Norton Internet Security Dual Protection 4.0 (Mac) Review

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(More customer reviews)Edited to add info on REMOVAL instructions. Symantec keeps this a secret. Amazon does not allow links, so search Google for the "RemoveSymantecMacFiles removal utility". It's on Symantec's Enterprise site.
I was finally able to remove every trace of the Symantec "bloatware." The uninstaller does not do this. Make sure you back up your entire system (I recommend SuperDuper) to a Firewire drive prior to doing this. I also recommend booting into Safe Mode to run the removal operation.
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I am a long time Mac user.
Reportedly in development for 5 years, this software does protect from viruses, including protecting your Mac from being a carrier of Windows viruses. However, there has never been an "in the wild" Mac virus.
My cable company is offering the Mac part of this suite as part of their service. I installed it, and discovered it was too intrusive, and blocked some programs from accessing the Internet. Unfortunately, there is no customizable firewall. It's either off or on. Virus scanning is too intrusive, too.
The only real reason for an AV on the Mac is to protect Windows users from files other Windows users may have sent you. That said, there is a much better, less intrusive product called Intego VirusBarrier that catches Windows viruses, in combination with the NetBarrier firewall which is extremely customizable. UPDATE: I've switched to the free Sophos AV software, and recommend it highly.
The problem: After testing Norton and deciding I didn't care for it, I uninstalled it. However, as I dug deeper into my system, I found the software did not completely uninstall. As with their Windows applications, Norton for Mac puts hidden files all over the place. After the uninstall, I found invisible Symantec files and deleted them.
On the next start-up, the Mac wouldn't start: gray screen of death. It would start up in Safe mode, and once after restarting from Safe mode, but not again. So, I reinstalled Norton, and it works again. This is shameful.
I do not recommend this software. Go with Intego or Sophos instead. Or, if Windows viruses are not an issue with you, then you're probably safe not running any AV. The Mac's built in firewall is excellent, too. If you really need to feel protected, go with the free version of iAntivirus which protects only against potential Mac threats (which really don't exist for most Internet users).
If you have a dual boot system, I suggest using Microsoft Security Essentials, Online Armor firewall and Threatfire (all free) on the Windows partition, especially if you use Windows more with VMWare Fusion or Parallels, due to their effectiveness and small footprints.

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System Mechanic Pro 8 W/free V10 Upgrade Review

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(More customer reviews)I have spent hundreds of dollars over the years for software that promises to speed up or fix my computer.
System Mechanic Pro has software tools included (also includes an Antivirus) for the same/or less price that some other brand single stand-alone tools cost. If you bought all those single tools from other fix up software sites you could end up spending $200.00 to $300.00 to do what comes packaged in the System Mechanic Pro.
You can download Sys Mech Pro for a free 30 day trial from the iolo homepage to see if you like it. When you order the Sys Mech Pro from Amazon you can save time by using the serial # from your bought Sys Mech Pro to register your 30 day trial version. No need to download or run the DVD since the serial # will then allow you to get the latest updates after you register.

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Norton AntiVirus 2008 - 3 User Pack (with Antispyware) Review

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(More customer reviews)I have been running Norton products since the early days when Peter Norton actually was the pre-eminent PC and antivirus guru, back in the 1980s. I have noticed a trend whereby these products take up more and more system resources, and become more and more intrusive. Things have now gotten to the point where I and my small business have abandoned the Norton solution.
I was running Norton Antivirus 2008, and after some update or other, it subtly, but effectively, blocked our VPN connection, so that we could not connect wirelessly to our company server. At first I blamed Windows Vista, but after much hair-pulling, we discovered that it was Norton Antivirus 2008. Even when disabled, it placed a filter between the Notebook computer and the VPN connection, sabotaging it. These people simply cannot get it through their heads that our computers do not exist to run antivirus, firewall, and related products--they are there to do work.
Another unacceptable trait that Norton now does, is that when your product expires, or is about to, it starts bombarding you with obtrusive pop-up windows telling you to renew. And these windows do not follow the MS Windows protocol, with an X in the upper right-hand corner where you can quickly get rid of it. I have come to resent these intrusions. It does not matter now; we have removed Norton from our computers and looked elsewhere for a solution.
Norton violates the first rule of "Do No Harm." I am disappointed to have to abandon them.

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Kaspersky Internet Security 2009 (3 User) Review

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(More customer reviews)As background, I've used quite a few internet security suites: ZoneAlarm, Norton, McAfee, OneCare, and previous Kaspersky products. With Kaspersky, I've come to expect a product that is top-tier for protection, but requires some technical understanding to configure. Its actually why I stopped using the previous version - While I have a technical background, I really don't want to spend my time on a computer configuring the security software, I want to use the PC.
Kaspersky Internet Security 2009 is a complete change, and even manages to improve the protection in the process. First, the Automatic Mode (where Kaspersky takes care of new applications, internet connections, etc.) is now worth using in my opinion. This takes a lot of the "manual" work out of the picture.
Kaspersky licensed technology from Bit9 in this release for whitelisting. Whitelisting is using a list of "known good" applications that can be trusted to go to the internet. For example, Microsoft's Internet Explorer is a known piece of software, so it can be trusted. For applications not on the whitelist, the software determines from its actions if it may be malicious, and categorizes them as such (and therefore, pays more attention to them). What does this mean for you? Less overhead using applications it knows it can trust - Faster browsing, using your PC, etc.
Finally, the last addition that I think is perfect is the security analysis it performs during full scans. Besides checking for viruses, malware, etc., it also checks your applications to see if there are known, patchable vulnerabilities. One of the most prevalent ways bad stuff gets on your PC these days is through unpatched "holes" in software. Kaspersky will alert you to these holes, so you can patch them before someone can get to your computer. An ounce of prevention being better than a pound of cure, so to speak (although with Kaspersky, you get both).
I have no noticeable slowdown on my machine, the product is using less than 25MB of RAM presently, and I know I have one of the best security products protecting my data. I highly recommend this product!

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Complete Internet security protection withanti-virus anti-spyware anti-phishing anti-spam and anti-hacker technologiesperfect for home or small office.Product Information[For Up to 3 Users]Kaspersky Internet Security 2009 gives you full protection against virusesspyware rootkits and other types of malware. You also get an advanced firewallsolution privacy and parental controls as well as protection against identitytheft and confidential data leakage. Kaspersky Anti-Malware Engine Better Than Ever! Over the last few yearssince entering the market Kaspersky has taken the US consumers by storm andthe brand keeps getting more and more attention and topping more and morecomparison tests and reviews the world over. Kaspersky has improved itsproducts even further by entirely rebuilding its anti-malware engine. Thanks tothese changes performance is better than ever the product is even lighter andno other brand even comes close when it comes to scanning speed.New FeaturesKaspersky 2009 New and Improved Features:Easy-to-Use for Anyone!At a first glance it is obvious that the interface is even more user-friendlythan version 7.0. In previous versions of Kaspersky the interface seemed to beaimed mainly at "tech people"; now it is easy enough for anyone to use.To make it easy to use for less advanced users the main screen of KasperskyAnti-Virus 2009 and Kaspersky Internet Security 2009 gives you all the necessaryinformation but for more advanced users there is still the option to getadditional information and to customize the product in a number of differentways. For most people however the basic settings are more than effective.Even Lower Resource NeedsUsers of earlier Kaspersky versions have been very happy about its low resourceneeds and the new Kaspersky 2009 does not disappoint when it comes to this. Thescan engine now takes advantage of dual-core processors without affectingresource needs. The programs also balance scan speed to user activ

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