Norton Internet Security 2009
Got yellow pill? Maybe you should, it lasts 90 days.
14 April 2009 by Jean De Daumier-SmithTypically I review the user-experience part of software, that is how it feels and whether it is comfortable to use. Where I can, I go into details of other technical aspects, such as performance and effectiveness.
I have tried version 16.0.0.125 of Norton Internet Security 2009 which is available in 90-days trial version for downloading. Links are below:
90-days OEM version NIS2009 direct download link
90-days OEM version NIS2009 direct download link (mirror)
First of all, I was very pleased with NIS2009 performance in terms of CPU usage. The suite is running completely invisible and feels very light. Bravo Symantec! It has even a CPU monitor window now to prove that it is light on resources:
CPU usage monitor [click to see full screenshot]
Main user interface has been slightly redesigned in comparison with previous versions [screenshot].
Norton's veil [click to see full screenshot]
Symantec added a touch of glamour by putting the background veil. It does not look stylish though, something is odd, I guess rounded sides. Yet they kept the old theme with shadows and 3d green and yellow pills—so you can easily recognize the same old quality under the hood. [Well, the pill theme was overused by TrendMicro already] The most exiting feature about this screen is that it appears with a speed of light when you click the icon on your desktop. Nice.
Settings panel is a navigation mess. My advice—do not try to be fancy here. Users are not supposed to get there every hour, so make it simple, i.e. professional. Good example is ESET software.
Another interesting feature to mention is Norton Insight:
Norton Insight
“Norton Insight increases computer performance by identifying trusted files that do not require scanning. Repeated scanning of known files is eliminated, allowing your computer to run faster”. That is great actually!
What I do not like is that when a threat is found NIS2009 does not bother to tell you all the details immediately, you have to go to the depths of its logs and quarantine to see which files were deleted.
Network security map is nice.
In my case after Norton Internet Security 2009 cleaned some malware from my PC, I could not access Security History or quarantine anymore, that was visible for a few seconds, and then kept vanishing no matter how many times I tried. Restart did not help. Well, I hope they will fix this bug in the next version.
I would recommend this package to everyone.
Tags: Norton, Security