Norton AntiVirus Versus McAfee
Antivirus software is necessary for the health of any personal computer. There are many different antivirus software programs to choose from, such as Norton AntiVirus and McAfee. These two programs are paid-for versions, meaning to obtain a license you must pay for the full version of the software. However, what are the differences and similarities between the two programs? Is one better than the other?
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The Facts
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Norton uninstall Norton AntiVirus, a Symantec Corporation product, is an antivirus program that released its newest version, with over 300 changes and features added, on September 9, 2009.
McAfee was formerly known as Network Associates. The most complete version of the McAfee antivirus program is McAfee VirusScan 2009. The 2010 version of the antivirus software is on sale publicly but is not yet complete. VirusScan 2009 has a Home version, Small and Medium Business versions, and an Enterprise version.
Purchasing
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File system When purchasing the Norton AntiVirus software program, you can download it from the Symantec/Norton website, get it in the mail or buy it at any store as a boxed hard-copy disc complete with manual.
Apparently, the only place to obtain the McAfee VirusScan is on the official site, making it inconvenient to some people who may want a hard copy of the antivirus software.
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Features
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E-mail virus Included with Norton are new ways to alert you to threats and report information about files before you download them by using the Norton System Insight system. SONAR 2 claims to be able to stop new threats by using a real-time monitoring system. This version, according to Passmark Software PTY LTD's independent benchmarking tests, can install the software on any PC in as little as 47 seconds and run a full antivirus scan in as little as 37 seconds.
On the other hand, the McAfee VirusScan 2009 Plus claims to have a new battery mode where it will use less energy, which will be great for laptops. The Site Advisor feature runs in the background to check links before clicked on and displays the results to show whether the link is safe to click. According to McAfee.com, Revolutionary McAfee Active Protection guarantees the highest detection rates for viruses not yet known to other programs and stops them before they can get in.
Considerations
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Virus code The Symantec Corporation supplied funds for some of the testing used to evaluate the antivirus software; therefore, data concerning Norton may be biased. According to a review by NotebookReview.com, malware does not automatically delete and the antivirus program does not restore lost files and folders according to the Norton website. This means that if an important piece of information or file contracts a virus, both will delete permanently.
When it comes to the McAfee VirusScan, user reviews on CNET.com state that the quick detection version of the VirusScan missed a Trojan-type virus and is very slow on a full scan. The same review also stated that there is no way to pause the scan, so the process hangs until the scan finishes.
Overall
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Both the Norton AntiVirus and the McAfee software are great competitors and provide great protection. They both have fast and accurate threat detection, link checkers and quick installs. The biggest difference between the two is the way you can access downloads and the fact that Symantec funds their benchmark tests, while McAfee does not. Yes, some reviews state that McAfee missed a Trojan-type virus. Keep in mind, though, there are no tests on McAfee from Passmark to confirm this.
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References
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