Viet Vet
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join:2005-12-17
Oceanside, NY
clubs:
 ·Optimum Online
|  AV/Firewall Conundrum
Background
I have never been a fan of Norton Products because there large footprint and a very bad experience with a Windows 98SE box some years ago. In the past I have used AVG Free7.5 and Zone Alarm Free on my laptop (HP Vista dual core). My main PC was a “Home Built AMD” XP Pro Box with ZA Pro and AVG Pro 8 running on it. I was somewhat disappointed to bloating on AVG PRO and its sluggishness; but had a paid license good to 2010. So I spent some time looking for replacements, then the unexpected happened the Asus Mother board of the PC failed (out of warranty). Luckily I had data backups and was able to save the hard drive.
Subsequently I purchased a HP Vista box which came loaded with” Norton Internet Security 2009”, this had a 60 day license.
Situation
I hate to say it but “NIS 2009” seems two function quite well and was surprisingly unobtrusive. Here is the rub the license renewal is $49.95 for a year. I just hate to give Symantec $50.00. It is not my intension to debate software manufactures right to charge for use of their products; I will stipulate to their right. It is just $50.00 seems excessive. If it was $29.95 I would probably just renewed it.
Problem
My past experiences with both AVG Pro and ZA PRO have left me with second thought about installing them on this new box. They both have one year left on their licenses. It goes without saying how much of a bear Norton is to remove and the need to use their removal tool. So with this in mind I have been look at threads and polls for both Anti Virus and Fire Walls.
I have settled on Avast Free for the AV and PC Tools Free Fire Wall. So I open this to discussion for this August Body, with all its knowledge.
VV
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BlitzenZeus
Burnt Out Cynic
Premium,MVM
join:2000-01-13
Beaverton, OR
 ·Verizon FIOS
 ·Verizon Online DSL
| I want you to ask yourself a couple things, l consider what you use your computer for, and even running all this software what has it really caught? Do you think you really need to pay for software like this anymore when free software is available?
Avast is a popular choice for a free real time scanning av, I've put it on many peoples machines, you just need to request a new key every 14 months.
I don't even tell users to run a software firewall anymore these days, when xp first came out, and the worms/messenger spam were a problem they exploded due to necessity unless they could be behind a hardware firewall/nat routing. Now the inbound firewall has been included for a while, and I got tired of telling users that they might need to protect their computer from themselves. Too many people needed to be held by the hand the entire way, didn't learn anything, and couldn't keep it up on their own without help, so I just leave them with the windows inbound firewall however these days they are usually behind a router anyway.
As long as you use safe practices like using a user account for normal use, having an av to scan for known malware isn't a bad thing, and if you're up for it run a software firewall just to keep track of what you're letting out as long as you don't go psycho with thinking the internet probes are attacks 
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My hourly rates:
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$35 per hour if you want to watch.
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Stem Bolt
Premium
join:2002-11-08
Cleveland, OH
| reply to Viet Vet
said by Viet Vet  :Background Situation I hate to say it but “NIS 2009” seems two function quite well and was surprisingly unobtrusive. Here is the rub the license renewal is $49.95 for a year. I just hate to give Symantec $50.00. It is not my intension to debate software manufactures right to charge for use of their products; I will stipulate to their right. It is just $50.00 seems excessive. If it was $29.95 I would probably just renewed it. »shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_trksid···tegories
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Norton 2010 BETA + Online Armor Free + Router/SPI |
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Grail Knight
Who Dares Wins
Premium
join:2003-05-31
·Verizon Online DSL
| reply to Viet Vet
Avast has yet to let me down on the many computers I have installed it on.
Comodo software firewall for another layer and it also has not caused any issues nor failed to do its job.
Personally I do not see $50 as excessive for a security suite but that depends on the individual.
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"Facts not FUD!" |
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Viet Vet
Support Our Troops
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join:2005-12-17
Oceanside, NY
clubs:
·Optimum Online
1 edit | reply to Stem Bolt
said by Stem Bolt :said by Viet Vet :Background Situation I hate to say it but “NIS 2009” seems two function quite well and was surprisingly unobtrusive. Here is the rub the license renewal is $49.95 for a year. I just hate to give Symantec $50.00. It is not my intension to debate software manufactures right to charge for use of their products; I will stipulate to their right. It is just $50.00 seems excessive. If it was $29.95 I would probably just renewed it. » shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_trksid···tegories Good find I never thought to look at Ebay. IF I decide to keep it can you load the new NIS 2009 over the old one or must you remove the old one 1st?
edit spelling
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suprleg
Abracadabra
Premium
join:2004-05-06
Garden Grove, CA
clubs: | "Good find I never thought to look at Ebay. IF I decide to keep it can you load the new NIS 2009 over the old one or must you remove the old one 1st?"
2009 will uninstl, then reinstl, quite seemlessly. |
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Viet Vet
Support Our Troops
Premium
join:2005-12-17
Oceanside, NY
clubs:
·Optimum Online
| said by suprleg : "Good find I never thought to look at Ebay. IF I decide to keep it can you load the new NIS 2009 over the old one or must you remove the old one 1st?" 2009 will uninstl, then reinstl, quite seemlessly. Thank You
VV
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The privileges of being an American Citizen
1. To Vote.
2. To Serve on a Jury.
3.To Serve in the Armed Forces.
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Viet Vet
Support Our Troops
Premium
join:2005-12-17
Oceanside, NY
clubs:
·Optimum Online
| reply to Stem Bolt
Well I Just found it on Ebay Factory sealed CD with a one year 3 PC license for $27.99. Will keep you posted.
VV |
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SmackWeasel
join:2008-01-02
1 edit | reply to Viet Vet
I'm with these other posters using Avast with Comodo. And I like you had a beef with Norton years ago (98/ME) and still have a bad after taste. Plus their constant and insistent update ($) prompts drove me nuts!
Save the fifty bucks and buy something useful like a new game.
edit: Or $27.99, still ain't worth it IMO.
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Viet Vet
Support Our Troops
Premium
join:2005-12-17
Oceanside, NY
clubs: | reply to Viet Vet
Well NIS 2009 Came yesterday; it installed without issue on my laptop and desktop. It has a very small foot print as compared to my old AVG Pro v8.
Time will tell |
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