PC Cybertek

I’m not a big fan of Norton Anti Virus or Internet Security. Norton Anti Virus was the best selling software I ever sold at the computer store. Most the time, customers had no problem installing it, unless they were buying it because they were already infected. In which case, I don’t fault Norton AV if it wouldn’t install because many virus attack Norton.

Then Syamntec decided it needed copy protection. I think it was 2004. All of the sudden, most of the people that bought Norton couldn’t get it installed. If they had ever installed any other anti virus, even Norton, it wouldn’t install. Many of my customers were upset. Some even went to the website and downloaded a program that was supposed to fix it so they could install it, and that didn’t work either. When I had to charge people an hour labor, which didn’t even cover the time I spent, they were even more upset. My fix was to go in to safe mode, find and remove every program and directory named either Norton or Symantec. Then I would have to do the same in the registry. Then it would finally install. If Norton wasn’t to blame, this wouldn’t have fixed it. Not to mention what a system hog it had become. Many times it would just break and I would have to go through all of that to reinstall it. Too many alienated customers later, I quit selling Norton altogether and would only offer it if they were buying a computer from me. By the way, I tried installing NAV 2006 on a computer at work several years ago and spen hours trying to get it to install, so apparently it still isn’t any easier. That way I knew it would install because it had a fresh OS on it. Just so you know, I use ESET NOD32 which is why I have an add for it. I have never had a single problem installing or updating it. It uses less system resources and has a more complete virus definition data base. And that computer at work that wouldn’t install NAV 2006, NOD32 installed without a hitch. It makes me wonder if all that copy protection actually increased profits at all. The funny thing is, the copy protection didn’t stop the pirates, it was available for download. Ironically, it wasn’t the copy protection that kept pirates from sharing it, it was how bad the program had become.

So when I saw this video, I had to post it here. Between my experience with Norton and working at a TV station, where we use stuff like Power Point while broadcasting, I couldn’t pass this up.