Skipping Norton Account Reminder

Norton Security | Norton Internet Security
1

I am a regular Norton Internet Security User since 2003 and just suscribed to Norton Internet Security 2009. Until now, I never had to set up a Norton Account but NIS 2009 keeps requesting me to do so each and every time I turn on my computer as far as I am logged as administrator. A screen pops up again and again and cannot be closed untill I log out.

 

No matter the fantastic opportunies I am missing here, I do not want to set up a Norton Account and I cannot see in the menu, the option to skip this step. As I am still in time to unregister and ask for a refund, I would like to know if there is any way to not setting up a Norton Account or if the only way to not do so is to uninstall the product and go for another brand.

 

Just to make things clear:

- do not explain to me why I should set up such an Account or why Norton needs me to do so: I do not want to set up such an account and it upsets me that Symantec would give its customer no choice in that area; I might have set up an account if I had the option to do it or not, but since I have no option, it is a big NO;

- my NIS 2009's copy is of course legit and the key is on the CD which I have at hand; I never lost a NIS's CD/key;

- there is no information whatsoever about the obligation to set up an account on the package nor on the user manual and this seems to be a new feature on NIS 2009; so as an old NIS 's customer I never figured out I would have to do so before buying NIS 2009 hence my surprise;

- I do not want to hack the product so if I can't disable this reminder in full compliance with Symantec's policies I will return the product and get a refund from Symantec.

 

Thank you in advance

2

Yes, you have a SKIP option. Try to activate your Norton product, after you enter your product key, you will receive a window to sign in to Norton Account, click Next, the same window will open again. You need to click on Next atleast two to three times. Then you can see a SKIP option next to NEXT. Now skip the Norton Account. Then you will not receive any reminder to register your product in Norton Account.

 

Hope this is clear to you.

 

Vineeth--

3

Vineeth,

Thank you for stepping in with an attempted solution. Unfortunately, it is of no help. For the three machines I installed NIS 2009 on, I am far beyond the activation process. NIS is installed and already working. At the time of the activation process, I may have or have not clicked on the skip button you mention. It is most likely that I did use this skip option since I did not set up the account at that time but anyway, now the product is activated, I never set up the account and the screen pops up indefinitely so that NIS is now a burden to me. So how I disable that once the product is installed and activated?

If what is needed is to uninstall/reinstall the product on my three computers just for the hassle of going through the activation process again, I will uninstall NIS 2009, go for a refund and happily use it with to buy another product.

 

It amazes the me that neither Symantec nor a Symantec official on this forum would come clean on this and:

 

- tell me wether it is mandatory to set up a Norton Account in order to smoothly use NIS 2009, something I even do not have to do with Microsoft products/Windows Update;

- if yes, whether the customer is informed before buying the product that it is mandatory to set up this account and then provide Symantec with some private details I do not want to provide them with (this should be mentioned somewhere on the package and it is not);

- if no, whether there is any way to desactivate this reminder once the activation process is completed.

 

It amazes me as well that Symantec keeps explaining that the Norton Account if for the sole benefit of the customer but refuses to give its customers the option to make their own judgement about their very own interest by offering them the option to skip this step whereas we have more sensible options available such as desactivating the firewall for example. The given explanation for setting up this account is that it is a conventient way to store the activation key. This might be true for some customer whereas some other will prefer to store the key with the disk in a closet. Let's us choose.

 

It amazes me again that no other customer complain about such a restriction to their freedom.

 

I am still expecting that some Symantec's representative active on this forum such as Tim Lopez will come here and provide me with a decent solution for disabling this reminder or will clearly tell me where was it mentioned on the package, that a Norton Account is mandatory.

 

Many Thanks

 

4

- tell me wether it is mandatory to set up a Norton Account in order to smoothly use NIS 2009, something I even do not have to do with Microsoft products/Windows Update;

- if yes, whether the customer is informed before buying the product that it is mandatory to set up this account and then provide Symantec with some private details I do not want to provide them with (this should be mentioned somewhere on the package and it is not);

- if no, whether there is any way to desactivate this reminder once the activation process is completed.

