I currently have Mcafee 6.0 and now it's compaining I need to upgrade to 7.0 before additional upgrades are downloaded.  That pisses me off, about a year later, Mcafee will not download new updates until I upgrade again.  The differences between 6.0 and 7.0 are not much, it's the virus update files, so I really shouldn't have to upgrade again.

So, I know both are good and similarly priced, $19 online, but wanted to get opinions on what's preferred out there.  Also, anyone have a similar problem with Norton, that I'm seeing with Mcafee?

I'm now leaning towards Norton for now.

I had 5.0 and can still get updates for it.

The new 7.0 Professional is great!
Since I already owned the other I got it for about $20. It is so much better than the 5.0.

Does 6.0 have auto updates? Hawk virus catcher for outgoing e-mails?

I don't know about 6.0 but 5.0 didn't have these features.

BigDozer66

I use Norton 2003 System works.  It's got Norton Utilities, Anti-Virus, and Ghost.  I'll never go back.  It's the best software I've used in a long time.

This is my problem, something to do with 6.0 and updates.  I've only had it for 11mo and it's complaining about an update.

http://forums.mcafeehelp.com/viewtopic.php?t=8257

Go with Norton. I had a bunch of problems with "upgrade vs. update" with McAfee and never went back. Funny, my systems got a lot more stable too.

Using NAV since about 96 or so. I always hated McA for the funny way their updates had to be installed back then, and for the weird things it did to Windows.
Currently NAV 2003.

This may be an urban legend, but not long after Sept 11 there was a lot of talk about giving the police broad powers to snoop through the computers of Joe Public to make sure they weren't up to terrorist mischief.  That was when there was a lot of discussion about such computer programs as the FBI's Carnivore and such, which scanned people's e-mail or something.  There was also talk of other programs, basically spyware intended to report people's web activities.  Anyway, it was my understanding that McAfee said they had an agreement with the gov't to ensure that their programs would not detect the gov't programs, so as to protect the gov't's spyware activities.  For that reason alone I rejected McAfee the next time I went looking for antivirus software.  It wasn't that I had anything to hide, it was just that McAfee had just basically advertised to the hackers of the world that all they needed was a copy of some of the code from gov't spyware programs, and they'd always have a free ticket into any McAfee users' computer software, where Lord only knows what they'd do next.

I just got Norton System Works 2003 for my new computer @ Sam's. It was $54.96 with a $20 rebate from Sam's, a $30 mail in "upgrade rebate" from Sam's, and a $20 mail in rebate from Symantec.

It is much slower than McAfee 7.0 is but it does scan downloads like Mp3's and such so I think it will protect my computer from more things.

BigDozer66

I have used Norton and Mcaf. mac sucks i hate the interface and the workings i went back to norton 2002 and i love it i just really hated Mc. dont think you can go wrong with norton..... they also have, imo, better support. hope this helps

i'm a computer technican (10 years experience).  

Mcaffee's isn't bad but norton's is better.

do NOT buy the systemworks package (junk that MAY mess up your computer; everything it does is already built into windows in a MUCH more compatable package)

My first PC was an Altair and Mcaffee sucks! Use Norton Antivirus Pro 2003.