Nis2007 - add blocker?

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I have had Norton software on numerous computers for many years and virtually every time I have a problem with my computer it can be traced back to the Norton software.  The software causes my computer(s) to run slowly, boot-up times are ridiculous, and scan times, defrag times, etc. take forever.  My most recent computer is   quad core 3.46 GHZ, 4 MB Ram and it still started running slowly as soon as Norton Software was installed.  I have never had a virus on one of my computers but the overall performance is definitely degraded by your software. 

I forgot to say that I have Internet Security 2007 on one of my computers along with System Works and Password Manager (which was discontinued)  I got a message from Norton that a free upgrade was available.  When I installed the upgrade, my add blocker disappeared and now whenever I reboot my computer, the Norton Systemworks file appears on the screen.  Great upgrade! 

 

I used to have the Norton Go-Back activated on my computer but turned it off because it took 10 minutes for my computer to boot up.  Now it only takes 5 minutes.  That's why I don't like your software. 

 

There is no way to effectively communicate with Symantec about anything.  The web site is confusing and cumbersome, basically worthless for help on anything.  I am a very experienced computer and internet user and the Symantec website to me is a maze.

Hi GLA,

 

I'm sorry to hear about the performance problem and  your disappointment with our decision to remove the pop-up blocker. I'm not sure if you are here looking for a specific solution of some kind, but I can tell you that product development does monitor these forums and your feedback will not go unnoticed.

 

On the assumption that you are looking for assistance of some kind, I'd like to clarify some of the questions and concerns that you've raised:

 

Ad or pop-up blocking - there have been, over the years, a number of features that customers have consistently been most concerned about, and this particular feature was not on the short list. The propagation of toolbars (from Google and Yahoo!, for example) that incorporated pop-up and add-blocking capabilities and the shift to concerns with online browsing security allowed us to shift more to our core competencies, which is security. The toolbar that comes with 2008 incorporates both the Password Manager features you mentioned and the inclusion of an anti-fraud / anti-phishing engine. 

 

The anomalous problems you mention with Norton Internet Security (2007 until recently, apparently) are difficult to diagnose without some additional details. Can you provide me with more information about the particular problems or errors you've been encountering?

 

If it is more convenient, you can contact support directly via this page:

 

http://www.symantec.com/norton/support/productdetail/contact_ts.jsp?pvid=nis_2008

 

You can also use One Click Support to gain access to AutoFix, support documents and direct contact options specific to your product and version.

 

As to using the website, Norton is now using http://www.norton.com to help alleviate some of the confusion generated by our Enterprise offerings. If you have any specific feedback about the site, I'd be very interested in your observations.

 

Thanks for visiting the Norton forums.

 

Matt


GLA wrote:

I have had Norton software on numerous computers for many years and virtually every time I have a problem with my computer it can be traced back to the Norton software.  The software causes my computer(s) to run slowly, boot-up times are ridiculous, and scan times, defrag times, etc. take forever.   [ ... ]


We all know how you feel but before you leave the building <g> please give the Public Beta of NIS2009 a trial. It is amazingly different.

 

I know how you feel about ad-blocking and I miss it too since I found it dealt unobtrusively with the banner ads that are the bane of my existence on certain sites especially when animated.

 

I've used IE7Pro add-on but did consider it overkill with all that in can do that I don't need and perhaps causing IE to crash. Now I'm using SelectView that does help unobtrusively.

 

I don't like to disagree with Matt P but I have not found anyone who can point to any ad-blocking facility in IE7. PopUp blocking is there.

 

Nor is there anything in the Google Toolbar according to its website -- again popup blocking but not ad-blocking.

 

These are not the same thing.

 

Norton may have excellent reasons for not continuing ad-blocking but I'm sorry to say that no-one when asked has pointed me to its existence in IE or Google's toolbar. Other add-ons yes but not there.

I see you both are talking about IE.

As I see at firefox and Opera and safari , they all have really great ad blockers. And I know for sure that IE8 will as well. So when Norton starts again with this feature it will just be double protection. 

 

Besides that if you are not comfortable with testing v2009 why not just upgrade to v2008. This version alone is much lighter and faster than 2007

1 Like

Good catch, huwynger. I also have not found any native ad-blocking capabilities either. For me personally, I prefer to use Firefox whenever possible and have found the Adblock Plus add-on quite effective. I haven't used it, but I believe IE7 also has an ad-block add-on called Adblock Pro (although I can't vouch for something I haven't used yet...)

 

Anyway, it is these discussions that we hope will better identify features that our customers really care about.