Hi Ben18,

 

I think, you really didn't understand the concept of the Norton Account. First of all, it won't store your personal details like your Credit Card account number. A Norton Account is a feature only of Norton 2006 and later products. A Norton Account stores your Product key and Serial Number of the Norton program on a Symantec server under your email address(unique one). If you reinstall your program and have lost your product key, you can use your Norton Account get your product key. Symantec has introduced Norton Account when they got issues from several users with product key missing for re-installation(both CD and download versions) with earlier Norton products.  If you didn't create a Norton Account and you are missing the product key for reinstallation, you can't blame Symantec at that time. So it's important for you to create the Norton Account and store the product key under your email address. Storing the product key under your email address also implies that you are the sole owner of that product key, and it can help Symantec to act against piracy. Hence it is mandatory to create the Norton Account, and Norton product will prompt you to create until you do it. There is no option to disable it. Even if you are trying a trailware program from Symantec, you have to create a Norton Account in order to store the Serial number.

 

Yogesh

5
Hi Ben18,

 

I think, you really didn't understand the concept of the Norton Account. First of all, it won't store your personal details like your Credit Card account number. A Norton Account is a feature only of Norton 2006 and later products. A Norton Account stores your Product key and Serial Number of the Norton program on a Symantec server under your email address(unique one). If you reinstall your program and have lost your product key, you can use your Norton Account get your product key. Symantec has introduced Norton Account when they got issues from several users with product key missing for re-installation(both CD and download versions) with earlier Norton products.  If you didn't create a Norton Account and you are missing the product key for reinstallation, you can't blame Symantec at that time. So it's important for you to create the Norton Account and store the product key under your email address. Storing the product key under your email address also implies that you are the sole owner of that product key, and it can help Symantec to act against piracy. Hence it is mandatory to create the Norton Account, and Norton product will prompt you to create until you do it. There is no option to disable it. Even if you are trying a trailware program from Symantec, you have to create a Norton Account in order to store the Serial number.

 

Yogesh

Using your e-mail address as a unique inditifier is the craziest idea I have ever heard of. I can have a valid e-mail address today, close it tomorrow and somebody else can use it the next week. When I moved and changed ISP, my e-mail address has changed too. I used the same PC but my e-mail address was no longer valid. Imagine that!  Naturally the last of my worries were to let Symantac know of 'change of address', therefore I could never get to my norton account any more. The phone help in India was no help either! It should be the customer's choice to set up the norton account or not. 

6

Dear Yogesh Mohan,

I think I have a full grasp of the Norton Account Concept as I used NIS since 2003 on three machines each year and since then, Norton tried to have me setting up  an online account during the activation process but to no avail. I lived with it untill then because it was not mandatory. The reason I requested that people replying to this thread just come with a valid solution to disable the reminder and not an explanation as to what this Account is  useful for, was to avoid the inconsistent explanations usually given on the Internet by people who do not really understand the issue. Any feature introduced to a client as an help, should remain an option. When an NIS'user desactivates the firewall he is warned that he is taking a risk but the desactivation option remains. This should be the same here. Plus, Symantec and Symantec's people on this forum, remain supringsly silent about the issue. 

 

Symantec never made the claim you make, that the Account is an anti-piracy tool because such a claim is really too inconsistent to be made by any serious software company. I will not elaborate on the point because it really does not worth it and Retired Thinker just explained why this is ludicrous. Same thing regarding the "imagine you loose your activation key" explanation. It might help some users to store their activation key online, but Symantec still does not come clean on why this is mandatory for all users and is not anymore an option as it used to be.

 

Norton Account is a marketing thing unless some Symantec's official comes here and officially denies it. The wast majority of NIS's 2009 will just give Symantec their real email adress wich most of the time consists in first name and name. Such details, when connected to the kind of computer/software you use and where you live are marketable informations.

 

Symantec owes us a decent and transparent explanation as too why is it mandatory to give them our private details before using their product. They fail to give any explanation and because you are not from Symantec, any explanation that you may give will have no value to me. If, after a serie of reminder, say ten for example, I still did not set up the account, Symantec should leave me in peace at my own risk because it means: "I know what I am doing and I do not want to do your thing no matter what happens next".

 

I will not bend. I have now uninstalled NIS 2009 on my three home machines and I am on my way for a refund. I also requested the IT manager of my firm to not renew any Symantec's product license that we may use.

 

I hope, somewhere down the road, Symantec will learn how to treat its customers with respect.

Best

7


yogesh_mohan wrote:
it won’t store your personal details like your Credit Card account number.

Actually, it does store your credit-card number. :smileysurprised: :smileysad: and there is no way you can delete it - I’ve already tried. It doesn’t do any good to type in a bogus/fake number, because it refuses fake numbers. I complained about this problem the other day at an unrelated thread (a side-topic of my complaint about auto-renew) - part of my concern there was posted by another poster in the NIS Suggestion Box  but I’m going to go over there right now and post about this.

