Did MS kill Giant?

Blue Jack · January 14th, 2005

I was running Giant before MS bought them, and I loved it. I was going to buy a license, then I heard about their sale, so I waited.

So I finally download the MS beta version of it, update it and do a scan. Surprisingly, it finds nothing. Now, I know, I get a lot of minor ads from certain gaming forums, to I revisited the sites, and rerun a scan. Again: nothing.

Open up the old adaware SE, do a scan: 43 critical objects detected.

Oh was has MS done to my great Giant?

**rushm001** · January 14th, 2005

Still use Spam Inspector. I really hope Microsoft don't shaft it up!

**NetRyder** · January 15th, 2005

As far as I know, MS hasn't really done anything to the scanning engine yet, so it should be the same product as Giant's...just rebranded, of course. If you really want to verify this, try to find a trial version of the last version that Giant released from a third-party source (I'm sure it's available somewhere), install it and run a scan. Then do the same with the MS-acquired version. You shouldn't see a difference in results.

From this point on, things will probably change though, since a Microsoft team is now going to continue development.

**perris** · January 15th, 2005

microsoft surely had to get rid of the "too aggresive" tag giant allready had.

it was a work in progress before ms bought it, and it's still a work in progress, (beta we must remember)...ms also has unpublished ap's that no one else has, so it should wind up being a much better app.

**NetRyder** · January 15th, 2005

The difference is Giant was selling this as a commercial product before it was perfected. Pretty weird...
It's a nice app overall though. Has some good features and is easy enough for a newbie to use without any problems.

polyglory · January 15th, 2005

Originally Posted by perris

microsoft surely had to get rid of the "too aggresive" tag giant allready had.

it was a work in progress before ms bought it, and it's still a work in progress, (beta we must remember)...ms also has unpublished ap's that no one else has, so it should wind up being a much better app.

Lets hope so Perris, they have the expertise and money to get it perfected, lets hope they don't take their eye of the ball.

I purchased it before they took it over, so lets hope they don't let the purchasers of Giant down, Time will tell

**Glaanieboy** · January 15th, 2005

Are we talking about the spyware beta version MS released earlier? Then it just detects the 10 most popular adware thingies, because it's just a test version.

**NetRyder** · January 15th, 2005

Originally Posted by Glaanieboy

Are we talking about the spyware beta version MS released earlier? Then it just detects the 10 most popular adware thingies, because it's just a test version.

I think you might be referring to the virus removal tool that was released a couple of weeks after the AntiSpyware app.

The virus removal tool, like you said, detects and removes only some of the most widespread worms like MSBlast, Sasser etc. It's not meant to be a replacement for true antivirus software.

The AntiSpyware app detects far more than 10 malware pieces. In fact, there have been a couple of signature updates since the initial release too.

**Khayman** · January 15th, 2005

I detects more that that

, I had it detect a few things spybot didn't (and vice versa of course)

**Glaanieboy** · January 15th, 2005

Originally Posted by NetRyder

I think you might be referring to the virus removal tool that was released a couple of weeks after the AntiSpyware app.

The virus removal tool, like you said, detects and removes only some of the most widespread worms like MSBlast, Sasser etc. It's not meant to be a replacement for true antivirus software.

The AntiSpyware app detects far more than 10 malware pieces. In fact, there have been a couple of signature updates since the initial release too.

Ah, didn't know there was an antivirus tool. Thanks man.

**NetRyder** · January 15th, 2005

Originally Posted by Glaanieboy

Ah, didn't know there was an antivirus tool. Thanks man.

Not a problem.

**Johnny** · January 16th, 2005

About the only thing MS did to the program so far was change the logos and such .. I don't believe they touched the code. They didn't have time from the time they bought it to the time they released it to do any code adjustments to it ..

**vern** · January 16th, 2005

Originally Posted by Glaanieboy

Ah, didn't know there was an antivirus tool. Thanks man.

I was under the impression that it was just an adware detection and removal tool, and not a full blown anti-virus.

**NetRyder** · January 17th, 2005

Originally Posted by vern

I was under the impression that it was just an adware detection and removal tool, and not a full blown anti-virus.

There are two products - one is the antispyware app (acquired from Giant) and the other is a virus/worm removal tool that detects and removes common worms like Sasser, Blaster, Gaobot etc.

The former is still a beta. It's a complete solution like Ad-Aware Pro (with some other useful features), with a realtime malware monitor and an automatic signature update system.

The latter is a small download that's automatically delivered via Windows Update on the second Tuesday of each month. Unlike the antispyware tool, this is not a replacement for third-party software, as I mentioned above, since it only detects and removes the most common viruses/worms, and does not include a realtime scanning engine.

January 14th, 2005	Top \| #1
Blue Jack OSNN Addict Joined: January 2004 Posts: 103 Reputation: 50 Power: 103	Did MS kill Giant? I was running Giant before MS bought them, and I loved it. I was going to buy a license, then I heard about their sale, so I waited. So I finally download the MS beta version of it, update it and do a scan. Surprisingly, it finds nothing. Now, I know, I get a lot of minor ads from certain gaming forums, to I revisited the sites, and rerun a scan. Again: nothing. Open up the old adaware SE, do a scan: 43 critical objects detected. Oh was has MS done to my great Giant?