 

Matt

 

<editors note: removed correctly spelled but unnecessary word>

Message Edited by matt_phillips on 08-27-2008 11:13 AM

The IE Pro add blocker doesn't work very well. I really can't understand why Symantec doesn't offer an add blocker any more? Their software and service truly sucks!!!! The add-blocker they had was one of the only things in their software that actually worked well but it was deleted from my computer when I installed a so called "upgrade". Norton software makes my computer run slow, often causes the computer to lock up and there is no effective way to interact with the company about problems. I am switching to a different company as soon as my subscription runs out. I hate NORTON!!!!!

Message Edited by Tony_Weiss on 08-25-2008 12:36 PM
1 Like

Many thanks for the constructive reply -- I hope you will be overwhelmed by the customers' desire for adblocking again! <g>

 

I've been "forced" to use Firefox to download from the Norton site <gdr> but the reason I don't adopt it is in large part because I prefer to work with a relatively standard OS since I do support on OS's and Hardware over on Compuserve.

Hi Matt and all,

 

I used to have Norton 360 v1.0 and I had downloaded an ad blocker as an add-on.

 

Today I upgraded to Norton 360 2.0 and noticed the ad blocker disapppeared and it's not even available as an add-on anymore.

 

Why was it necessary to remove it? It seems the only change with the latest update was to remove it.

Message Edited by ebo on 09-14-2008 06:24 AM

ebo wrote:
...Why was it necessary to remove it? It seems the only change with the latest update was to remove it....

Hi ebo,

 

To quote Matt_Phillips from earlier in this thread:

 

Ad or pop-up blocking - there have been, over the years, a number of features that customers have consistently been most concerned about, and this particular feature was not on the short list. The propagation of toolbars (from Google and Yahoo!, for example) that incorporated pop-up and add-blocking capabilities and the shift to concerns with online browsing security allowed us to shift more to our core competencies, which is security.

 

I hope this clears up the reason for not including it in the latest version. Thanks!

 


Tony_Weiss wrote:

ebo wrote:
...Why was it necessary to remove it? It seems the only change with the latest update was to remove it....

Hi ebo,

 

To quote Matt_Phillips from earlier in this thread:

 

Ad or pop-up blocking - there have been, over the years, a number of features that customers have consistently been most concerned about, and this particular feature was not on the short list. The propagation of toolbars (from Google and Yahoo!, for example) that incorporated pop-up and add-blocking capabilities and the shift to concerns with online browsing security allowed us to shift more to our core competencies, which is security.

 

I hope this clears up the reason for not including it in the latest version. Thanks!

 


Sounds reasonable to me. browsers have really great ad and pop up blokkers

I am a bit concerned that Tony Weiss is propagating this false information.

 

There is no ad blocker in the toolbars mentioned, nor is there any ad blocker buildt into IE 7 and IE8 Beta does not contain such a feature.

 

Yes there is pop-up blocking, which is by no means the same as ad-blocking.

 

Norton customer service chat tells me the removal of ad blocking was security related?

 

If Symantec was concerned about security surely it would not recommend highly intrusive adware such as Yahoo and Google toolbars?

 

Could it be that Google and Yahoo have pressured Symantec to drop this feature, which was loosing them both revenue?

 

In closing - why is Symantec not telling the truth as to why this feature was removed?

1 Like

I forgot to mention this in my last post so will do here.

 

I have been a loyal Norton customer for 10 years!

 

I purchased NIS 2008 - I still have a valid license for it, I am not using it however.

 

I am using AVG from Grisoft and will for the first time in 10 years not be renewing my NIS licenses when they run out.

Just in case you haven’t left yet, you should know that there is an ad-blocker for IE7.  It is available through the Microsoft provided freebie, IE7 Pro.  Do a search on the MS website, read all about it, then download it if you want it.  It’s a great tool.

IE 7 Pro is not a Microsoft product, it is an addon provided by some programmers in China.

It is just another free addon.

 

They have given great attention to copying Microsoft's webpage design, colors and all.

Very trustworthy. Isn't the very definition of a phishing page that it copies the design of a trusted source to get you to do what the devoloper wants?

 

I am astonished that Symantec can't tell  Microsoft from Tao Han ( who owns the domain ie7pro.com)

Strangely this person is not mentioned on the webpages of ie7pro.

 

Their contact email is a gmail account!

 

This is exactly why I want ad blocking from a trusted source, I am not about to install software where the publisher's indentity is obscured and your only legal recourse is to sue the Peoples Republic of China. 

 

I did search MS downloads and support - there are no results for IE7 Pro.

1 Like

Sergente, hi.

