Microsoft today will make its Windows OneCare Live “computer-health” service available free in a test, as reported in today’s Wall Street Journal. The Redmond giant plans to charge a monthly subscription fee once the service is formally launched next year.OneCare, according to Microsoft, brings together antivirus, firewall, backup-and-recovery and PC-maintenance software under an umbrella service, and positions the company to enter the security-software market against rivals Symantec and McAfee.The trial is part of Microsoft’s approach to marketing software as a service. Google and Salesforce.com have led the way in selling subscriptions and online-advertising in place of selling software packages. SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe Microsoft’s approach is based on two services: OneCare and an ad-supported Web site dubbed the Windows Live Safety Center, which offers free virus cleanups. Together, they will make PC care similar to car maintenance, says Ryan Hamlin, general manager of Microsoft’s technology care-and-safety group. “This is not for the super tech savvy,” Hamlin says. “This is for the common Windows user who just wants their PC to be safe.”OneCare seeks to respond to Microsoft market research that revealed that computers have become a source of frustration to customers, and users didn’t know if they were doing the right things to keep their machines running. –David Rosenbaum Related content opinion The changing face of cybersecurity threats in 2023 Cybersecurity has always been a cat-and-mouse game, but the mice keep getting bigger and are becoming increasingly harder to hunt. By Dipti Parmar Sep 29, 2023 8 mins Cybercrime Security brandpost Should finance organizations bank on Generative AI? Finance and banking organizations are looking at generative AI to support employees and customers across a range of text and numerically-based use cases. By Jay Limbasiya, Global AI, Analytics, & Data Management Business Development, Unstructured Data Solutions, Dell Technologies Sep 29, 2023 5 mins Artificial Intelligence brandpost Embrace the Generative AI revolution: a guide to integrating Generative AI into your operations The CTO of SAP shares his experiences and learnings to provide actionable insights on navigating the GenAI revolution. By Juergen Mueller Sep 29, 2023 4 mins Artificial Intelligence feature 10 most in-demand generative AI skills Gen AI is booming, and companies are scrambling to fill skills gaps by hiring freelancers to make the most of the technology. These are the 10 most sought-after generative AI skills on the market right now. By Sarah K. White Sep 29, 2023 8 mins Hiring Generative AI IT Skills Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe