Norton Launches 2012 Products

Yes, I've install NIS 2012 three times so far and Smart Defs are the default - don't know why but just turn it off and it will download the full database.

 

Im not so sure I like the new layout.I cant find that smart defs setting?

 

Did that. Followed by 117+Mb download to LiveUpdate.

 

Settings>Computer>Updates.

 

Thanks

 

The help topic associated with the smart definitions says that it is on be default so it appears to be no accident. I wonder why that changed from last year when they previously recommended against it. I will have to check over at their forums.

Good catch by the way, I had not noticed it was on.

 

Good catch indeed , after turning them off , update was 117mb.

 

Hmm, didn't remember that they had recommended against it previously. I thought it was just an option to reduce the download/local database and rely more on cloud checking. Let us know what you find out.

 

Turning off smart definitions doesn't affect the responsiveness of the system. Norton is still easy on system resources but it downloaded about 124mb of updates.

 

Here's their explanation when I clicked on the help button:

What do you think - is this a safe option, or are we better off giving up a little speed?

 

Hi Dave53,
In this version it is recommended to keep smart definitions on. I didn't find any difference, but you can check it yourself.

Thanks,
Ziaul

 

I tried both Smart and normal definitions, and I can see any difference at all in how the system behaves. The boot time is the same and the responsivenes of Windows as well.

 

Thank you both for your responses.

 

Per the reply I received from a Symantec employee (assuming it is ok to post that information here) I was told:

So I am going to leave it as is for now (Smart Definitions on) and see how it goes.

 

As far as internet browsing goes it seems to be at least on par with Avira (which is extremely quick) I needed to add an exeption for the KeyScrambler program files folder otherwise my typing speed was nerfed though.

The GUI and the way everything is set up seems to be a great improvement on NIS 2011.

 

NIS is very light. Sometimes the disk access can be skewed due to the default settings running a defrag in the background when the computer is idle. You can disable that in the settings. This is certainly one of the lightest AVs around. The only place it has room for improvement is in terms of CPU handles.

 

Can you disable the idle time scan completely?

 

No. It is considered too important to be disabled.
From the Norton Forum:
http://community.norton.com/t5/Nort...-Quick-Scan/m-p/475310/highlight/true#M161607

 

this is VERY nice im torn now lol keep running avast or go back to my lic's i have sitting here for nortons... i love avast but this is a very nice av (though i use the is) and hate to say the nis firewall in manual mode imo is much better than avast's hmmmm

 

I have been doing the same...love Avast but still have an NIS license...so I am trying it.

 

Peoples impression of this release seems to be that this is one of the lightest releases yet of NAV/NIS!
And I am impressed from the stuff I have been reading about it

Now let's hope that the Norton users from 2003-2007 can forget that era.

 

Wow norton is light, if not were by its false positives

 

That is really old news. Norton has been a great AV for years now, and just keeps getting better.

 

And what did I just say?

 

This has been my biggest complaint for years. I have have made complaints on their forums (as have many other people) and hopefully things will change. I have only had the 2012 for 2 days but I have run a full scan and it did not delete anything yet. I guess we'll see.

I have been happy with the 2012 so far. I have a license for another product that is releasing their new version next week but if I am still this happy with Norton next week they may get kicked to the curb.