 

 

 

8

Hi J2000,

 

I can ensure you that Norton Account won't store the Credit Card information. Kindly check the fields in the below link for creating Norton Account:

https://www.mynortonaccount.com/amsweb/createAccount.do

 

Can you point out where it asks for your credit card number? There is option to add the credit card information in the Account Profile(after creating the account), but it is not compulsory.

 

The Auto-renewal case which you had reported earlier is entirely different and Auto-renewal don't have anything to do with Norton Account except updating the subscription information for a particular product key when the Autorenewal completes. Auto-renewal requires the credit card information as you are purchasing the service from symantec - extending the rights to use the Norton program. As I posted earlier, Norton Account is just a place in the Symantec server to store the Product Key/Serial number under your name so that no one else can replicate it and use the same. As a user of Norton products from 2006 version to till now, I found that creating Norton Account is the safest way to find out the product key/serial number of the Norton program along with it's subscription information.

 

Yogesh

9


Ben18 wrote:

The wast majority of NIS’s 2009 will just give Symantec their real email adress wich most of the time consists in first name and name.

 

I never use a “real” email address for anything. Often, I will use one specific ‘throw-away’ email address per company, so that if that email address starts getting spam, I’ll know exactly which company was sharing my contact info - and who to never do business with again.

 

However, for what it’s worth, I have not received any spam (none, zero, zilch ) on the email address or other contact info for the Norton Account.

 

Ben18 wrote:

Such details, when connected to the kind of computer/software you use and where you live are marketable informations.

I suppose, although personally I’m not generally much concerned about the “marketing” potential of things as long as they (or their affiliates) don’t clog up my little postal-mailbox with junk catalogs and flyers  - that’s one of my major pet-peeves, and I have a stubborn habit of refusing to do business with companies that send me postal/paper mail that I didn’t request. Thankfully the price of postage keeps going up :smileywink: (at least here in the U.S.), which helps to make junk postal/paper-mail less attractive for junkmailers (that’s one of the few times you’ll ever see me praising a price-hike for anything).

 

I do agree, however, that some aspects of the Norton Account thing seriously need to be changed because it’s affecting too many customers’ perception/happiness, including my own. When the customers aren’t happy, a company’s revenues decline, and that’s bad - especially when it can be so easily avoided by the company just changing stuff that customers don’t like. Customers=happy, company=more $$ … everyone wins.

10
yogesh_mohan wrote:

Hi J2000,

 

I can ensure you that Norton Account won't store the Credit Card information. Kindly check the fields in the below link for creating Norton Account:

https://www.mynortonaccount.com/amsweb/createAccount.do

 

Can you point out where it asks for your credit card number? There is option to add the credit card information in the Account Profile (after creating the account), but it is not compulsory.

 

The Auto-renewal case which you had reported earlier is entirely different and Auto-renewal don't have anything to do with Norton Account except updating the subscription information for a particular product key when the Autorenewal completes. Auto-renewal requires the credit card information as you are purchasing the service from symantec - extending the rights to use the Norton program. As I posted earlier, Norton Account is just a place in the Symantec server to store the Product Key/Serial number under your name so that no one else can replicate it and use the same. As a user of Norton products from 2006 version to till now, I found that creating Norton Account is the safest way to find out the product key/serial number of the Norton program along with it's subscription information.

I don't mean to be argumentative, but...

 

After the customer has bought something from Norton (online), the credit card info (obviously necessary for online purchases) is stored in the Norton Account and can not be deleted.

 

It is totally related to auto-renew because apparently Norton thinks they need to keep your credit card info forever in the Norton Account, even when you have no plans to renew online or to make other Norton purchases online.

 

I will post a screenshot if I can ever get back into my Norton Account again - trying it from the browser results in a "You have typed the wrong Email Address or Password. Please try again" message even after having them re-send me my password three times, and XP broke yesterday (details here) so I can't use NIS, to try to access the account from there, until I get back to a Windows box again (I'm using something else right now). I should have a functioning Windows machine by later today (I hadn't intended to fix Windows so quickly, but you've given me an incentive :smileywink: ) and I'll post a screenshot of what I'm talking about.

 

---

Reason for edits: among other things, this oddball non-standard 'nix browser I'm using right now keeps screwing up the line spacing etc. 

