Norton 2009 Beta

and why are these screenshots still here?.....

i remember mine getting removed quite swifty from a while back, with some 'refreshing comments' arriving with it.

 

You were too quick then, Chris

 

PCMag also posted an article on NIS2009.

To end with a quote:

 

Why oh why do security software manufacturers think they have to change from a nice, clean, simple GUI, to some bright colored, glitzy looking thing? First KIS/KAV 2009, now NIS/NAV 2009. I'll go with clean and simple over bright and shiny any time. JMO.

 

sometimes im picky with reguards to GUI's and popups. sure as malware blocked dialogs etc.
norton and other big name products always annoy me with the big flashy gui and the dialog and popup boxes that go with it.
im glad symantec is taking the speed aspect seruiosly.
improving the GUI is always low prority.
its also a shame you cannot close the interface without stopping a scan.
most products these days you can close the interface and the scan continues.
i still dont know how symantec always does well in tests. i could never trust it.

 

hmmm Norton..faster?..smarter?....interesting !!

 

I would agree that some GUI's are going over the top visually. I wonder if this is more effective at grabbing the attention of average users? I think bigger icons and simple green checks signaling AOK and red X's signaling error states are an attempt to get people to pay attention. It would be interesting to know if any research has been done about this. Are people more likely to notice and respond to these visual cues?

 

I think clear visual signs certainly work, and I for one would pay attention to them. It's not uncommon that people hardly pay any attention to updating there software and sometimes even never take a look at it if it's "a set it and forget it" type program. Visual cues and pop-ups help people remind that something is happening that requires there attention.

 

Since it is a public beta now so posting screenshots does not make any difference.

 

UI needs work -- but I find that a minor point as I find the organization the settings page fine.

Three things I like about this release:

1) It's been confirmed that aspects of Norton AB have been included. A dev stated that not everything has been includeed yet, simply the more "battle tested" parts.

AB source

2) Checks for minor updates every 5 min. Major updates every 4 hours (kind of how it works...).

3) As far as the controversial "Norton Insight" is concerned, trusted files only remain trusted until they are changed (detection is realtime) at which point they become immediately untrusted.

insight source

Oh, and installation taking about 45 secs was a bonus

Haven't experienced any of the show-stopping bugs others have faced. Vista 32-bit.

General note on Symantec: I do appreciate that they have added forums. Used to be a pet peeve of mine.

 

Another huge bonus. LiveUpdate apparently has been re-written from the ground up for the first time in 15 years. You will no longer see LU take forever and most importantly no LUComServer processes.

I am also seeing some really good improvements in heuristic detection as compared to NIS2008. Lots of SONAR hits.

Also the one thing that NIS doesnt't have is popups which is great. KIS09 still has some really cryptic popups which are very annoying.

Good job Symantec.

 

Hey Zombini, i did notice that live update was pretty much instant and no longer as a seprate item in control panel. i have to say well done to symantec for finaly rewriting live update.
would it be much to rewrite the interface and notifications so a power user wouldnt get annoyed with it within the first 5 mins?
also be able to run a scan and close the interface without canceling the scan.
i agree with the kis09 crytic prompts sometimes.

 

Im a 'power user too' and I dont get annoyed. Besides- why should they aim for a VERY small group of so called 'power users' when 99,9999% of ther goalgroup are novices and just want the software to do the job?

Beside that, I like the way they build up the new interface. But the gui still needs a lot of small tweaking in the grapichs before it will work IMO Anyway, it installs/uninstalls faster and liveupdate takes less cpu so thats good for less powered computers

 

i am really glad they decided to rewrite life update.
i will test it again once the reboot bug has been fixed.
i hope they do a rewrite of norton ghost. only two things annoyed me about ghost 12 and symantec backupexec. very slowloading at bootup and the big yellow notifications when a backup is started. the rest of the application i liked alot.

 

I just had my reboot problem solved, and then my system drive died on me. It was an old hard drive, so no problem. I'll order a new one tomorrow. In the meantime I'll stick to my laptop


Cheers

 

how did you get the reboot problem solved?

 

Hi lodore, try this.

1) Install NIS 2009.
2) Click on the Settings button from the Main User Interface, select the Miscellaneous Settings section, and change Norton Product Tamper Protection to Off.
3) Boot into safe mode.
4) Rename C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\Norton Internet Security\16.0.0.69\SymEFA.sys to SymEFA.sys.orig
5) Reboot in Normal mode.

That did the trick for me.
Tim Lopez from Norton community came up with the solution.


Cheers

 

heyj jassolo,thanks
maybe reinstall nis2009 and try that tomorrow if i get bored.

 

To be honest, if the UI is the worst part of it, Norton has really done well

 

Short off topic comment. My dislike about Ghost 12/14 is that i cant make 'offline backup' or whatever you call it when backing up not from windows... as with paragon etc Other than that it never let me down

 

Hey guys, I am an official beta tester for Norton 2009. The boot problem is a known problem and we are at work fixing this problem. For those of you with this boot problem could you provide more information about your system (e.g. operating system, service pack level, 32-bit or 64-bit, all updates installed?, etc), what you think might have caused the problem, and maybe a better description of what happens? It would really be helpful to us in isolating the problem and fixing it!

Thanks for all of the feedback you guys are giving! I don't know if there are other testers out there listening to the people on the forums but I know I am and I am forwarding suggestions and problems people out here on forums back to Tim Lopez the Beta Test Coordinator!

Thanks again guys!!
-Mike

 

This sound interesting.

 

The pulse update is a really good feature. Instead of hourly updates, the program now downloads definitions and other updates the moment they become available. IMHO, other companies should follow suit.

 

Gave it a shot but didn't find it anything special.
Definitely faster and only 2 processes running but take note before install of the kernel memory and commit charge.
Mine shot up quite a bit compared to what I currently run and to other software I've tried.
Pages are a tad slower and it's a personal thing, but I do not like the added tool bar either.
GUI is so, so.
Nothing struck me as saying this is something you have to have.
Thanks but I'll stick with what I have.