.

At work, users are used to computer technicians or network administrators taking care of applying patches, monitoring their firewall, updating their antivirus software and backing up essential data. They realize they should do this at home as well, but lack the knowledge and the skills to do it. So, it typically doesn't get done.

With OneCare, Microsoft tries to fill this role for home users. The software is designed to run as hands-free and automatically as possible. It will check for updates and apply them as necessary and keep an eye on the system for you.

The antivirus protection in OneCare has been certified by West Coast Labs and by ICSA Labs. The anti-spyware functionality is also certified and the firewall is significantly better than the firewall offered with Windows XP, even with Service Pack 2 (SP2) applied.

Arguably the most glaring omission is anti-spam protection. If you are using Outlook or Outlook Express, you can use the Junkmail Filter which does a reasonably good job of blocking spam. If you use web-based email, the major vendors all do spam filtering as well. So, anti-spam isn't a deal breaker, but it would have been nice.

The Backup function is not as robust as some competing products.For one thing, it allows you to backup data to CD, DVD or USB, but doesn't let you back up data to the local hard drive. Users with more than one hard drive might find it faster and easier to just backup copies of their data to the other drive.

The Windows Defender anti-spyware software is a solid program, but it is still in Beta testing and is not an integrated part of the OneCare installation. It must be downloaded and installed separately. In keeping with the hands-free, automatic, one-suite-fits-all mentality, Microsoft should work to fully integrate Windows Defender into OneCare and not as a separate piece duct-taped on after the fact.

Whether you purchase a boxed version from a retail chain, or buy it from the OneCare web site, you will need to visit the OneCare site to purchase or activate Windows Live OneCare (there is also an option for a free 90-day trial version).

The installation is performed over the Web using Internet Explorer. You must have or install the ActiveX control which allows Microsoft to validate that you have a licensed copy of Windows XP SP2. The installation routine will also make sure you don't have any conflicting security products installed, such as other antivirus or firewall programs.

One of the best features of OneCare is the cost. At $49.95 it would be very competitive with other security suites even for one computer. However, Microsoft's OneCare subscription allows you to protect up to three computers for the same price.

There are other security suites out there. Many have superior antivirus or anti-spyware, or have anti-spam protection, but none offer the broader holistic PC maintenance that OneCare does. McAfee and Symantec are racing to provide similar feature sets in their next versions and compete head-to-head with OneCare. But, OneCare is a solid product at a reasonable price and I highly recommend it for home PC users.