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Microsoft to Deliver Automated, All-in-One PC Health Service for Consumers
by Arie Slob
Hello Windows users,
 Today Microsoft announced plans to deliver Windows OneCare, a comprehensive and simple-to-use consumer subscription service that will provide automated protection, maintenance and performance tuning as an all-in-one package for Windows-based PCs. Windows OneCare will be available for a public beta later this year.
"Windows OneCare is the next major advance in our ongoing efforts to help keep consumers' Windows-based PCs 'healthy' in a way that's simple and as worry-free as possible for them," said Ryan Hamlin, general manager of the Technology Care and Safety Group at Microsoft. "We're designing the service so it will continually update and evolve over time, helping to ensure that our customers will have the most complete and effective protection and safety services in place every time they turn on their PC."
According to Microsoft, key capabilities and features of Windows OneCare will include the following:
- Defense against evolving threats. Windows OneCare will provide automatically updated anti-virus, anti-spyware and two-way firewall protection.
- Performance and reliability tools. PC owners will be able to choose to have Windows OneCare automatically carry out periodic maintenance tasks such as disk cleanup, hard-drive defragmentation and file repair. The service also will offer boot-time information and proactive support tools to help improve the customer experience.
- Backup and restore capabilities. Windows OneCare will enable automated backup of files by category on CD and DVD, along with the option to back up all files on the system or only those that have changed since the last time the action was performed. If files are accidentally deleted or corrupted on the PC hard drive, the service is designed to restore saved versions or map them on a new PC.
- Simple, integrated service experience. PC users will have one simple point of reference for checking the overall health of their system. Windows OneCare will automatically notify users of available updates or other recommended actions and enable users to easily act as needed. Otherwise, the service stays quiet and in the background.
More information about Windows OneCare, including details on how to sign-up for the beta can be found at the Microsoft OneCare Web site.
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Microsoft Security
Microsoft Windows Security Bulletin Summary for May, 2005
The security update for May 2005 includes only one important update for Microsoft Windows 2000.
Severity Rating: Important
New WindowsBBS Service
Maybe some of you already discovered it, if not: I have started a new "service" on WindowsBBS.com. Accessible via news.windowsbbs.com, you get a "portal" that will show you all the latest Windows & Computer news headlines from around the Internet, updated several times a day. You will also find a calendar showing upcoming (Microsoft) events such as Microsoft Webcasts and TechNet Chats.
Also shown on this portal is a listing of the latest posts to the WindowsBBS support forums, directly linking to the topics.
Start here: news.windowsbbs.com
Recent Support BBS Postings
Removing the [SP2] Uninstaller - Windows XP
Clock Not Remembering Time! - Windows 98
Mapped drives losing connection - Networking
Anti-phishing software - General Security
WinZIP included? - Windows XP
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