As the name implies, the Windows Live Safety Center is a free online service designed to protect your computer and fine-tune its operation. To start, the service's virus detection and cleaning software identifies and deletes viruses and malicious software and offers information on the latest security issues.
The center also evaluates hard drives for fragmentation and wasted disk space, and checks for open internet ports that may leave a computer vulnerable to outside attack. If the scan detects any problems, it lists them and then lets you choose to take steps to remedy them.
In use, Windows Live Safety Center scanner is downloaded and installed on your computer the first time you perform a scan. After this, the scanner checks for updates whenever you execute a scan. This way, the scan is updated with the latest virus definitions and new versions of the software.
After scanning, the program offers you the option to share your results and other information with Microsoft, which will use it to improve the scanner. If you choose to share information, Microsoft guarantees that the company will not use the service to collect personal information. The scanner can also be uninstalled at any time if you wish.
Safety Center supports Windows XP Home Edition, Windows XP Professional, Windows 2000 Professional, Windows Server 2003, and Windows 2000 Server; and works with Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher or MSN 9.0. For now, the Safety Center is only available in an English version.
You probably have a personal list of Web favorites — sites that you check and visit on a regular basis. But when you're away from your home computer, you have to recall URLs, which not only tests your memory, but your typing skills. To address this, Windows Live Favorites offers a service that lets you conveniently access your Internet Explorer and MSN Explorer Favorites from anywhere you are online, similar to the Bookmarks feature in the new 4.0 version of the Google Toolbar. It's like having your home browser travel with you wherever you go.
Even when you're away from your home computer, you can save links and "tag" new sites. The service treats "tags" as subjects or categories, which help you to organize and later call them back. You can also choose to share favorites with others or keep lists private. Live Favorites can be accessed anywhere from any computer that has Microsoft Internet Explorer version 6 SP1 (or later) or Mozilla Firefox.
Bottom Line
Microsoft is working to create a competitive future for its online products. Based on our look at beta versions of Windows Live Mail, Windows Messenger,
Windows Live Toolbar, Windows Live Safety Center and Windows Live Favorites, we see lots of promising new services and programs that make far better
and more efficient use of the Web than previous versions. These tools should easily keep Microsoft on pace with – and in many cases, ahead of – its competitors.
