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<p class=MsoNormal><strong><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>FYI<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></strong></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><strong><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></strong></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><strong><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></strong></p>
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style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></strong></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><strong><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>Reuters </span></font></b></strong>07 Jan 2005, 08:21<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><strong><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>SOFTWARE SUPREMO</span></font></b></strong>,
Microsoft, has entered the world of virus fighting with a free security program
to remove spyware. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>The
program, which comes with its own monthly updates, is seen as a move towards
the creation of a full antivirus software suite later this year. The program,
which can be downloaded from the Microsoft site, just removes spyware after it
has been installed and is a cure rather than a prevention. However this seems
to be just step one in Vole's cunning plan to compete against programs from
McAfee and Symantec. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>The
software giant bought a Romanian antivirus firm, GeCAD Software, and the
wide-scale belief is that Vole will have a fully functional AV product in the
shops by March. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>AV
makers, who have usually been happy to squabble amongst themselves about who is
the best, might be a little concerned that a large hairy vole is playing in
their yard. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Symantec
shares have dropped by six percent and McAfee were down by around four percent
yesterday as Microsoft's news was announced. While Microsoft's free software is
not an immediate threat, there is the fear that Vole will use its size and
influence to expand into markets now dominated by those companies. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Not that
Vole would ever do anything like that. Because it would not. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Update<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=760
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>SEATTLE (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp. (MSFT.O: <a
href="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=MSFT.O&target=%2fstocks%2fquickinfo%2ffullquote"
title="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=MSFT.O&target=%2fstocks%2fquickinfo%2ffullquote">Quote</a>,
<a href="http://www.investor.reuters.com/CompanyOverview.aspx?ticker=MSFT.O"
title="http://www.investor.reuters.com/CompanyOverview.aspx?ticker=MSFT.O">Profile</a>,
<a href="http://www.investor.reuters.com/StockReports.aspx?ticker=MSFT.O"
title="http://www.investor.reuters.com/StockReports.aspx?ticker=MSFT.O">Research</a>)
began offering anti-spyware program downloads for Windows users on Thursday,
taking the first step in offering its own computer security products and
sending shares of security software vendors lower. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>The new
software, which eliminates programs that generate unwanted pop-up ads and
secretly record a computer user's activities, is based on a program from
Giant Company Software Inc., which Microsoft acquired last month for an
undisclosed amount. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Windows
AntiSpyware was launched in beta, or test, mode. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>The
world's largest software maker also said that it would also begin offering a
tool next week to remove viruses and other malicious software from computers.
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Both
programs are part of an effort by the Redmond, Washington-based company to
offer its own computer and Internet security software. Microsoft is also
preparing a subscription service, code-named "A1," to provide
regular updates for such software. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Shares
in McAfee Inc. (MFE.N: <a
href="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=MFE.N&target=%2fstocks%2fquickinfo%2ffullquote"
title="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=MFE.N&target=%2fstocks%2fquickinfo%2ffullquote">Quote</a>,
<a href="http://www.investor.reuters.com/CompanyOverview.aspx?ticker=MFE.N"
title="http://www.investor.reuters.com/CompanyOverview.aspx?ticker=MFE.N">Profile</a>,
<a href="http://www.investor.reuters.com/StockReports.aspx?ticker=MFE.N"
title="http://www.investor.reuters.com/StockReports.aspx?ticker=MFE.N">Research</a>)
and Symantec Corp. (SYMC.O: <a
href="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=SYMC.O&target=%2fstocks%2fquickinfo%2ffullquote"
title="http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=SYMC.O&target=%2fstocks%2fquickinfo%2ffullquote">Quote</a>,
<a href="http://www.investor.reuters.com/CompanyOverview.aspx?ticker=SYMC.O"
title="http://www.investor.reuters.com/CompanyOverview.aspx?ticker=SYMC.O">Profile</a>,
<a href="http://www.investor.reuters.com/StockReports.aspx?ticker=SYMC.O"
title="http://www.investor.reuters.com/StockReports.aspx?ticker=SYMC.O">Research</a>)
, the two largest computer security software vendors, fell sharply on
Thursday in response to the news. McAfee was down 5.4 percent, at $25.20 in
late New York Stock Exchange trade while Symantec shares were 6.8 percent
lower at $23.33 on Nasdaq. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Microsoft
has been working for the last three years to improve the security and
reliability of its software under its Trustworthy Computing initiative, as
more and more malicious software targets weaknesses in Windows and other
Microsoft software. <br>
<!-- article text ends --><br>
<script>
var year = new Date()
document.write('© Reuters ' + year.getFullYear() + ". All Rights Reserved." );
</script><span class=note>) Reuters 2005. All Rights Reserved. </span><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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12.0pt'><br>
<br>
<br>
</span></font><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:
Arial'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:PersonName w:st="on"><font size=2 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Renate Bloem</span></font></st1:PersonName><br>
<font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>President
of the Conference of NGOs (<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">CONGO</st1:place></st1:country-region>)<br>
11, Avenue de la Paix<br>
CH-1202 <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Geneva</st1:place></st1:City><br>
Tel: +41 22 301 1000<br>
Fax: +41 22 301 2000<br>
E-mil: <a href="mailto:rbloem@ngocongo.org">rbloem@ngocongo.org</a><br>
Website: <a href="http://www.ngocongo.org">www.ngocongo.org</a></span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>The Conference of NGOs (CONGO) is an international,
membership association that facilitates the participation of NGOs in United
Nations debates and decisions. Founded in 1948, <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">CONGO</st1:place></st1:country-region>'s major objective is to
ensure the presence of NGOs in exchanges among the world's governments and
United Nations agencies on issues of global concern. For more information
see our website at <a href="http://www.ngocongo.org">www.ngocongo.org</a></span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<h3><b><font size=4 color=red face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
13.5pt;color:red'>Reminder</span></font><font color=navy><span
style='color:navy'>: <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">CONGO</st1:place></st1:country-region>
Postal Address Has Changed<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></h3>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font
size=3 color=navy face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
color:navy'>We will soon be unable to receive mail at our old address at the
Palais des Nations in <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Geneva</st1:place></st1:City>.
So please make sure to update your records with <st1:country-region w:st="on">CONGO</st1:country-region>'s
new <st1:City w:st="on">Geneva</st1:City> office postal address:<b><span
style='font-weight:bold'> CP 50, 1211 Genéve 20, <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Switzerland</st1:place></st1:country-region>.</span></b> Our
physical office address is 11, Avenue De La Paix, 1st Floor, 1202 <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Genéve</st1:City>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Switzerland</st1:country-region></st1:place>.</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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