Recently, a client with Windows-based desktop computers contacted me about breaking free from Symantec’s Norton antivirus software. Friends and family know I am not a big fan of Norton-branded software.
Why? Three reasons:
- For a family or small business, getting human-understandable support can take exceptional effort and excessive time.
- Uninstalling can be difficult. Norton often leaves stubs hiding in the Windows operating system registry.
- Pricing practices are simply disrespectful. You can often buy a new version of the program for a fraction of the price of upgrading your existing program. Punishing existing customers to help generate a lower price point for new customers is, in my opinion, abusive.
So when this client said he had made up his mind to jump off the Norton train and asked for some advice, I was happy to oblige.
I looked for a well-tested alternative that would also save the client’s organization some cash. One of the top contenders was BitDefender Total Security 2008. Pricing from NewEgg.com is particularly attractive, and the client chose the two-year license for five computers at a cost of $100.
BitDefender Total Security 2008 is a full-featured package, not just an antivirus solution. Included in it:
- Antivirus
- Antispyware
- Antiphishing
- Firewall
- Antispam
- Parental control
- Backup
- Tune-up
Norton provides a removal tool to help achieve a complete uninstall. After using the removal tool, BitDefender installed easily.
If this is a solution you might be interested in, take a look at some of the product/performance/usability reviews I found online:
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