norton sucks

(9 comments)
2006.08.30
Jeez, Norton Antivirus sucks.

I took it off my work laptop when it was clogging my Java build process (sometimes software guys kick off builds that make lots and lots of small temporary files... to which Norton would go "ooh another new file... gotta scan it! Maybe there's a virus in it! Ooh... another new file! Gotta scan it! Maybe there's a virus in it!")

But the place I'm consulting has a strict policy about Antivirus. It needs to be there, and up to date, or no Net For You! So last night I downloaded the software, and today I ran it... it clogged my computer the whole day, scanning the 3 million or so files to find... exactly bupkis.

It seems like such the wrong way to go about protecting computers (especially since Virus writers specifically code to be stealthy with the leading brands of Antivirus.) Just watching it go through all the files...yeah, I'm sure someone hid a virus in that .BMP clipart that came bundled with Microsoft Word.

I don't know how to implement the "right" way of protection, which is to be more interested in virus- and worm-like activity rather than specific patterns of code. But doing that badly probably ends up with something like the say Windows Vista beta is like, all these popups telling you about "suspicious activity", 'til finally you just mindlessly click "OK" without trying to figure out if bad stuff is going on or not.


Ksenia Quote of the Moment
You're so calm, always...like a tractor.
(She also added "[...] Like an elephant.") I think she was berating me for not sounding all sad and missing her after like, 2 days... still, I like tractor, I wouldn't have thought of that one.