Security firm protests Microsoft updates

Microsoft has added its Windows Security Essentials package to the list of optional downloads available through its automated updates. That’s prompted complaints from one security software manufacturer that such practice is uncompetitive.
Trend Micro says tying the Windows Update system to software applications may breach competition rules. It describes Microsoft’s actions as “a vendor using market leverage to drive its solution in some unfair way.”
The dispute may become extremely complicated from a legal perspective thanks to the way Microsoft is distributing the security software. Technically its on offer through Microsoft Update, which takes care of updates for standalone Microsoft updates, rather than through Windows Update, which does the same for the operating system itself.
However, in Vista and Windows 7, Windows Update automatically checks for updates from Microsoft Update. (See what I mean about confusing?)
For its part, Microsoft is stressing that the service is an entirely optional download and that no users will have it installed unless they specifically opt to do so. (That’s in contrast to Internet Explorer being installed by default in Windows which, to say the least, has caused regulatory problems.) It also notes that Windows Security Essentials is only offered to customers who don’t appear to have any form of security product already in place.
To me, this appears to be a case of Microsoft’s past behavior coming back to bite it. In principle, a software company producing free security software and offering it on an optional basis to users that don’t already have a rival security package in place should be seen as a good thing.
The problem is that Microsoft has such as history of blurring the line between Windows and Microsoft-produced applications that it shouldn’t really be surprising when an independent application developer comes up with such a complaint, even if, as seems to be the case here, it’s simply trying its luck.