Beta Expiration date?

[Guest]

I've been testing defender on my network because we have started to have
serious spyware problems with our users (I work in a large lawfirm and we
have almost no control over where our attorneys surf). I've been relatively
happy with the performance of defender and, since it will be bundled in Vista
anyway, I am considering rolling it out across our enterprise while it's
still in Beta. I am running a WSUS server, so I don't have to worry about
users updating their own PCs and either being out of date or possible
applying a bugged update.

My question is, what will happen when the beta test is over? I know MS has
said the product will remain free to registered users of Windows, so I'm not
worried about that. What I am curious about is will I need to uninstall
defender and reinstall a new version, or will it get updated through the
normal update process? Will my users be surprised by a popup after a certain
date notifying them that the Defender beta test has expired and prompting
them to download new software? Anyone know how this will be handled?

 

[Guest]

Hello John,
From Steve Dodson (this morning),

I wanted to let each of you know that over the next few weeks we will be
upgrading Windows AntiSpyware beta 1 users to Windows Defender through the
built in software update mechanism. This is a phased upgrade in order to
control the number of downloads in a single day. Please continue to provide
feedback on any issues you are seeing so they can be addressed.

Thanks for testing the beta!

--
-steve

Steve Dodson [MSFT]
Windows Defender Beta Lead
MCSE, CISSP
http://blogs.technet.com/stevedod
--
I hope this post is helpful.

Please , rate the pºsts.

Еиçеl

 

[Bill Sanderson MVP]

As this has happened with OneCare, it's been near invisible--it will
probably become more visible as subscriptions expire or the deadline to
renew at a lower rate approaches (it is April 30!)--but as far as the
program code in place, nothing has changed--no new download, just steady
updates as usual. There's nothing visible in the program about an
expiration date--I'd expect this to be handled pretty quietly and
seamlessly--there will be by that time tens of millions of installs of the
beta--they won't want all those folks loading support lines, etc.

Microsoft is very clear about the inadvisibility of rolling out beta code on
production machines in the enterprise--but you'll clearly have to consider
the trade-offs involved in your experience.