# Is Norton Ant-Virus worth it? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 16, 2005, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-norton-ant-virus-worth-it/290428 "2005-02-16T21:43:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2005, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-norton-ant-virus-worth-it/290428/21 "2005-02-17T12:17:35Z")
> [@Algernon](#): > > I have the free version of Avast Antivirus. I love it. When I installed it about a year ago (when I fed up with the price of Norton), it immediately found two viruses that Norton hadn’t caught. And I was up to date daily with the virus definitions. Plus, all of the pirate lingo is kind of cool. Who doesn’t get a chuckle when their virus definitions are being downloaded from a machine called “jollyroger”? ---
**Author:** ![fortytwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f9ae1b/32.png) [@fortytwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fortytwo)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2005, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-norton-ant-virus-worth-it/290428/22 "2005-02-17T12:46:57Z")
> [@PatriotX](#): > > Besides Firefox has a nifty “open link in IE” button for just such occasions. I can’t find my nifty little button. Where is it? ---
**Author:** ![Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnac_the_Magnificent)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2005, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-norton-ant-virus-worth-it/290428/23 "2005-02-17T13:43:09Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > All major antivirus software does a good job of protecting you. Antivirus software is thus a commodity, and you always should choose a commodity on price. AVG, Antivir, or Bitdefender are all free – pick one. I’ve heard this before and don’t have documentation to dispute, only considerable anecdotal evidence that not all AV software is alike. Fed up with Norton’s bloatware, I switched to McAfee and, fed up with McAfee, jumped ship to Grisoft’s free AVG. Works like a dream. Don’t know why it’s free, but it’s a gift horse that I’m not quibbling over. That said, can we really know that all AV software “does a good job”? I know plenty of people with updated AV software that still get stung from time to time, suggesting that not all AV software is alike. And while protection from viruses is the key factor in assessing an AV app, let’s not ignore issues of speed. McAfee occasionally sent me warnings about viruses attacking my PC. I religiously updated the thing, yet got infected maybe twice a year. Since AVG, I’ve yet to get one virus or one warning–after 2.5 years of use. Norton slowed everything down to a crawl. The full SystemWorks was impossible. ---
**Author:** ![Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnac_the_Magnificent)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2005, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-norton-ant-virus-worth-it/290428/24 "2005-02-17T13:44:53Z")
> [@Valgard](#): > > do yourself a favor and stop using Internet Explorer. Download Firefox ([www.mozilla.org](http://www.mozilla.org)) or Opera ([www.opera.com](http://www.opera.com)) and you will have far less problems with parasites, unwanted popups and other nasties. They both work quite well and are free (Firefox is completely free, Opera is free with a small sponsored ad in the corner). Neither are compatible with [MSN.com](http://MSN.com). Bastids. ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2005, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-norton-ant-virus-worth-it/290428/25 "2005-02-17T15:16:23Z")
> [@Vetch](#): > > I can’t find my nifty little button. Where is it? It’s an extension: [ieview](https://update.mozilla.org/extensions/moreinfo.php?application=firefox&version=1.0&os=Windows&numpg=50&id=35) (Unless, of course, I missed the nifty built-in button) ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2005, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-norton-ant-virus-worth-it/290428/26 "2005-02-17T15:16:44Z")
> [@Carnac the Magnificent!](#): > > I know plenty of people with updated AV software that still get stung from time to time, suggesting that not all AV software is alike. True. They all do have their respective strengths and weaknesses, and they all go about their business in different ways. The worst thing a company can do is use the same vendor’s software in multiple places - for example, we’re using Norton on the users’ desktops, Trend on the mail servers and McAfee on the gateways. The fancy term for this is “defense in depth” - an incoming email is looked at by three different detection systems, rather than looked at three times by the same system. > [@Carnac again](#): > > Grisoft’s free AVG. Works like a dream. Our lead antivirus wizard told me that Grisoft has one of the better heuristics engines on the market, which is just a hard to spell way of saying it does a good job of “I don’t recognize this explicitly as a virus, but it sure is acting like a virus so I’m going to stop it.” ---
