AVG sees uphill sorrow for Microsoft's Morro

Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Monday, 24 November 2008 07:06

Opinion and Analysis

AVG then decides to note that, “from a global protection perspective, AVG has a strong presence in established and emerging markets,” although surely Microsoft’s presence and reach is far, far greater and more established than AVG’s.

Still, AVG is making the claim, and I’m reporting it – you can make your own decision.

AVG also notes that its “strategic growth plan includes the introduction of several new native-language versions of its anti-virus programs in the coming weeks. Moreover, the company's worldwide user-support community – with people and small businesses from 167 countries – continues to grow as the industry's only truly "self-help" network.”

Again, the Internet is littered with forums offering help with Microsoft software, there are still user groups out there to help with PC problems and issues, so AVG’s claim is no doubt true, but Microsoft could claim the same, plus it already offers Windows itself in more languages you could throw Google Translate at. 

Look, it’s no surprise to see AVG come out railing against Microsoft. They genuinely threaten to steal a lot of market share, which AVG relies on to convert free customers into paying customers – a strategy that has worked enormously successfully for AVG Technologies over the past few years.

If I was AVG I’d probably be saying the exact same thing, and putting Microsoft on notice that the security market is not one that AVG – or any of the other security companies – are going to give away lightly.

Despite OneCare’s 100% Virus Bulletin awards, OneCare has failed to set the world alight, and who knows if Microsoft’s capitulation and decision to make Morro free will be any more successful?

After all, everyone knows that most of the “free” things Microsoft has offered in the past, from built-in programs such as Paint and WordPad, have always offered the bare minimum in features and have barely changed, if at all, in years, with the as-yet unreleased Windows 7 showing ribbonised interface upgrades (but little else) for these two programs.

That said, Microsoft’s “Windows Live” range of downloadable software has gone through many updates, and in today’s competitive world, is of a much higher quality today than the venerable Paint and Wordpad have ever been, with programs such as Windows Live Writer and the world’s most popular Instant Messaging software, Windows Live Messenger, proving that Microsoft can create free software of high quality that people truly love.

We leave it to AVG’s J.R. Smith to make a pistol whipping, parting shot in Microsoft’s direction, who said that: “The exceptional ease of use and simplicity of AVG's products have long been a strong sell for the channel, providing more security strength and functionality at a much lower cost than Microsoft's anti-virus offerings. Given these tough economic times, our resellers appreciate the robust product margins we offer and the vitality of our end-user community to help drive future sales."