 

Shooting from the hip is a good thing only when you shooting the right thing.  In this case, not only did you miss the bullseye, but you missed the entire target.

a.  Most important.  I am not a Symantec employee.  Symantec has no responsibility for anything I say nor do they endorse any of my recommendations (or that of anyone else who volunteers their time around here.)

 

b.  To address your comment.  You are quite right when you say Microsoft does not make Internet Explorer 7 Pro.  You are absolutely wrong when you suggest it is some fly-by-night software carrying potential viruses and that Microsoft knows nothing about it.

     Here is the URL to the Microsoft site webpage on which the product is discussed, highly recommended, and made available through a download link.  Notice the address location:  http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/help/6D1CD022-C6CF-41FA-8C77-E6A5A0F4321E1033.mspx.

 

Sergente, it is clear to me that you are upset and striking out at anyone who crosses your path.  However, we are trying to be of help.  A number of posters here give their valuable time freely because they take pleasure in solving problems and helping others.

 

Even though this issue is not that of an imperfect product, but rather one of an incomplete product (in your opinion), I think it is a good place to post the following:

 

Everyone needs to understand that no large computer product is perfect.  That is the point of beta.  What creates problems is that flaws in other products sometimes come directly into conflict with flaws in the product you're using.  We've already seen that here with a couple of other software programs.  When a product goes into beta, the designer hopes that among the numerous testers will be someone whose weird software reveals a conflict with this product.  When the conflict is found, it does not mean that the problem is with the product being tested -- what may be revealed is a hitherto unknown weakness in the other product.  If both producers are ethical and responsible, they will both try to find the basis of conflict and solve the problem.  However, that is not always the case; and sometimes there won't be a way that the new product can be used in tandem with the other product simply because the other company doesn't exist any more, doesn't care, or is unable to make the necessary code changes.

 

Anyway, IE 7 Pro is useful, is free, has almost no headroom, meets the needs you described, and then some.  If you don't want it, don't use it.

 

I am sorry if I or we offended you.

Message Edited by mijcar on 09-18-2008 12:59 PM

Terribly sorry - I realise now you are not a Symantec rep.

 

You did say thet the IE 7 Pro was a "Microsoft provided freebie" - it is not.

 

The page you referred me to is a community page on MS - IE7 Pro is not an official MS product, supported or otherwise.

This is like saying everything in Apple's App store (for iPhones)  is  approved and verified by Apple - they are not.

 

While I have no proof of who's behind this software I can tell you that as a general rule I never install software that I can't track.

And IE7 Pro is a product provided by an unkown chinese entity, with a pagedesign ripped straight from MS, with spelling errors all over and a gmail address for contact.

 

They may be great humanitarians but I do not trust the software.

 

As to beta - there are no "beta" issues mentioned here, the posts from people with Symantec in their taglines tell the story :

"not nescessary as IE7 has it built in" - which it doesn't. "Ad blocking not core to security" - really?

 

MSN Norway recently infected computers by way of a bogus Honda flash ad

 

The obvious lie about features IE7 does not have makes me question the official story of why the ad blocking was dropped. 

On rereading - I am sorry if I sound offended or ungrateful to the volunteers here.

 

I am not, I am simply trying to find out why a great feature which worked fine with IE 7 was removed.

 

I did not post here looking for a third party addon to IE.

 

I, too, apologize if I jumped in too heavily.  It does seem we're communicating better.  :smileyhappy:

 

I can understand your trepidation at using anything from China, believe me.  I've started using IE7Pro because I have read good things about it on sites that I trust (Cnet, I believe; possibly pcmag; various others).  I am impressed at what it does.  I also believe MS wouldn't let any product be promoted anywhere on its sites, even user help forums, if they thought the product was inimical in any way, especially to their own interests.

 

None of which deals with your objection to third-party software.  If that is how you feel, I will respect that feeling.

 

As for ad-blocking as opposed to pop-up blocking, that is a tricky issue.  The difference between an ad and information is a fine line.  In fact, an ad could be defined as information and mis-information with a bias.  Not all banners are ads and very few ads are in banner form compared to their other appearances on sites.  Recognizing ads means something a lot more complicated than recognizing vendors or sales phrases.  Vendors can be discussed as part of legitimate conversation and sales phrases occur in ordinary dialogue.  Identifying ads would depend on constantly changing databases and constantly shifting standards of recognition.  I would see such a product as requiring a lot of code, a lot of data, and capable of only limited reliability.  Frankly, I am surprised that any ad blocker of true significance has ever existed.

Message Edited by mijcar on 09-18-2008 03:38 PM