**Author:** ![fortytwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f9ae1b/32.png) [@fortytwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fortytwo)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2005, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-norton-ant-virus-worth-it/290428/27 "2005-02-17T15:54:37Z")
> [@minor7flat5](#): > > It’s an extension: [ieview](https://update.mozilla.org/extensions/moreinfo.php?application=firefox&version=1.0&os=Windows&numpg=50&id=35) > > (Unless, of course, I missed the nifty built-in button) Thanks, I suspected it would be. I just tried to install it and it didn’t take. It’s been a bad time for me lately with software! ---
**Author:** ![zagloba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/977dab/32.png) [@zagloba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zagloba)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2005, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-norton-ant-virus-worth-it/290428/28 "2005-02-17T16:49:50Z")
Many sites that don’t work in Firefox only fail because the site sees that you’re not using IE – so it refuses to load even though it would work fine. The User Agent Switcher extension fixes this problem – makes Firefox look to the server like IE (or an older Netscape version, or what you will). ---
**Author:** ![anson2995](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@anson2995](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anson2995)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2005, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-norton-ant-virus-worth-it/290428/29 "2005-02-17T17:08:12Z")
> [@RevCo](#): > > I clean home computers regularly, and I can say without a doubt that a virus scan with 3 month old virus patern files is near useless. You should factor the $50 a year as the cost of computing. I have told a fellow that was writing a book that he lost all his DOC files because a virus searched his system for anything ending in .DOC and replaced all the contents with random characters. While that’s the most extreme, don’t take chances. Another element that folks overlook way too often is the importance of backing up your files. Especially if you’re doing something like writing a book. I’m a fulltime writer/editor, and I’m anal about backing up all of my files on a regular basis. Viruses aren’t the only catastrophe you need to plan for. ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2005, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-norton-ant-virus-worth-it/290428/30 "2005-02-17T17:17:04Z")
> [@Vetch](#): > > I can’t find my nifty little button. Where is it? You’ll have todownload an extension, then right click. [https://addons.update.mozilla.org/extensions/?os=Windows&application=firefox](https://addons.update.mozilla.org/extensions/?os=Windows&application=firefox) ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2005, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-norton-ant-virus-worth-it/290428/31 "2005-02-17T17:18:06Z")
> [@Vetch](#): > > Thanks, I suspected it would be. > I just tried to install it and it didn’t take. It’s been a bad time for me lately with software! Did you restart Firefox after installing IEView? The extensions don’t work until you close the browser and restart. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2005, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-norton-ant-virus-worth-it/290428/32 "2005-02-17T17:38:51Z")
> [@Kel Varnsen - Latex Division](#): > > You could get a Mac and then you have update every…ummm… never. While the majority of computer viruses, trojans, etc., are written to exploit the Windows O/S just because you may run a Mac O/S does not remove you from the loop. On the contrary, you may very well be a Typhoid Mary and spread such nasties even though you O/S is unaffected by them. Using an anti-virus tool on a Mac machine is not so much about protecting your machine as it’s about not spreading the nasties to others. ---
**Author:** ![Jojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecd19e/32.png) [@Jojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jojo)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2005, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-norton-ant-virus-worth-it/290428/33 "2005-02-17T17:44:56Z")
Well, I downloaded Firefox yesterday and I’ve been experimenting with it. It’s ok for most things (and I love the tabbed browser feature) but it isn’t letting me look at pages that use java applets. It tells me to download a plugin called java runtime environment but it doesn’t download that successfully - it just freezes. I think this plugin is only for xp but unfortunately I’m on Windows 98. ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2005, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-norton-ant-virus-worth-it/290428/34 "2005-02-17T20:52:29Z")
I luv the current version of NAV 2005. I almost never know it’s there and it protects me when I accidentally visit those popup hell websites. Its firewall is better than the one provided with WinXP. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2005, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-norton-ant-virus-worth-it/290428/35 "2005-02-17T21:43:38Z")
