Topic: Microsoft Bought RAV Antivirus

[Dan Williams]

This ought to be interesting...
http://www.ravantivirus.com/index.php
Dan

[Greg]

Hmmm,
Then we can wave goodbye to Linux AV support by RAV.....
Greg

[guestHH]

sad news, just sad....

[Ulises Ruiz]

yes williams saw this is VERY, VERY BAD NOTICE.

[John Helms]

This news makes me physically ill!
Be sure and let RAV know how you feel about this. I already have. I work in an IS department at a Community Health Clinic and we JUST implemented RAV from MyEzserver using a E-Smith mail server and are VERY happy with it.
I'm sure Microsoft will screw that up totally.
Please make your opinions known!

[Jean]

Did MS buy the whole company or just a license to use their engine?  If the latter, we'll have a year or two before MS feels comfortable enough to take over that market too.

[Cyrus Bharda]

Ahem,

Why bother getting upset? I am using several products that were bought by Micro$oft and still work just as good as they did before the buyout. Until the product actually suffers as a direct result of management from Mirco$oft, why complain?

I use RAV here and am happy with it, but if I find that its level of quality diminishes, then of course I am going to switch to something that is better, not going to wine and moan about it because there is nothing we can do about it.

If you don't like using Micro$oft products, then change to something that you find does the job more efficiently and if/when you cannot find one then just accept the fact that you have to use their products and instead of pouring huge amounts of time and effort into statements like "Oh I hate Micro$oft products because they are a monopolising company and all their products suck"!

I am not endorsing Micro$oft in any way shape or form, I do not like some of their products either, but in most cases I have not yet found anything that can do the job in a similar manner so I just deal with the inherent flaws in some, the end justifies the means.

But that is just my 2 cents worth, not meaning to start a flame thread that does not belong here.

Flames accepted offlist though

Cyrus Bharda

[Jean]

Thanks, Cyrus, for clearing that up.  I was uncertain what attitude I should have.

[Jean]

Once again, does anyone know for sure whether the whole company is being bought out?  Their press release says "Microsoft will acquire GeCAD’s antivirus technology."  This sounds like a licensing deal where GeCAD remains in control of their product.

[Darrell May]

You may wish to follow this thread:

http://myezserver.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=321

Regards,

Darrell

[Darrell May]

Oops, wrong thread... try this one:

http://myezserver.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=387

Regards,

Darrell

[Cyrus Bharda]

http://australianit.news.com.au/articles/0,7204,6578888%5e16123%5e%5enbv%5e,00.html

Microsoft buys antivirus firm
Helen Jung and staff writers
JUNE 11, 2003  
 
MICROSOFT will acquire Romanian anitvirus maker GeCAD Software, taking its first step into the security software market.

GeCAD makes a mail server product, among other applications, which runs on a variety of platforms including Linux.
Microsoft signed an agreement to buy the intellectual property and technology assets of the Bucharest-based company for an undisclosed amount. Some of the company's software developers will join Microsoft, but details haven't been finalised, said Mike Nash, corporate vice president of Microsoft's security business unit.

See link for full story......

Cyrus Bharda

[Dan Williams]

The best and most accurate source of news on this is at the vendors website. At this time there are two press release links that give a good indication of what is happening.
Go to the source for the answers.
Dan

[John Helms]

"Why bother getting upset? I am using several products that were bought by Micro$oft and still work just as good as they did before the buyout. Until the product actually suffers as a direct result of management from Mirco$oft, why complain?"

I not terribly concerned about Microsofts current products, I abhor their stuff. Its not "their" products that suffer as a result of this. Its their soon to be competitors, (Symantec, McAfee etc.), their customers, and my users who will suffer as a result of this purchase.

"If you don't like using Micro$oft products, then change to something that you find does the job more efficiently"

I did, its called Qmail with RAV, not the soon to be bundled Exchange with RAV. (puke)

"if/when you cannot find one then just accept the fact that you have to use their products and instead of pouring huge amounts of time and effort into statements like "Oh I hate Micro$oft products because they are a monopolising company and all their products suck"!"

Remember to walk in a nice straight line and keep silent while you march to the ovens eh??

"I am not endorsing Micro$oft in any way shape or form, I do not like some of their products either, but in most cases I have not yet found anything that can do the job in a similar manner so I just deal with the inherent flaws in some, the end justifies the means."

Ja ja, the economy is doing zer gut since that Microsoft came to power!

"But that is just my 2 cents worth, not meaning to start a flame thread that does not belong here.
Flames accepted offlist though "

I would say its a bit less than 2 cents worth there. You're so off base with your comments that your post deserves a straight response....in public....not offlist.
Microsoft is continuing on with their illegal monopolistic bundling tactics here. In one small purchase they have severly damaged Open Source mail servers, several vendors of RAV, purchasers of RAV, Linux in general, ALL other anti-virus solution providers, and even their own customers who were being provided great anti-virus protection by a great product. Once RAV is "assimilated" into the Microsoft product line we will see even more pressure to use Exchange as a mail solution. Now THAT is truly a nightmare!

[Cyrus Bharda]

John,

God helps us, Micro$oft bought an anti-virus company, the sky is falling, the sky is falling!

I bet you complained when Time-Warner bought EMI and when Singtel bought Optus Cable and Wireless and when your local community grocery store got taken over by the bigger commercial shopping centre!

There are heaps of detrimental big corporate multinational company buying out small time operations, and some of them lead to huge socio-economic downturns to the local/national economy, are you going to complain about each and every single one of them, or just hone your narrow mindedness down to one single company, just because it is easy to?