Message Edited by j2000 on 02-20-2009 05:25 AM
11
yogesh_mohan wrote:

it won't store your personal details like your Credit Card account number

Check the Account Profile, it stores it, if you put it in anywhere (like shopping in the Symantec Store):

 

Message Edited by PapauZ on 02-20-2009 02:37 PM
12

Hi PapauZ,

 

I posted the same there in my previous post:

 

Can you point out where it asks for your credit card number? There is option to add the credit card information in the Account Profile(after creating the account), but it is not compulsory.

 

 

I meant to say that when you create the Norton Account through Norton product or through the Weblink for Norton Account, it never asks/prompts for you to include the Credit Card details. You can add that information separately after creating the Norton Account, BUT Norton program or Norton Account won't prompt for this information. Once you enter the information, then you can't remove it - I agree to that point. If you don't want to provide that information, I don't think that it is necessary to enter those information first and then delete it. The other personal details which you provide in the Norton Account is to safeguard your data from being accessed by anybody else(secure identity). Anyway, I don't worry about providing all those information when using Symantec program since I know that those information is secure and no one else can access to it until/unless I provide my login information. Moreover, the online storage of Norton 360 uses the same Account information and I have backedup many of my files to Online Storage from one of my computers as I feel it more secure, can be accessed from anywhere.

 

Yogesh

 

13
yogesh_mohan wrote:

Hi PapauZ,

 

I posted the same there in my previous post:

 

Can you point out where it asks for your credit card number? There is option to add the credit card information in the Account Profile(after creating the account), but it is not compulsory.

 

 

I meant to say that when you create the Norton Account through Norton product or through the Weblink for Norton Account, it never asks/prompts for you to include the Credit Card details. You can add that information separately after creating the Norton Account, BUT Norton program or Norton Account won't prompt for this information. Once you enter the information, then you can't remove it - I agree to that point. If you don't want to provide that information, I don't think that it is necessary to enter those information first and then delete it. The other personal details which you provide in the Norton Account is to safeguard your data from being accessed by anybody else(secure identity). Anyway, I don't worry about providing all those information when using Symantec program since I know that those information is secure and no one else can access to it until/unless I provide my login information. Moreover, the online storage of Norton 360 uses the same Account information and I have backedup many of my files to Online Storage from one of my computers as I feel it more secure, can be accessed from anywhere.

 

Yogesh

 

Yogesh,

 

I fully respect your opinion about the benefit of the Account, an opinion that you are in no need to justify.

 

I am just concerned that it is now compulsory for all Symantec’s clients to share your sole opinion since there is no option to skip the Norton Account anymore and the reminder makes NIS a nightmare to use. Symantec should have issued at least a statement explaining why this is compulsory but nothing, nada, zero.

 

You said in a previous message, that Norton Account does not store any personal details. I checked this and it does: name, first name,adress are personal details to me and the Account does store these. Symantec makes it compulsory to give them these details and fails to give any justification to a request even Microsoft does not make. I will no have the credit card discussion with you because credit card details are way beyond the limits of privacy so its enought to me that Symantec wants my name and adress when I buy one of their product.

 

Now you say that it does not matter because "The other personal details which you provide in the Norton Account is to safeguard your data from being accessed by anybody else(secure identity) and nobody else than you has access.

 

First, there would be no issue of safeguarding my date if Symantec did not ask for them in the first place so we are back to the issue of why is this compulsory. Second, Symantec has access to the information so it is not only you and it does matter even more, because there is still a gigantic lack of consistent explanation as to why should we give these information to Symantec. Third, with all due respect, you are not a Symantec's representative and, again with all due respect, the explanation that you give has therefore no value to me. The fact that you try so hard to advocate the whole thing even becomes suspicious.

 

I think people are just starting to assess the issue of privacy and anonymity on the Internet and why they should refrain to provide some remote contact or company with very private details. When I  buy something in a high-street shop, I would be reluctant if in addition to paying the price, the shop-owner handed me a form to fill in with details only my credit card company has, gave me no explanation at all and refused to deliver my purchase to me untill I fill the form. Anybody would have the same reaction but just because its online, people just do it without giving it a second thought. 

 

I would be very interesting to read from a Symantec's reprsentative explaining why this thing is compulsory. I know they are Symantec's representatives reading us and the fact that they remain completely silent on this issue is already a response.

