The most precompiled program in all new computers IS a virus to anyone who knows anything about computers.
What Qualifies as A Virus
Uses Up Massive System Resources
DDOS "Zombies" viruses can use up tons of your CPU space while they send looping pings of invalid lengths to their coordinated servers of choice. They're no match to Norton AntiVirus though, which can easily use 40% of your CPU and a gross amount of Memory.
Fake Error Messages & Getting Your Credit Card Number
If you do not choose to activate the trial version of Norton. You still have their disgusting services activited and eating your computer resources. Every startup you will be hassled with "You're NOT PROTECTED AGAINST THE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE PROBLEMS THAT AWAIT YOU!! ACTIVATE THE TRIAL". This mortifies the average computer user that feels no confidence.
Once your trial period is up, you'll be given the same grossly inaccurate message once again that you need Norton AntiVirus or your computer is completely insecure. Either give norton your credit card number or face being scared into giving them it with each subsequent logon. Most computer users are not confident enough to delete their antivirus and don't know how to disable norton from startup.
Is Your Computer Secure Without Norton?
YES. You can use a powerful cocktail of programs that's even more secure and faster than the bloatware that is norton. You should really ask yourself, "Is it worth having my computer go slower to have Norton AntiVirus scan every file I look at and every program I run." Many people confuse hardware problems for their old computers as viruses and anecdotally fear removing the antivirus even if they don't download anything risky.
Security Recommendations
Delete Norton: They have an uninstall utility if normal uninstall fails. It can cause serious issues if improperty uninstalled or installed due to its need to have rabid control over EVERYTHING.
Disable Windows FireWall And Defender: Sygate as a firewall and adaware+syboy do the same thing, only better.
Install ClamWin and FreeAV: Two Free AntiViruses that are very ligh tweight
For those who just worry about certain files from p2p networks Jotti and Virus Total provide the ability to scan with several different virus scanners with one upload.
Install Sygate Personal Firewall: Very small firewall that does the job, it's completely free.
Install Adaware and Spybot: Free anti spyware programs with a great reputation.
Install SiteAdvison: Extension for firefox. It alerts you of the good sites and the bad sites. Don't ever click on google sponsored ads when looking to download software.
Scan with Windows OneCare: Good spyware / vulnerabilty scan by microsoft.
I just bought Windows Vista. Not by choice. My laptop came with it. As far as security it had the following enabled: Windows Firewall, Windows Defender, Windows User Account Protection which gives an annoying alert every single time a program is opening and Windows Parental Controls. Windows firewall and Defender are downloadable free for XP too.
If You Value Computer Performance and You're Over 10
DELETE NORTON
Video Tutorial on Preventing Viruses
Viruses Replicate Themselves Norton Doesn't
Meh. Computer manufacturers like Dell and other companies basically just bulk copy the same stuff into all their computers. Users know what they're getting as far as the OS and the hardware, but they didn't know they'd get Norton, much less a trial version. (yes, I'm greenspans). It has the same scare tactics as fake ebay and bank emails that try to steal your password. Having norton up the the minute updated will not give you ultra protection. I know norton is not a virus I just think it's ironic it has gained a lot of the same malicious attributes which it claims it protects.
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Rated 4 Don't forget to mention how incredibly tedious it is to actually get Norton completely off a machine! You almost can't pull it off without Symantec's 'Norton Removal Tool'. Junking Norton has bumped performance visibly on every machine I've pulled it from, and both AVG and Zonelabs offer better, free alternatives.
Rated 4 My thoughts exactly. A few years ago, I decided to delete Norton. And then I deleted everything Windows and got Linux. The next computer I bought was a Mac. These days, I hardly even think of viruses.
Rated 5 Good work - - - I get killed by 'svchost.exe' every once in a while. It eats up 99% of my CPU, and I either have to walk away for a while, or shut it down and hope the bastard doesn't get going again once I'm rebooted.
I'll be linking to this on my site. Peace - Al
Rated 5 100%--- i removed norton, never to reinstall it. EVER. I use spybot, sygate, nod32.
Rated 5 Totally agree, the amount of friends PC's that I've had to rip norton off,
run the Norton remover and install AVG spybot & ad-aware then find them a firewall.
Friends amazed how fast their PC is and how many viruses that Norton missed!
bloatware nagging system destroyer that it is!
I feel cleaner now!
Rated 4 I used Norton many years ago and after it brought my computer to crawl, I never installed it again. This is bloatware at its worst. I think your comparison to virus is great. It's probably even more annoying in every way. I had two virus infections in last 4 years and was able to remove them with free tools.
Rated 3 norton sucks big time, i have found avast to be really good coupled with spybot!!!
Rated 3 I feel your pain. However, the average person does not want to spend time installing and configuring 6 different applications. They want a "simple" and "quick" way to feel secure. McAfee and Symantec give that option, in their opinion. It is all about the User's perception of what is user-friendly. If someone were to take these 6 application types and bundle them into one install and configuration; you would probably have a nice product.
