Microsoft Security Options: Comparison gives a quick chart comparison of some of the above programs and services, with the emphasis on the difference between downloading Defender to your own machine or going periodically to the Windows Live site to get scanned.

NONE OF THESE MICROSOFT PROGRAMS OR SERVICES should be considered to be a replacement for a good AntiVirus program kept current with frequent updates OR FOR AntiSpyware programs such as Ad-Aware, SpyBot or others of your own choosing, frequently updated and run on a regular schedule. Microsoft asserts that none of these will interfere with the AV/AS programs you are using.

An additional service that some may not have noticed:::: If you signed on for Automatic Windows Updates, you got Critical Updates to Windows automatically, but had to go separately to other sites for update of other Microsoft Programs. You can now set up "Microsoft Updates" to have all your Microsoft Programs automatically updated on a regular schedule. For most people this just means Office and Internet Explorer, but other programs are included when applicable. This still includes only Critical security updates, so visiting the download sites to see if there are optional non-critical goodies you want is still a clever thing to do occasionally.

You should find a link to the "Microsoft Update" sites at any "Windows Update" site.

Note that switching from "Windows Update" to "Microsoft Update" may require you to "verify" that your Windows version is legal, and of course will require you to "click-off" on a EULA. I've read the EULA and didn't get scared. Your "Product Number" should be on your computer if WinXP or Win2K came with the machine. It's on the envelope your CD came in otherwise. It's been painless for me.

John