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back to article EU expresses 'private concerns' about Intel buyout of McAfee

Brussels could kick-start an anti-trust investigation into Intel’s planned $7.68bn buyout of anti-virus software maker McAfee Inc. European Union watchdogs have privately expressed concerns when undertaking an initial review of the agreement, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday. The newspaper cited sources familiar …

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I see where they are coming from but...

    Following the EU's argument to it's logical conclusion, they would be in favour of preventing Intel from ever including security onto the chip, even if they developed it themselves. That stance would obviously is ridiculous. In that case, why would buying in such expertise, instead of developing it all from scratch be of concern?

    It seems to me that if a security software firm were to complain (I'm not saying any have), then they could be construed as trying to promote an unsafe environment for computing to be performed in.

    Discuss...

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    1. Paul Crawford Silver badge
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      Anti-competative inclusion?

      The key point is not Intel developing security measures, but what they do with that in the market place.

      Situation #1 is they come up with an open standard for it, and this is well publicised so Intel and AMD can make bit-compatible implementations. Then McAfee and others (AVG, Avira, ....) can implement software that uses them to the advantage of all customers.

      Situation #2 is they implement a secret, and potentially untrustworthy system where only McAfee can make much use of it, push it out with strong marketing and FUD, then screw the users for every $CURRENCY_UNIT they can.

      Now can you guess which is more likely?

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  2. Velv
    Jobs Horns

    Errrrr.

    "could embed security functions into its chips and whether any of them could be reserved"

    Isn't this what Apple already do - they control what functions are available, and restrict who can use them and for what purpose.

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  3. Alan Brown Silver badge
    Grenade

    Make-a-fee

    While McAfee was running a dog-and-pony show punting his software at $20 for the scanner, $20 for the cleaner and $20 for the antivirus, he didn't spend enough time doing actual research.

    End result was that EVERY AV vendor leapfrogged what the software could do - and was cheaper too.

    That anyone still buys the bloated crapware 20 years on is testament to the power of marketing.

    The best thing Intel can do with McAfee software is tie a rock to it and use it as a boat anchor.

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  4. Anonymous Coward
    Unhappy

    Security software does not belong on a CPU

    That would greatly effect the security software market if its put on a Intel CPU. I vote NO!!!!!!!!!!

    Don't take away my rights to use whatever software I choose. Soon Intel will wnat to put other software on the the CPU. Intel has lost every antitrust suit with AMD, when will they learn. By the way Intel and AMD have a cross licensing agreement, they share technology. AMD rules!

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