A few days ago, after three years of work, my wife and I celebrated the introduction of our new software program. A special version of the New Testament.

We uploaded samples of our new program to a "demo" page where potential customers could download a copy for testing. Little did we know of the "shark" that was waiting for us in the internet waters. 

We quickly discovered that under the guise of "protecting" internet users from maybe dangerous programs, our new baby was quietly having it's throat cut by Norton Internet Security; the same program we paid good money to use ourselves. 

No one who has the latest version of Norton can install the program from our demo page, nor can they even download it for later installation. In both instances Norton labels it as a "threat" saying it has WS.Reputation.1 and deletes it. The downloader is not even offered the option to download the file at their own risk;  Norton just kills it. 

The "reason" that Norton provides for taking this action is because "fewer than 10 people have used the program." I would like someone from Norton to explain to me how "more" than 10 people are ever going to be able to use the program when they delete it before anyone can even get it downloaded. This is the truest example of a "catch 22" I have ever seen. 

How in the name of "anything" they are allowed to do this is beyond me. By making the flat statement that our program is a "threat" they are maligning the reputation of our company as well as the program itself. Their "information" further says "There are many indications that this file is untrustworthy and therefore not safe." What are our customers to think about us after we have been condemned by Norton; a "trusted" company? 

We are not a big company, we are literally a "mom and pop" operation. My wife and I are not marketing geniuses. We are senior citizens living on social security who have worked hard for three years to contribute (hopefully) something of value to our fellow man and perhaps better our own lives in the process.  

This demo page was the only idea we had on how to share our new program on the internet. It is now, if a visitor has Norton (as it seems a great many do) dead in the water. 

Norton's answer seems to be that we should "submit" our program for their approval. A very unclear (to us) process that appears to take an unspecified number of "weeks." If we do this, we would have to go through the same process for each one of our programs. We presently have a dozen versions for different monitor resolutions, with many dozens of other special editions to come. Then, every time we change something in the program or come out with an upgrade, we would have to re-submit and go through the whole process all over again. I do not consider this to be service, it is certainly not help, it is much closer to something that I would call legalized extortion of business owners. If we don't yield to Norton’s demands we will continue to suffer  the persecution of having our program falsely labeled and deleted.  

Their deleting of our program is not “protecting” anyone; it is simply usurping and violating our rights, and the rights of our customers.

Their false labeling of our program is not a "mistake" it is a presumptuous out and out lie.

The following is part of what I agreed NOT TO DO to when I registered to participate in this forum. I agreed not to post any material that: “(a) is false or misleading; (b) is defamatory; (c) is harassing or invades another's privacy, or promotes bigotry, racism, hatred or harm against any group or individual; (d) is obscene; (e) infringes another's rights, including but not limited to intellectual property rights;”

I guess that applies to everyone except Norton themselves, eh?

You say you’re protecting people Norton? Who can I contact that will protect me from YOU?