Cheap Norton Internet Security 2004 (Software) (Windows 98, Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows Me, Windows XP) Price

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Customer Reviews of Norton Internet Security 2004

This is my third virus protection program and the second from Norton. It is my first firewall program. My Norton 2000 Virus software is: #1. outdated and #2. about ready for its annual subscription payment of $25. After finally leaving a dial up connection for the real world of broadband it was time for some serious protection.

I'll get to the criticisms in a second but let me say that the installation goes quickly and smoothly. The accompaning reference manual is huge compared to the typical tacky flyers that so many programs now have. Or else they tell you to visit their Internet site which doesn't help much when your computer won't even start. The program itself is very well organized in its setup once you begin to get a feel for it. The help manual within the program is as good as the hard copy. All of this gets a 5 star rating.

OK, now for the not so nice stuff. The first two days were absolute hell. Maybe 8 hours a day online, or trying to get online, with everything going wrong. Repeated system crashes, failures to shut down correctly, failures to start up correctly, continual competing software conflicts, warning windows everywhere. Get the picture? Help!!!!!

After several days of use things settled down and today, our one week anniversary, I guess we will stay together. Maybe I have managed to twik the program enough so that it does whatever it is doing and leaves me alone to surf and download. Maybe the program really does "learn" from its environment.

The obnoixous warning windows concerning retards trying to get into my computer have now been replaced by a simple little flashing red arrow in a corner to let me know that Norton is kicking butt and has the scalps for my inspection if so needed. They provide a nice record of how many intrusions were foiled and that alone proves the value of the program. I have the parameters set for how cookies, ads, personal information, and the like are to be handled. Sites that I repeatedly visit and "exchange" data with are now veted with Norton and allowed to proceed without having to continually stop and deal with the latest warning window. And as I open all the folders and click on all the links within the program I begin to appreciate its thoroughness. The user can ad or subtract any number of things to configure the program so that it best works for them. The morally correct crowd will have a ball with all the different boxes of "sin" that you can check off under the section of Parent Control.

The virus section does its part in silence. So far anyway. I get little tiny popup windows in the corner of the screen to inform me that auto updates have been done. That's nice. My old program made me stop everything, connect to the Internet, and wait forever to download the latest files. I know how well Norton Virus software works because they have saved my butt several times in the past from ugly viruses that were attempting to take over my computer.

The entire program is a memory hog and then some. However, that negative aspect seems to have lessened in the last few days. Maybe Norton killed everyone else on my hard drive that was competing for RAM usage. :) I wouldn't put it past them. Extra memory has been found by closing down some individual programs which are available withing the System 2004 package. Their pop up ad killer is working perfectly as is the program which eliminates most of the extensive graphic rich ads which pollute so many web pages and slow the downloads.

So, one week later I feel comfortable enough with my software to walk away with the computer running, go do some shopping, and come home fully expecting to find everything running perfectly. And it is. 3 stars today and it will probably be more after the first month. Good software works in silence except when absolutely necessary to get your attention. Norton may get there.

One last thing. Others have seriously bitched about the annual renewal fee. I'm sorry but I just don't feel that I am owed a lifeterm support from anything. And definitely not for $60. I have to renew my magazines once a year, see the doctor for a physical, pay for a car registration, and so on. Norton has an ongoing product support and I have no problem paying my part of the rent. Few things are as cheap as software and yet can allow us so much freedom.

Avoid
Overpriced and underpowered..... This software is more annoying then anything else. You practically have to turn off every setting to get your networked printers and network games to work, for example.
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A poorly designed product
It took me a day to install this product. If you do choose to use this product be sure to uninstall all other norton virus and internet security products even tho the instructions say that norton 2003 is uninstalled automatically--it isin't!! My computer now crashes frequently since I began using this product. My advice is to stay clear of this product until they get it fixed. One other point--don't count on getting any technical help form Symantec--they don't even have decent free help installing the product let alone using it.