January 15th, 2005	Top \| #3
NetRyder Tech Junkie Joined: April 2002 Location: New York City Posts: 13,256 Reputation: 4260 Power: 298	As far as I know, MS hasn't really done anything to the scanning engine yet, so it should be the same product as Giant's...just rebranded, of course. If you really want to verify this, try to find a trial version of the last version that Giant released from a third-party source (I'm sure it's available somewhere), install it and run a scan. Then do the same with the MS-acquired version. You shouldn't see a difference in results. From this point on, things will probably change though, since a Microsoft team is now going to continue development. http://kunal.kundaje.net

January 15th, 2005	Top \| #4
perris OSNN Godlike Veteran Joined: January 2002 Location: new york Posts: 12,258 Reputation: 4333 Power: 291	microsoft surely had to get rid of the "too aggresive" tag giant allready had. it was a work in progress before ms bought it, and it's still a work in progress, (beta we must remember)...ms also has unpublished ap's that no one else has, so it should wind up being a much better app. IT'S NOT WHAT YOU'VE DONE IT'S WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO DO

January 15th, 2005	Top \| #5
NetRyder Tech Junkie Joined: April 2002 Location: New York City Posts: 13,256 Reputation: 4260 Power: 298	The difference is Giant was selling this as a commercial product before it was perfected. Pretty weird... It's a nice app overall though. Has some good features and is easy enough for a newbie to use without any problems. http://kunal.kundaje.net

January 15th, 2005	Top \| #6
polyglory Walkabout Specialist Joined: December 2001 Location: Belgium Posts: 146 Reputation: 20 Power: 128	Originally Posted by perris microsoft surely had to get rid of the "too aggresive" tag giant allready had. it was a work in progress before ms bought it, and it's still a work in progress, (beta we must remember)...ms also has unpublished ap's that no one else has, so it should wind up being a much better app. Lets hope so Perris, they have the expertise and money to get it perfected, lets hope they don't take their eye of the ball. I purchased it before they took it over, so lets hope they don't let the purchasers of Giant down, Time will tell Nec Aspera Terrent As you slide down the Banister of Life, may the splinters never point in the wrong direction.

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January 14th, 2005	Top \| #2
rushm001 In the beginning...... Joined: September 2002 Location: Norfolk, UK Posts: 3,480 Reputation: 1370 Power: 165	Still use Spam Inspector. I really hope Microsoft don't shaft it up!

January 15th, 2005	Top \| #7
Glaanieboy OSNN Veteran Addict Joined: March 2002 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 2,626 Reputation: 270 Power: 153	Are we talking about the spyware beta version MS released earlier? Then it just detects the 10 most popular adware thingies, because it's just a test version.

January 15th, 2005	Top \| #8
NetRyder Tech Junkie Joined: April 2002 Location: New York City Posts: 13,256 Reputation: 4260 Power: 298	Originally Posted by Glaanieboy Are we talking about the spyware beta version MS released earlier? Then it just detects the 10 most popular adware thingies, because it's just a test version. I think you might be referring to the virus removal tool that was released a couple of weeks after the AntiSpyware app. The virus removal tool, like you said, detects and removes only some of the most widespread worms like MSBlast, Sasser etc. It's not meant to be a replacement for true antivirus software. The AntiSpyware app detects far more than 10 malware pieces. In fact, there have been a couple of signature updates since the initial release too. http://kunal.kundaje.net

January 15th, 2005	Top \| #9
Khayman I'm sorry Hal... Joined: January 2002 Location: England Posts: 5,514 Reputation: 1210 Power: 194	I detects more that that , I had it detect a few things spybot didn't (and vice versa of course) "I'm on the server side. I don't know what side you're on"

January 15th, 2005	Top \| #10
Glaanieboy OSNN Veteran Addict Joined: March 2002 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 2,626 Reputation: 270 Power: 153	Originally Posted by NetRyder I think you might be referring to the virus removal tool that was released a couple of weeks after the AntiSpyware app. The virus removal tool, like you said, detects and removes only some of the most widespread worms like MSBlast, Sasser etc. It's not meant to be a replacement for true antivirus software. The AntiSpyware app detects far more than 10 malware pieces. In fact, there have been a couple of signature updates since the initial release too. Ah, didn't know there was an antivirus tool. Thanks man.

January 15th, 2005	Top \| #11
NetRyder Tech Junkie Joined: April 2002 Location: New York City Posts: 13,256 Reputation: 4260 Power: 298	Originally Posted by Glaanieboy Ah, didn't know there was an antivirus tool. Thanks man. Not a problem. http://kunal.kundaje.net

January 16th, 2005	Top \| #12
Johnny Paul Reed Smith Joined: January 2004 Location: Happy Valley Posts: 4,869 Reputation: 2369 Power: 173	About the only thing MS did to the program so far was change the logos and such .. I don't believe they touched the code. They didn't have time from the time they bought it to the time they released it to do any code adjustments to it .. Paul Reed Smith.

January 16th, 2005	Top \| #13
vern Dominus Joined: March 2002 Location: Minnesota, USA Posts: 1,570 Reputation: 660 Power: 146	Originally Posted by Glaanieboy Ah, didn't know there was an antivirus tool. Thanks man. I was under the impression that it was just an adware detection and removal tool, and not a full blown anti-virus. free illegal pr0n @ ribbed.us

January 17th, 2005	Top \| #14
NetRyder Tech Junkie Joined: April 2002 Location: New York City Posts: 13,256 Reputation: 4260 Power: 298	Originally Posted by vern I was under the impression that it was just an adware detection and removal tool, and not a full blown anti-virus. There are two products - one is the antispyware app (acquired from Giant) and the other is a virus/worm removal tool that detects and removes common worms like Sasser, Blaster, Gaobot etc. The former is still a beta. It's a complete solution like Ad-Aware Pro (with some other useful features), with a realtime malware monitor and an automatic signature update system. The latter is a small download that's automatically delivered via Windows Update on the second Tuesday of each month. Unlike the antispyware tool, this is not a replacement for third-party software, as I mentioned above, since it only detects and removes the most common viruses/worms, and does not include a realtime scanning engine. http://kunal.kundaje.net

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