 

14

<<  Symantec should have issued at least a statement explaining why this is compulsory but nothing, nada, zero. >>

 

I can't give you a link to it but Symantec have posted their POV here on this topic. It would not satisfy you but they have not remained silent.

 

<< When I  buy something in a high-street shop .... >>

 

You do not buy the Norton product! You pay for a licence to use it so the better analogy would be when you lease an automobile from a dealer I think and then you don't have to tell me how much detail I have to give the dealer!

 

Given that Symantec -- and they are definitely not alone -- have adopted the subscription model and given that when your subscription expires the protection ceases completely (it does not continue on a limited basis) then they have the right to require that minimal information, just as Microsoft requires deep down information to identify your hardware when you activate Windows.

 

The nagging is a different matter in my opinion since there are ways of continuing it less agressively that are in use -- I have software that allows me to say "Later" and that delays it a preset amount; I have other software that allows me to specify "1 week" and so on.

 

Let's hope the Symantec do realize that the degree of nagging at present in the products is counterproductive and that they would lose nothing by recognizing this and modifying the product to take this into account.

 

Also don't forget that if one does renew when the first nag comes up or as soon as convenient afterwards that the nagging ceases and the 366 days is added to any remaining old subscription -- you do not lose it.

15
huwyngr wrote:

<<  Symantec should have issued at least a statement explaining why this is compulsory but nothing, nada, zero. >>

 

I can't give you a link to it but Symantec have posted their POV here on this topic. It would not satisfy you but they have not remained silent.

 

<< When I  buy something in a high-street shop .... >>

 

You do not buy the Norton product! You pay for a licence to use it so the better analogy would be when you lease an automobile from a dealer I think and then you don't have to tell me how much detail I have to give the dealer!

 

Given that Symantec -- and they are definitely not alone -- have adopted the subscription model and given that when your subscription expires the protection ceases completely (it does not continue on a limited basis) then they have the right to require that minimal information, just as Microsoft requires deep down information to identify your hardware when you activate Windows.

 

The nagging is a different matter in my opinion since there are ways of continuing it less agressively that are in use -- I have software that allows me to say "Later" and that delays it a preset amount; I have other software that allows me to specify "1 week" and so on.

 

Let's hope the Symantec do realize that the degree of nagging at present in the products is counterproductive and that they would lose nothing by recognizing this and modifying the product to take this into account.

 

Also don't forget that if one does renew when the first nag comes up or as soon as convenient afterwards that the nagging ceases and the 366 days is added to any remaining old subscription -- you do not lose it.

It is very surprising that always the two very same posters with thousands of posts in their headcount on this forum always step in when we criticise Symantec and try to lure us with disputable explanation to the unjustifiable.

 

I would have accepted your explanation if it was consistent with what the Norton Account's reminder says. The reminder only says I have to set up a Norton Account for my sole benefit (i.e storing my activation key), not for Symantec's benefit. Symantec never introduced Norton Account as an anti-piracy tool so why are you trying to do so? I have absolutely no problem with Microsoft having a full knowledge of my configuration as long as Microsoft does not require my name and address. So again, the analogy you make here is wrong.

 The car rental analogy is equally bogus: the reason why I need to give my private details to the car rental agency in your example is because I must give bring the car back plus I may get fined on the road so they need to trace me. This is not the case here. I went to a shop, paid for a NIS'CD and a one year NIS license which I paid upfront (i.e in advance) for 366 days. 

 

Once the license expires, I have nothing to bring back to Symantec. They know, thanks to a connection between my computer and their servers, and a check of my activation key stored in my computer that my license has expired so they would not deliver me any update unless I renew. It is up to me then to renew.  . A couple of week before the expiration date, I am reminded to renew online which I never did. I go to the very same shop to buy a new box and this is it. The fact that the protection ceases immediately gives Symantec absolutely no right or need for that matter to have my private details so your reasoning defies logic.

This does not hurt the subscription model Symantec has adopted in any way. Symantec adopted the subscription model years before 2009, and it worked flawlessly until now without a compulsory Norton Account

 

The more accurate analogy would be with a prepaid telephone card which you can buy anonymously. You can even renew your credit without never giving the telephone company any private details so again your are wrong.

 

 There is still no consistent explanation as to why is this compulsory and I now wonder how many undercover Symantec's employees will come to here with funny but bogus replies.

 

 

16

As somone said: "Don't bother me with the facts, my mind is made up"

 

Enjoy your fantasy world and don't waste your time insulting those who try to help.

