The last couple of versions of Norton Internet Security have been lighter and much more efficient than prior versions. 2011 keeps this streak going with same lightweight foot print, and has very little impact on system performance. In fact it does a very good job of performing background tasks in idle time and when you return, it returns control back to you.
I like the fact that Norton Internet Security 2011 contains the tools you need to keep your computer running smoothly. There is a dashboard that shows you everything from a high level so that you can see everything is running well. When something does go wrong, you are presented with a description of the problem and it will step you through what you need to do to fix it. At all times you are the one in control.
The installation is a breeze and you can be up and running in no time. I like the fact that it is setup in a default mode that you can tweak to your heart's delight until it works the way you want.
I noticed that there have been slight improvements to performance in 2011. The signatures and updates seem to come in smaller packets and run in the background. For the most part, I like that I hardly ever know that it is running except when it goes in to background scan mode and there is a little box that appears. As soon as I touch the mouse or keyboard, it vanishes.
Everything about Norton Internet Security 2011 is built to be safe, secure, reliable, and most of all, easy to use. From the installation, to the detection, to the clean up, you are not only in control, but you are educated to the implications of your choices. Once you have your initial scan, most everything is really uneventful and runs quietly in the background. And isn't that why you want a computer security system? If you want security without a lot of complication, I can very highly recommend Norton Internet Security 2011.
Article comments
1 - Mark
Personally, Norton has never done me any good. At home, the one time I actually did get a virus, it just sat there telling me vague generalities about it, but would do nothing about it. At the office with Symantec Endpoint, viruses and malware sneak through on users' computers all the time that have to then be dealt with manually.
This version may remedy some of that, but I'm perfectly happy using Avast (free to all) and careful clicking.
2 - Brian aka Guppusmaximus
I have to agree with Mark. It's a little known secret in the IT world that if you want repeat business just advise your clients to use Norton or McAfee products for PC security overall. It's been proven over & over that the free solutions that exist nowadays are far more effective then the ones you pay top dollar for. Plus, programs like AVG, Avast, Antivir or Microsoft Security Essentials (which I use)run much lighter then those "premium" programs do.
The other misconception is that Internet Security programs can handle the job of protecting your computer all by themselves... Wrong! People need to be proactive by using multiple tools like Spybot and as a first line of defense, using Firefox with its helpful add-ons like NoScript, AdBlock Plus & Ghostery.