Bye-bye, Norton, I’ve had enough of you!
Yessssss, I know. I’ve been urged to move on from Norton Antivirus and Norton Internet Security for several years now. I was just wallowing in my comfort zone, however, and I never did. But now…
Ick. Let’s not even mention the problems Norton has with Windows Vista, no, my issue is this stupid activation thing. In efforts to keep people from pirating the software, they are making this hard on real users.
Version 2005 or 2006 was out - I don’t remember which, and I had reached my maximum number of activations, whatever that is. The program sent me to their website where I was given a phone number to call and have it activated by phone, right? Yes, because I was using the program as I was supposed to: legally, on one computer that just had had to be reformatted a few times.
Well there is now a real flaw with this installing and activating thing. My 2007 version of Norton Internet Security now resides on three computers. The box and the booklet stated that I can install it on three computers. It stated this in a big huge purple thingy on the box. Three computers. That’s part of the reason I bought it. This version resides on three computers and three computers only: my desktop, my laptop, and the desktop I edit video on.
As we all know, when I bought the desktop, I had a few problems with the SBC software killing my Windows installation and I reformatted it a couple times the first day I got the stupid thing. There went three installs and activations of Norton right there. Then my laptop had an installation and then one again when I reformatted it a couple of weeks ago. Then the editing machine: we had some problems and now, basically, we’re on our second hard drive. We do still have the original one in there, as a secondary (well, technically as a seventh-ary, but that’s beside the point).
So I had installed Norton again on the editing machine but tonight it told me that I cannot activate it, because there had been too many installs. So I think, no big deal, I have the correct product key, I’ll just call them, so I click to the website. There’s a list of countries and many with phone numbers to call and many with “click here” links. I click for the one for the United States and I am told, basically, “sorry! Buy it again!”
Um, hello?
I’ve already bought it once, I want my three installations goshdangit!
So I click around for help for a little bit only to get to a place that says, um maybe your cd is defective, fill out this form, print it, and mail it in with your cd.
Um, hello? How about no?
I click some more until I finally find a real contact form and I let them know exactly what I think about this.
I get home and I check my email to find this response:
Thank you for contacting Symantec Online Customer Service.
I understand from your message that you are receiving error ,message as Exceeded number of installation.
Valerie, please note that Symantec’s End User Licensing Agreement (EULA) states that Norton products may only be used on one computer at a time. Since you have Norton Internet Security 2007 3 user pack you can install it on 3 computers. Our records indicate that your software has been activated on more computers than is permitted. Since you have exceeded the allowed number of installations for your Norton Internet Security 2007, you will not be able to use the program again.
As the current owner of a Symantec product, you do have the option of purchasing an additional copy at the reduced upgrade price. To view your upgrade purchase options, please visit our Upgrade Center Webpage, at the following URL:
[...]
After purchasing and installing your Norton 2007 please reply to this E-mail with the serial number of your Norton product and I will be glad to transfer the remaining subscription period to your new Norton product.
Excuse me?
So even if I let this go and I forget the third computer, but then have to reformat my desktop or laptop, I can’t use the software again? What the heck is that?
Furthermore, if I’m going to pay for the software again why in all that is holy would I do it their way and only want my remaining subscription applied to it instead of a new full year? My subscription ends sometime in November.
And notice how she uses my name in the body of the email (she’d already addressed me before what I copied). It’s like she’s addressing a little kid or something. “Now listen here, little Johnny, you are only allowed to have one cookie before supper and if you insist on getting another one I’ll have to send you to your room.”
She also did not address anything where I’d explained why I would have numerous installs/activations of the program. I told her how I’d had to reformat computers and we got a new hard drive, etc. She completely ignored it.
And then? I tried to reply to this twice. And it bounced back. Twice. Something about an attachment not being accepted? There was no attachment, so whatever. It finally went through when I copied and pasted it all to a new email. I told her how ridiculous this is and went through the whole installations stories again.
Anyway. What is Norton smoking? Surely there has to be a better way to this? I mean it’s not like I’ve copied the CD and given out the product key to everyone I know. I’m the only one who has used this CD and to block me from using it on my computers is just wrong.
So, who can recommend a new virus program for me? Something with a firewall. Something affordable. Something that works on Vista and XP and will let me network my computers. I’m not buying anything Norton again and I’m not recommending it to anyone. Man these people should love me, because of me, they’ve sold a lot of software to people who would never think of buying Norton and would just continue to update the McAfee that came with their computers… And speaking of, I hate McAfee.
Grrr.
ADDENDUM - she responded and again feeds me the same bull. But she does explain a bit about the activation process. She says that information is sent to Norton and recorded about a computer’s configuration. She then says that I cannot use the software again, but then she says that I can use it again on the same machines it’s already installed on, but then again, she says that I cannot use it again… She just goes back and forth; but from what I can gather, you can use it again as long as your system configuration is EXACTLY the same as it was before. She admits that this includes not only hardware but software. So by changing our hard drive, even if the rest of it is the same computer and it has the original hard drive (or the original is not usable) we’ve been screwed. And then if I were to install Norton, uninstall it, install a different program, and reinstall Norton - it sees that computer as a completely different system! How ridiculous is that!?
Oh, and the people who are going to inevitably be all ticked off about this post, as tends to happen, can just keep their mouths shut. I’m not in the mood for debate and I’ll delete all comments that are even the tinest bit nasty.