17
Ben18 wrote:

their headcount on this forum always step in when we criticise Symantec and try to lure us with disputable explanation to the unjustifiable.

 

I would have accepted your explanation if it was consistent with what the Norton Account's reminder says. The reminder only says I have to set up a Norton Account for my sole benefit (i.e storing my activation key), not for Symantec's benefit. Symantec never introduced Norton Account as an anti-piracy tool so why are you trying to do so? I have absolutely no problem with Microsoft having a full knowledge of my configuration as long as Microsoft does not require my name and address. So again, the analogy you make here is wrong.

 The car rental analogy is equally bogus: the reason why I need to give my private details to the car rental agency in your example is because I must give bring the car back plus I may get fined on the road so they need to trace me. This is not the case here. I went to a shop, paid for a NIS'CD and a one year NIS license which I paid upfront (i.e in advance) for 366 days. 

 

Once the license expires, I have nothing to bring back to Symantec. They know, thanks to a connection between my computer and their servers, and a check of my activation key stored in my computer that my license has expired so they would not deliver me any update unless I renew. It is up to me then to renew.  . A couple of week before the expiration date, I am reminded to renew online which I never did. I go to the very same shop to buy a new box and this is it. The fact that the protection ceases immediately gives Symantec absolutely no right or need for that matter to have my private details so your reasoning defies logic.

This does not hurt the subscription model Symantec has adopted in any way. Symantec adopted the subscription model years before 2009, and it worked flawlessly until now without a compulsory Norton Account

 

The more accurate analogy would be with a prepaid telephone card which you can buy anonymously. You can even renew your credit without never giving the telephone company any private details so again your are wrong.

 

 There is still no consistent explanation as to why is this compulsory and I now wonder how many undercover Symantec's employees will come to here with funny but bogus replies.

 

 

I totally agree with you Ben18. Huwyingr and Yogash don't seem to be 'listening' to the actual complaint, only pushing some kind of a company slogan or talking point for Symantec. Not only in this thread, but in most. If not employed by Symantec, they should at least get a good discount!

It is curious why Symantec's officials don't have a response on this matter. The car analogy was totally wrong. I'll never buy anything online, as I know how poorly the customer's data protected at most companies by careless and stupid workers. Yes, not everybody is a genius who works in IT! Most have absolutely no clue about security. I believe giving any personal information when you register your product is absolutely dangerous. As somebody suggested, I too set up separate e-mail addresses now with hotmail, yahoo and alike for one-time use. So no matter what Symantec can come up with to grab personal data, careful users can always find a way around it. When the nagging gets unbearable, it is time to move on to other products. In today's economy Symantec is behaving foolishly, imho. Their funeral. 

18

Let me try to step in than. Or am I one of "them" as well?

let's try again and please tell me in short what is the main problem. Too many arguments are posted here and I'm affraid no one really knows anymore what is exactly the main issue.

 

Ben , can you help me out here?

19

I checked the information in the profile of my Norton account.  There is no more information there than is required to sign up on this forum.  I always buy a new disc every year so there is no need to enter credit card information.  I shake my head in absolute wonder that the people who are so indignant about giving Symantec their name and email address, do so on this forum willingly just so they can complain about it.  How does this make any sense?

 

What I also don't understand is that most quality programs require your name, address, and email address to register your product.  The same people that complain about the Norton account happily register their cameras, printers, software, Ebay and Paypal accounts without a twinge.  They are just as likely to have online banking, which I refuse to do. There is just something about the Norton account, be it no different, that sends them into orbit.

 

If I was as sensitive about my privacy as some posters, the last place I'd put any information is on a public forum.

20

>>The same people that complain about the Norton account happily register their cameras, printers, software, Ebay and Paypal accounts without a twinge.  They are just as likely to have online banking, which I refuse to do. There is just something about the Norton account, be it no different, that sends them into orbit.<<

 

How do you know, Delphinium? None of the printers or cameras I have ever insisted on to registering the product before giving me permission to use it. I can assure you, I have neither eBay nor PayPal accounts. I too buy new discs every year. I rather do without or pay more, but nobody gets automatic access to my money. Actually, so far the CD was always cheaper than the subscription renewal... About online banking - I don't know where you do your banking, what are the online features and what is your banking background. So, if you don't feel secure, that's fine. Is the bank stopping you banking the old fashioned way? The complaint here is not that Norton offers an account setup for benefits to the users, but that they insist on setting up an account. Do you see the difference?