Pender's Blog

Blog archive

Symantec and Microsoft Prepare To Do Battle

After trying to downplay earlier this week the problems it might have developing for Vista, Symantec is back to accusing -- and probably with some justification -- Microsoft of wanting to shut competitors out of the security market. Needless to say, this is going to be a battle on all fronts: legal, technological and psychological. Just keep in mind that Microsoft rarely takes serious losses in any of those kinds of battles.

The rest of the European security market, meanwhile, is understandably watching the scenario unfold with great interest and keeping a wary eye on Redmond. Here, by the way, is the money quote from the article linked in the last sentence:

"Steve Munford, CEO of Sophos, a security company in Abingdon, England says, 'As long as Microsoft allows equal access to the operating system, we can differentiate...We have to make sure that we have a broader and more comprehensive strategy than Microsoft.'"

Exactly. That really sums it up for Symantec, Microsoft and everybody else. Access to the Windows kernel, still an issue that’s up in the air, is what really matters here. If Symantec and friends can develop for Windows they way they have been able to in the past, they’ll be able to compete (although, it’s important to note, not necessarily win). But if Microsoft really does shut down development access in Vista, that really will be taking things a step too far and will be a negative development for competitors, partners and the industry as a whole.

You’ve been very good about e-mailing me on this topic, and I appreciate your responses. If you have any more thoughts, fire away at [email protected].

Posted by Lee Pender on September 28, 2006


Featured

  • Report: Cost, Sustainability Drive DaaS Adoption Beyond Remote Work

    Gartner's 2025 Magic Quadrant for Desktop as a Service reveals that while secure remote access remains a key driver of DaaS adoption, a growing number of deployments now focus on broader efficiency goals.

  • Windows 365 Reserve, Microsoft's Cloud PC Rental Service, Hits Preview

    Microsoft has launched a limited public preview of its new "Windows 365 Reserve" service, which lets organizations rent cloud PC instances in the event their Windows devices are stolen, lost or damaged.

  • Hands-On AI Skills Now Outshine Certs in Salary Stakes

    For AI-related roles, employers are prioritizing verifiable, hands-on abilities over framed certificates -- and they're paying a premium for it.

  • Roadblocks in Enterprise AI: Data and Skills Shortfalls Could Cost Millions

    Businesses risk losing up to $87 million a year if they fail to catch up with AI innovation, according to the Couchbase FY 2026 CIO AI Survey released this month.