There has got to be other AV products for Linux, so why not go out, find and try them?

There are a lot of alternatives to Micro$oft products, that was my point!

And if people put the time they spent moaning and groaning about Micro$oft products, into trying out new software then they would find much better solutions, that is how I found out about SME, no amount of wingeing from me lead to my discovery, I went out and actively sought out a replacement for my windows 2k/exchange box, and found it!

But you just keep thinking that we all will be eventually assimilated into Micro$oft and be _forced_ to use their products at gunpoint by armies of men in Micro$oft uniform, none the less, thats a great attitude to have!

And you are right is way more than 2 cents, maybe even 3

Cyrus Bharda

[Jean]

Cyrus, you will have to excuse John, because from his writings, it appears his computing experience goes further back than yours.  Which means he's seen more of M$ predatory practices than you have, and as result has a strong negative opinion of M$.

I myself remember the day ibm dos was introduced.  That os was the result of someone else's labor of love which Bill licensed & pitched to ibm.  Bill showed his color even then, as there was a law suit for Bill's failure to pay the licensing fee, all the while he was laying the foundations of his evil empire with the income from ibm.  At least that's the urban legend amongst the old-timers.

One day when you have more experience and a better sense of history, you not only might understand why John feels as strongly as he does, but might find yourself agreeing with him.

[Ross]

> I am using several products that were bought by Micro$oft and still work just as good as they did before the buyout. Until the product actually suffers as a direct result of management from Mirco$oft, why complain?

There's no ambiguity about this:

Romania GeCAD To Cease Sales Of Its RAV AntiVirus


DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

BUCHAREST -- Romania's GeCAD Software will cease sales of its flagship product RAV AntiVirus after it sold its antivirus technology to Microsoft Corp. (MSFT), officials from both companies said Wednesday.

GeCAD will continue to provide technical support for existing users until their contracts end, "probably in about two years," GeCAD's President Radu Georgescu said. After that time the product will cease to exist, he said.

[Jean]

> There's no ambiguity about this:

If ever there was a WMD, M$ is it.  Open source giveth, M$ taketh.

[Cyrus Bharda]

Jean,

I to started off on DOS 3.1 so I do realise how dominative and unscrupulous Mirco$oft is, I remember the Netscape debarkle amongst others (Java).

I just don't see the point in wasting time wingeing about it, and frankly I am sick of all those people who complain about M$ products, but still use them and make little effort in finding replacement software, not that you or anyone else who has posted in this thread might be doing.

IMHO if you don't like something, take action to change it. Talking about how bad a product or company will not find you alternatives, sitting down, research and testing is the way to go, and then when you do find an alternative, shout it to the world at the top of your lungs!

Anyway I do understand everyone's point of view and I am not trying to preach to anyone, I am not saying thinking like that is wrong, it's just not they way I think.

And that's that

Thread=dead for me, already wasted too much time filling up this thread on a topic that IMO does not belong on this forum, that is what alt.flames.microsoft is for .

Cyrus Bharda

[John Helms]

"I to started off on DOS 3.1 so I do realise how dominative and unscrupulous Mirco$oft is, I remember the Netscape debarkle amongst others (Java)"

Actually I started with DrDos and only learned later of MsDos (QDos).

"I just don't see the point in wasting time wingeing about it"

I assume that you really meant "whining" not "wingeing". I don't believe my posts have any touch of "whining" if thats what you meant nor do I in "wasting time" on this very important subject to me since I work in this field.
 
"and frankly I am sick of all those people who complain about M$ products, but still use them and make little effort in finding replacement software, not that you or anyone else who has posted in this thread might be doing."

I am also sick of that but fortunately I am not one who uses Microsofts software. On the other hand......ahem, I quote

" Why bother getting upset? I am using several products that were bought by Micro$oft and still work just as good as they did before the buyout."
"I am not endorsing Micro$oft in any way shape or form, I do not like some of their products either, but in most cases I have not yet found anything that can do the job in a similar manner so I just deal with the inherent flaws in some, the end justifies the means."

You seem to be contradicting yourself.

"IMHO if you don't like something, take action to change it. Talking about how bad a product or company will not find you alternatives, sitting down, research and testing is the way to go, and then when you do find an alternative, shout it to the world at the top of your lungs!"

Thats exactly way I was "wasting time" posting. (at least wasted on you) I try as often as possible trying to " find an alternative" and then I do try to "shout it to the world at the top! Unfortunately Bills rather abundant checkbook is out shouting you and me.

[Ben Morrisson]

Well what can you say to all that.
Cyrus it is actually people like John/Jean and the rest who do 'complain', as I do, about the momentum of the MS machine who do create and environment where there is at least some competition and alternatives.
The buyout of RAV DOES affect the opensource community in a big way, and the betrayal of the opensource community by Gecad is only topped by the irony that its the open source community who gave them enough backbone to become a 'player'.
MS recognition of this only demonstrates exactly why we should all keep 'whingeng' 'whining' or whatever.
Then who am I to talk - if I owned a small independant antiviru firm who got offered a golden handshake from MS then I probably would say yes and go sit on a beach somewhere int he sun but until  that day  . . .down with the bastards.

Oh  . . and does anyone know where I can source an independant linux antivirus product from?

[Michiel]

Please move this discussion to www.ihatemicrosoft.com and leave this forum to what it is intended for.
Thanks
Michiel