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Symantec Adds Product Activation

Posted by simoniker on from the please-see-the-front-desk dept.

maliabu writes "GlobeTechnology/CNET reports that Symantec has added an antipiracy technology to the new version of its main virus-zapping program, in the form of compulsory product activation. It is intended to protect consumers from widespread counterfeit copies of Symantec programs. The company estimates at least 3.6 million bogus copies of its programs are sold annually, causing headaches both for Symantec and unsuspecting buyers, who find out too late that the software isn't doing the job."

6 of 401 comments (clear)

  1. Need antivirus? by w.p.richardson · · Score: 4, Informative
    Check this out!

    Symantec antivirus for home use is bloated as hell and has required yearly "subscriptions" for some time now. When that nonsense started, I bailed. Antivirus software should at the very least offer free updates to the virus definition files, given the havoc that these things have been causing of late.

    --

    Curb CO2 emissions: Kill yourself today!

  2. Re:That's the standard by PaschalNee · · Score: 5, Informative

    >(and yes, I know it's technically virii)
    The plural of virus is neither viri nor virii, nor even vira nor virora. It is quite simply viruses, irrespective of context. Here's why.

  3. Avast by yarisbandit · · Score: 5, Informative

    Er, freeware anyone? Try avast for example - it's free for home (desktop) use, and has free definition updates as long as ye register.

    I personally can't see what extra features would make me fork out on a costly alternative, that i can only install on one machine due to product activation, even though i have more that one pc at home...

  4. So use AVG by Zog+The+Undeniable · · Score: 5, Informative

    Get it here. It's free for non-commercial use, even if the interface is a bit baroque. But so is Norton's.

    --
    When I am king, you will be first against the wall.
  5. Best anti-virus is free by WildBeast · · Score: 4, Informative

    AVG Antivirus is pretty good, got automatic updates and it's free for personal use.

  6. You Only Get 5 Activations with NAV 2K3! by volpone · · Score: 5, Informative
    I was a Norton AntiVirus user for several years. I bought my first NAV copy back in 1997. I loved it, paid yearly for the virus def. subscription, and upgraded three times, most recently to NAV 2003.

    NAV 2003 turned out to be a dog. It took 4 installs & activations before it worked properly on my Win 98 box.

    A month later, I replaced my Win 98 box with a P4 box with Win XP. I installed & activated NAV 2003, which failed. I uninstalled and reinstalled it, then tried to activate it. I was informed (by Symantec's web site) that I had exceeded the maximum number of installs and was politely asked to purchase another license.

    Three phone calls to Symantec tech support were useless. They repeatedly told me that this was Symantec's policy and absolutely refused to give me more installs FOR THE PROGRAM I BOUGHT FROM THEM. (Not from a store, but from Symantec's Web site itself!)

    I just bought MacAfee's product earlier this week. To hell with Symantec and all of their crap.