Agreeably, the best option is to go with a Mac or Unix/Linux OS; however, Mac's are too expensive for the average household and the average household is not ready for Linux (at least not yet).
Rated 5 I'm a in-home computer repair person and this article is the EXACT same spiel I've been giving to every single person who has Norton/McAfee installed.
I'd say upwards of 75% of my jobs are uninstalling these "suites". Norton's "Internet Security Suite" is by far one of the worst offenders. All the time locking down connections that prevent updates or even connecting via dial up in some cases. These people have NO idea how to configure these sorts of things. As you mentioned the "TRIAL OR DEATH" notices are enough to throw them into a panic and have them calling me.
While the MS products aren't the best, I recommend people stick with them instead of installing a multitude of third party programs. Instead of installing all of the preventative junk that stays busy in the background even when there is no problem, I set them up to specifically work out of their My Documents directory and back up to a flash drive. That way, regardless of what happens they can clean sweep and start over...
...That is if they were sent an OEM Windows install disc (Fck you computer manufacturers) and/or they have the right version of Windows and the correct CDKEY for their version of windows (Fck you Microsoft).
Consumer computers right now are a complete joke. There are absolutely no standards and everyone is inventing their own suite or hardware/software package that does not play well with anything else. One woman has an HP all in one printer that has it's software constantly fighting with her Kodak easy share camera package. And that's not to mention cables, and flash card designs, and file extensions and anythign else the industry has absolutely wrecked.
As I said, what an absolute joke. Just one more big FCK YOU to all the individuals, companies, and industry influences that have create this stew of complete and utter bullsht. Die.
Rated 3 Symantec/Norton have only made buggy bloatware since before win95... The presence of their software on someone's computer is the best PC Noob-o-Meter in existence.
Rated 4 Thanks for the tips on the free anti-virus programs, I haven't seen these before.
Rated 5 Great one sir, I agree to you totally.
Rated 5 I fully agree with this assessment. I had the misfortune of subscribing to Norton Personal Firewall which was included on a modem install disc. After paying for a year of updates, It was necessary to wipe and reload my Windows install due to an separate problem that arose. When trying to reinstall Norton, there was nowhere for me to enter my registration for updates. Contacting them resulted in a "Sorry, we don't support Norton Personal Firewall 2004 anymore" (it was 2005). What a cash grab.
Although their firewall is a different package than their antivirus, I still became aware from my own mistake and from trying to uninstall Norton Antivirus from friend's systems that Norton literally infects a vast amount of the filesystem with its own files and propagating chunks of itself widely through the registries so that manual removal is almost impossible without causing damage to the Windows environment, and necessitating a 'wipe-and-reload' of windows to finally be rid of it.
I turned to Zone Alarm Internet Security Suite with the Kaspersky antivirus engine and have never looked back.
Rated 3 Yeah. Norton sucks. But they have a grip on OEM resellers. I commonly talk to folks, relatives, etc.. who buy a new system with all this junk and always ask them why don't they ask me for recommendations? Norton is horrible software for what it is supposed to do, but people think AV == Norton. If only people knew about Nod32, for example. Now that is an AV product that does it's job.
Rated 3 Its True ... and I Have been tellin my peers that ... have u tried uninstallin this shiit ??? OMG its a PAIN IN THE ASS !
Rated 3 2 clients did nav2006 download and install - both lost all data on hard drives, unrecoverable crash
Rated 1 Just remove Windows entirely and run a proper operating system like Linux, Solaris, Mac OS X, whatever.
Rated 4 A woman scorned's got nothing on a norton uninstall gone badly. Can you say f3 through the registry looking for a needle in a haystack?
Rated 4 I've been fighting a Norton install for the last year, and just switched to a different vendor right before their "you have x days left" message was up. The preinstall was ok, but trying to install a newer version from CD was a disaster; even changing registry settings only got a partial install to work.
Never again, Norton.
Rated 3 You forgot to mention, running Norton's Antivirus while burning a DVD increases your chances of wining a costly coaster. Question: why do I feel Norton's is secretly monitoring or logging my Internet habits?
Rated 5 Preaching to the converted here man! Norton is, bar none, one of the banes of any IT team's existence. I won't say that Norton product across the board suck. They don't. Ghost and Utilities have their places. It's their "active" software, the ones that run continuously, that are vile, evil pieces of work. Digital blasphemy, as it were.
The amount of BS that computer manufacturers preload is appalling in and of itself. What kind of world do we live in that honest, hard-working programmers have actually had to go out of their way to write software that combats their out-of-the-box machines? I just recently stumbled across "The PC Decrapifier" (http://www.pcdecrapifier.com/), a utility that rips out all of the BS bloatware preinstalled by Dell, Compaq, Toshiba, etc.
It's a sad state of affairs.
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