Microsoft is moving towards an online pay-service for an all-in-one antivirus, antispyware, back-up, and Windows updates... its free to try the Beta version (http://www.windowsonecare.com/), but MS plans to go head-to-head with Norton with this.

Messenger 8 will be called "Windows Live Messenger" - it is also in Beta, you need an invite to try it (or you could check out this (http://www.liewcf.com/blog/archives/2006/01/install-windows-live-messenger-without-invitation/))

one warning though - you'll need a pretty fast system for these to work smoothly, because they are both resource hogs (this IS Microsoft)