In Microsoft’s recent advertisements promoting Windows 7, the company focuses on the various user-initiated features the new operating system includes. As far as I’ve seen, however, the company has not addressed the dual concerns of virus and spyware vulnerabilities. Similarly, the October 26 issue of Fortune Magazine, which declares “Microsoft Is Cool Again,” highlights various improvements Microsoft made to Windows 7 in response to the myriad problems that plagued Vista, but author Jeffrey O’Brien completely overlooked the securities vulnerabilities that malicious software poses. While I have no doubt that Windows 7 is a substantial improvement over Vista (my former employer upgraded to Vista, much to its chagrin), the risks arising from viruses and malware emphasize why, for security and other reasons, Mac OS X is my choice of operating system. As it turns out, though, Microsoft may not be showcasing its efforts to address these security risks because only certain editions of Windows 7 include a feature to deal with these problems.
Continue reading Windows 7 Advertising Misses The Point; Features, Not Security, Microsoft’s Focus