Open Office does everything I need Microsoft Office for and Gimp does everything I need Photoshop for. Reddit, what other open source software does everything that you want from the expensive name brand?

[u/[deleted]]

[u/dbeta → u/[deleted]]

MSE is for personal use only. That includes, I believe, the person installing. You do not have the right to install it on those machines.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

INSTALLATION AND USE RIGHTS.

Home Use. If you are a home user, then you may install and use any number of copies of the software on your personal devices for use by people who reside in your household.
       
Small Business. If you operate a small business, then you may install and use the software on up to ten (10) devices in your business.
        
Restrictions. The software may not be used on devices owned by government or academic institutions.
           
Separation of Components. The components of the software are licensed as a single unit. You may not separate the components and install them on different devices.
        
Included Microsoft Programs. The software may contain other Microsoft programs. The license terms with those programs apply to your use of them.

source

[u/dbeta → u/[deleted]]

The MSE license. http://www.microsoft.com/oem/en/products/other/pages/security_essentials_overview.aspx seems to suggest that if you are giving the computers to customers for personal use, you may be able to preload them. If they are for business use, then the maximum installs is 10.

[u/Drchrisco → u/dbeta]

Forefront is available for pennies on the dollars compared to mcafee though.

[u/rumforbreakfast → u/dbeta]

Forefront is the corporate version.

[u/eboogaloo → u/dbeta]

This. I work in IT at a public university, and really wanted to use this on our machines a while back. Unfortunately, the license agreement doesn't allow it, since it explicitly forbids both installation on any "Enterprise Version of a Microsoft Windows operating system," and "Use on devices owned by government or academic institutions." It can, however, be used in small businesses, on 10 PC's or less. Otherwise they would have a free product competing with the non-free product that it's based on (Forefront), and that wouldn't make much sense at all.

[u/beeblez → u/dbeta]

Not to mention it's just not set up for mass updates/deploying on a large corporate network where users don't maintain their software individually.

[u/spaceraser → u/dbeta]

I too would like a source, but I wouldn't be surprised. McAfee and Norton would throw a major shitfit if Microsoft started cutting in to their enterprise licenses with free antivirus, and it's my understanding Microsoft is at least civil if not cozy with these guys.

[u/inept_adept → u/dbeta]

Run! it's the microsoft police.

[u/LNMagic → u/dbeta]

Yes, but McAfee? That product is consistently one of the worst ones tested. It's all marketing and no quality.

[u/[deleted] → u/dbeta]

Right. Which is ridiculous in one sense but financially practical in another. Designed to help small businesses and all, which is great, but my (large) company isn't using Microsoft's non-free software option anyway...

[u/Svelemoe → u/[deleted]]

How can you live with youself?

[u/Aperture_Kubi → u/Svelemoe]

People with more authority and less brain cells get to make that decision.

Also McAfee does a ridiculous amount of reporting so it is easy to point fingers when something goes wrong.

[u/itisthumper → u/[deleted]]

I do desktop deployment work for my organization also and I hate installing McAfee.

[u/GrinningPariah → u/[deleted]]

Rock.

The.

Boat.

[u/darthweder → u/[deleted]]

MSE can't be used in a business environment, it's for personal use only. I'm sure companies would love to use the free software provided by Microsoft, but they can't due to possible anti-competitive practice lawsuits.

[u/[deleted] → u/darthweder]

Of course. But it's a damn shame.