> [@Jojo](#): > > Well, I downloaded Firefox yesterday and I’ve been experimenting with it. It’s ok for most things (and I love the tabbed browser feature) but it isn’t letting me look at pages that use java applets. It tells me to download a plugin called java runtime environment but it doesn’t download that successfully - it just freezes. I think this plugin is only for xp but unfortunately I’m on Windows 98. Try going to Sun’s website and downloading Java for your OS: [www.java.com](http://www.java.com) You may want to do a “Save As” and download the installer to your hard drive rather than running it directly from their website. I’ve had that problem with a variety of downloads, regardless of which browser I’ve been using. Also make sure that Java is enabled (Tools-Options-Web Features). ---
**Author:** ![Algernon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a183cd/32.png) [@Algernon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algernon)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2005, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-norton-ant-virus-worth-it/290428/36 "2005-02-17T22:45:09Z")
> [@minor7flat5](#): > > Plus, all of the pirate lingo [with Avast] is kind of cool. Who doesn’t get a chuckle when their virus definitions are being downloaded from a machine called “jollyroger”? And when you quarantine something, it goes to the pirate “Chest”. The main reason I went with Avast rather than AVG is because Avast has a great group of users providing support on their [message board](http://forum.avast.com/). ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2005, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-norton-ant-virus-worth-it/290428/37 "2005-02-18T02:00:45Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > While the majority of computer viruses, trojans, etc., are written to exploit the Windows O/S just because you may run a Mac O/S does not remove you from the loop. On the contrary, you may very well be a Typhoid Mary and spread such nasties even though you O/S is unaffected by them. Using an anti-virus tool on a Mac machine is not so much about protecting your machine as it’s about not spreading the nasties to others. That’s simply not true. AFAIK, while it is possible to write one, there has yet to be a single virus that will run on both Mac OS Xand Windows. If you can’t run it, you **can’t** spread it (barring manually opening ports or forwarding the virus-laden email out to other people, or some such foolishness that would actually take user _effort_). Add to that the fact that MacOS has a much stronger security model to start with, and your risk of viruses is negligible right now. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2005, 8:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-norton-ant-virus-worth-it/290428/38 "2005-02-18T08:37:45Z")
> [@Jojo](#): > > Well, I downloaded Firefox yesterday and I’ve been experimenting with it. It’s ok for most things (and I love the tabbed browser feature) but it isn’t letting me look at pages that use java applets. It tells me to download a plugin called java runtime environment but it doesn’t download that successfully - it just freezes. I think this plugin is only for xp but unfortunately I’m on Windows 98. I have Windows 98SE and have been using Firefox for a couple of years. There’s no special version of Java for 98; Sun Java works fine on all Windows versions. I updated to Java Runtime Environment 5.0 a few months back with no problems at all. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2005, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-norton-ant-virus-worth-it/290428/39 "2005-02-18T08:43:01Z")
Try [this link](http://www.java.com/en/download/manual.jsp) for JRE 5.0. It should download and install with no trouble at all. (Note that there’s only one download for all versions of Windows.) ---
**Author:** ![dqa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dqa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dqa)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2005, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-norton-ant-virus-worth-it/290428/40 "2005-02-18T16:44:02Z")
In a related issue, I’ve been looking for an antivirus program. A couple years ago, I read [this article](http://www.winxpnews.com/index.cfm?id=64&search=kaspersky) from WinXP News, which railed against antivirus programs which incorporated DRM, preventing a person from making a backup. Now I’m having difficulty with my Kaspersky AV, which decided to expire only 22 days after I renewed it. The folks at Kaspersky have so far been slow to address my concerns. 1. Should I worry about DRM in the AV program at all? 2. How would this work - seems to me that whenever you went to update the virus library, the company already checks to see that you have a valid, registered copy of the program installed - which I thought would include some reg. number unique to the installation on that computer. Is that what is meant by DRM, or is DRM something in addition? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-norton-ant-virus-worth-it/290428.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-norton-ant-virus-worth-it/290428.md?page=3)