Finally dumped Norton
 

Yep, after it screwing my email several times, I got rid of it. I am now using PC-cillin Internet Security and am loving it. So far, all the features and none of the problems of Norton.

Norton on the Mac side was fantastic at one time but then it started causing more problems then it solved. Haven't used their products in many years but it is all still made. Back when I did consulting I was forever removing it from systems.

I dumped that resource hog a couple years ago. Now I have a separate standalone firewall.

I've used pc-cillin for several years and am very satisified with it. the company i work for also uses it.

What problems were you having with it? I haven't had any (that I know of - LOL) since I upgraded last year to the newest version.

Norton was the cause of most of the pc issues I have had, the anti spam takes a huge amount of resources, once I realized it was that, I just changed my email to be checked from 1 minute to 15 minutes and have had little issues since.

I will continue to use Norton, but I am curious on pc-cillin

Eudora wouldn't connect with the mail server sometimes. So, I would shut down norton and it would work. No problems with the new one so far.

I don't use the anti-spam nor firewall in Norton (Eudora & Zone Alarm handle those things) so maybe that's why I have no issues?

I've been using AVG for awhile and haven't had a single problem of any sort so it must be doing it's job....I've heard lots of good things about PC-cillin and was tempted to try it but I took the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" attitude.

I use Norton with no problems, but I do here good things about PC-cillin too.

If I did not have to use IE and a few windows apps I would use FreeBSD full time though.

|waves|

I knew I had to get rid of Norton so I went to cnet to check the reviews and PC-cillin had the best. It was $50 and well worth it. Of course, I have a physical firewall now so I probably don't even need it.

Even with a physical firewall you still need Anti-Virus software.

My biggest problem with Norton is that it won't just do anti-virus and stay out of the rest of my stuff. The first thing I do when configuring a new computer for someone is remove the bundled Norton security package and install the free version of AVG and if a firewall is needed Zone Alarm.

I've dumped Norton about 2 years ago from all machines...

I'm now running the AVG free version, and must say it's doing a fab job (except that with the free version you can't set automatic scans for individual partitions - that's a feature of the paid version).

|peace|

It's funny, I hear a lot of people saying the same awful things about Norton all the time, but it's never done me wrong and I've been using Norton products for over 10 years. Maybe all you people go to the wrong Witchdoctor :D

i too dumped nortons along time ago, it seemed to cause alot of problems for me when i was on win98 se..now ive upgraded xp, but dont think i wanna slap it back on..

i prefer zone alarm too for a firewall..

ive always heard good things about pc-chillin too.

I used to use nortons but there was a bug that will cause it to hang if an email has the html code for a space in the subject. I started using AVG it is the free version and it works much better but I left nortons to do daily checks of my hd for viruses also so I actually run both now

Correct me if I'm wrong, but it sounds like everybody who has had problems with Norton is using the Internet Security software. I've used the Norton SystemWorks software ever since I got a computer in the mid 90's and haven't had a problem with a virus ever. It usually catches and deletes the viruses when they are downloaded. And I run the anti virus scan almost every night and it usually finds no infection. The software team that I use that keeps my computer clean is Norton SystemWorks, the free version of Zone Alarm as my firewall, and AdAware for spyware. If anyone is interested in a good way to protect their comp. that's what I'd recommend.:) Unless the people that are having problems are using Norton SystemWorks already.

I have used Mc A shit and norton I never update my version. It stays 8.1 I did have problems with the broader security version with all the bells so I uninstalled it and went back to the old one. I get them for free as my government account is still active. I never have to worry about paying for the updates. I never use a firewall. I don't see the point. If your sitting behind a NAT router you are safe unless you place yourself in the dmz and forget to remove yourself. Not many people can get threw the NAT. You can handshake the tcp connection and possibly get threw after that by udp but most hackers dont bother cause 99% of them are script shitheads and dont know how to really hack. The ones who do target places like ebay and the banks. Not your little system. Who was it who said "I rob banks cause thats where the money is" But its a valid statement cause they would have to search for a long time to find a rich persons computer and even then that person is not going to have all their eggs in 1 place like the stupid banks. Bank of America had 1/2 mil of their users stuff taken almost 1 year ago.

Another uses of Norton products for years here...never had a problem.

Running Norton Internet Security 2005...behind a router...and Norton AV. Also, running M$ spysweeper resident. I would agree that Norton IS a resource hog, but with 2 gig of memory...it's not really an issue on this machine :D

Have read lots of good things about Zone Alarm and PC cillan too |thumb

OKay, here is my take.

Hardware firewalls are the best. They remove your computer from direct connection to the internet. That removed many of the possible security breaches that can happen.

Set your email to not accept attachments. Email attachments are the source of about 99.9999999% of all viruses. Eliminate that single deal, and you have eliminated most of your risk.

If someone needs to send you an attachment, they will let you know. Direct them to your hotmail account, where it can be checked before your download it. Nobody should be sending you an attachments without warning anyway. If they are doing it, most of the time it's a virus.

I can go on... but by taking a couple of simple steps, you can remove much of the software you have protecting your PC and you can live a happier life. Protect your self, don't rely on others to do the job.

:)

Alex

Aren't most people behind a router?

If all your ports are closed, the default for most, why would you still need a firewall?

Plus with a router you are using NAT so unless you go in a forward a port to the private IP of your computer nothing is going to get forwarded there.

I guess with someone not using a router then you might want a firewall.

Then again what do I know… I'm a Mac user and we just don't have these issues and if we are feeling paranoid we can turn on the built-in firewall. (Mine is turned off BTW)

what alex said and set your mail box not to show a the preview payne, also I had trouble with NAV 05 it wouldnt do the live updates right after 6 or 7 months had to redownload and reinstall it and that fixed it also norton has to much BS added with it like the recycle bin protector that by default backs up your deletes, I backed up a few DVDS 8 or 9 gig in size and after I was done I went to delete the rips and WTF I never gained my space back so here to find out it holds them for a week - fuck that.. I turned all that shit off and defraged and cleaned and everything is working great again - so I havent renewed NAV and will look into what was mentined here...

So, this is what I have and you guys tell me if I need any software protection. I have my cable modem, a physical firewall, 3 wireless routers...1 with an omni-directional antenna that reaches about a mile, one with an antenna that reaches about a 1/4 mile and one with an internal antenna.

But even with the new firewall, I still get viruses.

A really cool feature with pc-cillin is that I can see if anyone else connects to my cable modem and disconnect them. You would think the firewall would do that.