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From here:

ウイルスが入らないようにするソフトの中には、このメールのウイルスを見つけることができないものもあります。
There is also a feature where you can't find these e-mail viruses in the software whose purpose is to make sure that there are no virsues.

I'm unsure how to deal with もの in this sentence. I'm wondering whether "feature" is a valid translation (it certainly isn't one I've seen before).

Or perhaps I should treat ...ものもある more generally as "it is also the case that...". Would that work?

On a separate subject, I was surprised to see の中に used to describe the relationship between the virus and the anti-virus software. When I read this it sounds like the virus can't be found inside the anti-virus software rather than that the anti-virus software can't find the virus. If I'd tried to write this sentence I'd have written ソフトでは (with で having the "using/by means of" meaning). Am I wrong?

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I assume the English translation you provided is of your own creation. Regardless, it's not quite accurate.

ウイルスが入らないようにするソフトの中には、このメールのウイルスを見つけることができないものもあります

Is saying:

Among software for preventing the entry of viruses, there are some which cannot find this mail virus.

The English here may sound stiff because I've gone for a very direct translation, but the point is that もの is referring to instance(s) of ウイルスが入らないようにするソフト.

ウイルスが入らないようにするソフトの中には

Is pretty clearly Among software for preventing the entry of viruses, and then

このメールのウイルスを見つけることができないものもあります

Is, if we translate super literally, something like there are also things which cannot find this mail virus. However, since we know we're already talking about antivirus software from the previous half of the sentence, it's safe to say that these things are things which happen to be antivirus software.

もの sees some uses like this where in English we would typically use words like those or some, in this case for there are those/some which cannot find this mail virus.

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  • How embarrassing. I really should have seen that. Thanks. Aug 13, 2018 at 22:22

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