Help With Anti-Virus Software [Archive] - Front Office Football Central

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terpkristin

03-30-2007, 07:57 PM

Ok, I need some help/advice, and am hoping that some of the geniuses here can help me out. My VPN at work is changing a bit and they are now requiring all who use the VPN to have Symantec anti-virus software. Currently I'm using the free version of Avast (which I actually don't like very much), so obviously I'll need to get the Symantec stuff.

Going to Symantec's website, I see that for home users, it's the Norton line. My options are
Norton 360 ($70)
Norton Internet Security ($70)
Norton Anti-Virus ($40)

I'll be damned if I can figure out what I need. I guess I need a firewall and anti-virus stuff, but the rest of whatever is in the packages I'd rather not mess with (the spyware stuff etc adds bloat and I have Spybot S&D). Is the Anti-Virus software enough to give me the basics of protection? Or is Internet Security or 360 actually worth the $70? What's the difference between the latter two?

Thanks
/tk

RendeR

03-30-2007, 08:03 PM

st.cronin

03-30-2007, 08:06 PM

There are geniuses here?

terpkristin

03-30-2007, 08:09 PM

If they're forcing you to use it they had best be buying it for you. Seems a bit rediculous to have to buy something yourself because they decide its what they want to use when there are many cheaper and or FREE types out there that work better.

I use AVG antivirus, its free and it updates daily as well as not sucking your entire RAM load when it does a full scan.

I haven't figured out how that part works. I guess, even if they don't pay for it, it is a tax writeoff. Paying doesn't bother me too much, recently on TWiT (This Week in Tech podcast), they said that the Symantec product was one of the best out there. The absolute best was a combination of one of the free ones plus Symantec if I remember correctly.

/tk

Deattribution

03-30-2007, 08:15 PM

I know the Internet Security suite includes a software firewall, along with a popup blocker and a few other things, from briefing over the 360 version it seems to include some additional utilities on top of everything that the Security suite includes, and obviously the Anti-Virus is simply just that.

Newegg has the Norton Internet Security oem (no fancy box and whatnot) for 22.99 if you decide you can wait a few days.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832108053

MizzouRah

03-30-2007, 08:21 PM

I would just get the Norton Anti Virus for $40. All that other crap just sucks memory and slows your pc down.

terpkristin

03-30-2007, 08:28 PM

jeff061

03-30-2007, 08:42 PM

I would just get the Norton Anti Virus for $40. All that other crap just sucks memory and slows your pc down.

Agreed. If you are behind a router you don't need a firewall all that much, and if you do just keep it simple with the Windows firewall.

Working with a system filled to the brim with "security" software is almost as irritating as one filled with adware.

jeff061

03-30-2007, 08:43 PM

Is the Windoze Firewall sufficient to keep the stuff I don't want in out? The only reason I could see to get Internet Security over Anti-Virus is that it has a firewall which may help.

360 definitely seems like it'll be a lot of bloat. So does Internet Security but it doesn't seem like it's quite as much...

/tk

Only thing Windows firewall does not do is keep things inside from getting out. Which shouldn't be a problem if they don't get inside in the first place.

terpkristin

03-30-2007, 09:02 PM

Agreed. If you are behind a router you don't need a firewall all that much, and if you do just keep it simple with the Windows firewall.

Working with a system filled to the brim with "security" software is almost as irritating as one filled with adware.

Thanks for the input, Jeff.
Looks like Anti-Virus it is for me!

/tk

Mac Howard

03-30-2007, 09:16 PM

I don't like the Norton stuff or Symantec's attitude towards service:

I recently bought a new laptop with the full Norton security system installed for a 3 month trial. I was very disappointed with the performance of the machine even complaining to the supplier on the slow speed. They blamed the Norton software.

After three months the trial ran out and I removed the software (see my comments about service). The machine was transformed. It now performed as I had expected and significantly faster than before. The security software had slugged it appallingly.

On service: I used the Norton anti-virus stuff for a couple of years about 4 years ago. I'd renewed the subscription about 2 months earlier when my hard disk went walkabout and I had to reinstall Windows. I emailed Symantec about getting the Norton anti-virus software up and running again - I had around 10 months of my 12 month sub remaining. I emailed them and emailed them, used their web site feedback, both here in Australia and the US, tried everything I could to get a response but never got a bleep out of any of them. In the end I simply had to put it down to experience and go elsewhere.

For the moment the laptop, used for game development, is kept offline for maximum security but it won't be protected by Norton when it goes back on.

terpkristin

03-30-2007, 09:20 PM

I don't like the Norton stuff or Symantic's attitude towards service:

I recently bought a new laptop with the full Norton security system installed for a 3 month trial. I was very disappointed with the performance of the machine even complaining to the supplier on the slow speed. They blamed the Norton software.

After three months the trial ran out and I removed the software (see my comments about service). The machine was transformed. It now performed as I had expected and significantly faster than before. The security software had slugged it appallingly.

On service: I used the Norton anti-virus stuff for a couple of years about 4 years ago. I'd renewed the subscription about 2 months earlier when my hard disk went walkabout and I had to reinstall Windows. I emailed Symantic about getting the Norton anti-virus software up and running again - I had around 10 months of my 12 month sub remaining. I emailed them and emailed them, used their web site feedback, both here in Australia and the US, tried everything I could to get a response but never got a bleep out of any of them. In the end I simply had to put it down to experience.

For the moment the laptop, used for game development, is kept offline for maximum security but it won't be protected by Norton when it goes back on.

That's certainly discouraging! I hope I don't run into the same problems (or at least, never need help from their service group), as I don't really have much of a choice on it. I need to use the VPN. Therefore I need to get Symantec.

I guess we'll see how it impacts my computer. I'm definitely averse to that type of thing, which is why I wanted to get the least-bloated product.

/tk

AgustusM

03-30-2007, 10:50 PM

I have had the same experience with Norton.

back in the day I thought Norton made excellent products, but with each passing year their software has become more bloated and bogs down every machine I see it on.

I have recently been using and been happy with the Zone Alarm Internet Suite which includes firewall, av, anti-spy, anti-spam. does the job and I don't notice any slowdown.

I do realize of course this doesn't help you at all since they are requiring Symantec - odd they would require it and not supply it, but I would go with the basic and the windows firewall.

Scarecrow

03-31-2007, 08:17 AM

I've been against norton ever since I bought it and a month later it told me that I had been infected by a virus - didn't try to quarrantine it, or delete it, just told me I got one. Lost everything.

Now I stick with Avast - it's free, has automatic daily updates, and uses very little memory.