Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Microsoft Anti-Spyware Removes Norton Anti-Virus

Posted by Zonk on from the that's-a-big-oops dept.

An anonymous reader writes "According to a story over at Washingtonpost.com, the latest definitions file for Microsoft's Anti-Spyware beta flags Symantec's Norton Antivirus products as a password-stealing trojan and prompts users to delete portions of the program. Users who follow the instructions hose their installation of Norton, requiring delicate Windows registry edits and a complete removal/reinstall of Norton. Microsoft's support forum is quickly filling up with complaints about this problem, many from businesses that have been pretty hard hit. This should be a cautionary tale about deploying beta products in production environments."

4 of 496 comments (clear)

  1. Re:What problem? by mnmn · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    You mean the REPLACEMENT of a Symantec product with a Microsoft product?

    Yeah best thing ever.

    Should also replace firefox with IE7

    --
    "Give orange me give eat orange me eat orange give me eat orange give me you." -Nim Chimpsky
  2. Re:Bye Microsoft. by MSFanBoi2 · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Unlike, oh say Linux which is in a constant state of flux and change?

  3. Interesting debate going on by heho · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Well I may not be a first time Slashdot poster, and I do regularily read what others are say about the posts, but I do have to say after reading most of the comments, I would have to say that this is one of the better Microsoft versus other people arguements that I have seen in a while.

    I'm a trusted Microsoft and Symantec fan. I enjoy and use both of their products frequently and rely on them just as much. Microsoft makes a decent operating system. Defiantly not the best one out there, but all slams aside which OS doesn't have their problems? Symantec makes a great product as well. Sure it's a memory hog, but to me, I'd rather take a slower system if it means I have "better" protection. I'm sure I'll get some feedback on that comment.

    Here's my only slam, for now. It's viruses, not virii. Virii is not considered a word according to the dictonary. Viruses is. Deal with it.

    1. Re:Interesting debate going on by humankind · · Score: 0, Flamebait

      Symantec makes a great product as well. Sure it's a memory hog, but to me, I'd rather take a slower system if it means I have "better" protection.

      Dude, you obviously haven't tried other A/V solutions out there. Not only is Symantec/Norton a memory hog, it also doesn't catch a lot of stuff that other programs can, and in my experience other products like AVG are updated more rapidly. Then there's that bit about Symantec products having major vulnerabilities themselves and being an entry point for exploitation. Then there's the "Symantec mafia" subscription scheme, not to mention the x day trials they sneak into new machines misleading consumers into thinking that they have "free" antivirus software installed when they don't really. Then there's the loads of nightmares from people who tried to uninstall Symantec products and had their system crippled.... the list goes on and on. You really need to explore other options because Symantec is a giant dinosaur that has become more of a liability than a benefit to any user of any level of sophistication.