Microsoft Security Essentials

Running Windows XP SP 3.
I've just learned of the new free program from MS. If I understand
correctly, I should uninstall my current (and paid-up) A-V program (CA).
For a home user, not on a network or a workgroup, it this adviseable?
Also, what about Windows Defender? Should it also be uninstalled?
Will this product actually put McAffee, Norton, et al. out of business?
Should we expect another "anti-trust" action against MS because of
complaints from its competitors?

Or make sure that CA's real time component is disabled.

You must play by MSE's rules to use it properly.

No need. It will be disabled with any MSE install. Windows Defender
/is/ a part of MSE too.

Can't you feel the earth shaking beneath your feet? :-) MSE is now
another player. In all seriousness, one would wish that it would
stimulate all of MSE's competitors into more improvements in their
products. Avira and some others need not worry yet.

....and let all those lawyers off with nothing to do. The devil you say...

I guess what I'm really wondering is whether I would be well advised to drop
my current A-V program and rely exclusively on the new MSE. My subscription
to CA is paid up through next summer. I like the program, though we did have
a recent SNAFU when it mis-identified, and quaratined, a long list of benign
files.
One of the things I like doing is manually acquiring the updates and running
the scans. With Windows Updates, I am notified when they are available, but
I download them when I want to. Would MSE offer me that option, or would I
find downloads being installed and scans run while I'm in the middle of a
project?

If your present Anti virus is paid for and good till next June stay with it.
You aint gonna get your money back.

I run MSE on a Vista machine and a W7 machine. WSE runs automatically at
2AM.
The "update" happens at 1AM or manually. Windows Update does not seem to
"read"
the fact that WSE needs an update. Yesterdays updates (which I di Manually)
had no mention
of WSE and after doing those updates I then manually checked for an MSE
update while in MSE.

Your advice to stay with my present A-V program for the time being is well
taken. Apparently your computer is on 24/7. Ours is shut down overnight. But
I take it that I will have the option of acquiring MSE updates and running
scans on my initiative--that it does not have to run automatically on a
"schedule."