I always avoid McAfee and Norton takes up so much of your RAM and slows load up times quite a lot, I always advise customers to either remove it or remove it when their subscription is up. Personally it depends on what you use your computer for, if it's just general web checks and email you'll be perfectly fine with AVG or Avira and Spybot: Search and Destroy. If your using the internet for more than that and you have kids etc i'd look at investing in Eset:Nod32 anti virus, just as good as Norton and McAfee if not better and doesn't slow your load time down or hog your RAM.
McAfee. We've been in business for over 10 years and used McAfee all the time. Never, ever, ever been infected on any of our computers.
I actively dicourage my clients for using Norton. Past experience has been bad. One memorable occasion a few years ago there was a massive virus outbreak (sorry can't remember what the virus was). Before the updates came out, McAfee spotted it as a potential virus although didn't know which one. Stopped over 2000 infestations over the weekend. On Monday I went to a client (a boarding school) and all their IT was down having been infected. The virus had got past Norton without being spotted.
I have many clients and friends who swear at Norton and hate it. Off hand I can't think of any that love it.
Sorry Norton fans, that's my experience - YMMV
If you are using a Linux system I'd recommend Clam. It's free. It's also being ported to windows as ClamWin, but as yet doesn't do "on demand" scanning. Keep an eye on this
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Trevor Wood Redline Digital Services website development, business continuity planning and disaster recovery Network Midlands business networking events and corporate event management
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I understand where Trevor is coming from on this one.
Norton seems to be a marmite thing - you either love it or hate it.
I hate it. I have had several clients get in a right mess thanks to Norton not working as it was expected to, leading to computers being wiped and having to be set up again. Never a good thing, especially if your backup routines are not meticulous and up to date.
I know of only one person now using Nortonand she thinks it is the best thing since sliced bread. But I do know that person has never had a virus/trojan issue - now, is that Norton, pot luck, or what?
I am sure we all like the anti virus we use but the real test is what happens when an attack hits. Does the software stop it in it's tracks (as it should) and clean the contamination off the hard drive? or does it sit there (my experience of Norton) and merely watch what happens, whistling tunelessly in the corner, whilst the virus does it's worst?
The only infected emails I have received have come from Norton protected machines! Fortunately AVG said "Aha", stopped them dead immediately, and recommended I contact the sender by phone to let them know they have issues!
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Ray Stewart
"Got an accounting or tax question? I'll answer it personally for you here: Ask Me A Question"
Free of charge and no obligation
I have used AVG Norton Mcafee amongst others and each have there issues, a couple of months ago I switched to eset, its light on resource but is 100% solid its a fantastic antivirus and firewall solution, not as intrusive as the others, and one I will stick with for a long time to come yet
Most of the ones quoted seem to have become targets for hackers - didn't Norton once "deny" that a virus existed in a high profile case a while back cos they didn't catch it?
Am a big fan of kaspersky - if you have online banking with Barclays you can get a free 3 user license of their internet security.
I never knew that Dave.
Perhaps I am not such a good customer as you... I always give them stick about every charge they dare to try and put through. They are probably sick of me
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Ray Stewart
"Got an accounting or tax question? I'll answer it personally for you here: Ask Me A Question"
Free of charge and no obligation
I'd hardly describe myself as a 'good' customer I, like you, am always on at them if they try and fob me off with any charges -- but if you log on to the internet banking, I believe it is bottom left hand corner of webapge, it says about offers and mentions kaspersky