Norton Antivirus 2008 vs Free Antivirus Software

Following invitation, recently installed the 2008 version of Norton Antivirus.

Free software
Usually you have to pay, but this was free so why not?

The software took a couple of minutes to download.
I installed it on 11th Dec.

The following major effects were noticed over the course of it's short, but eventful life:-

• System boot-time went from 10-20 seconds to more than 2 minutes.
  After a number of boots, this did not improve.
  I don't see long boot-times as necessarily a bad thing. It can be indicative the software is doing it's job learning the systems and programs, learning, after which it would become faster.
• Boot times did not improve, running at roughly 2 minutes (4month old 1.8ghz Pentium dual core with 1gb of ram).
  
• After 8 days running, system experienced stability issues, crashing Dreamweaver and Photoshop, two of the software's I use every day.

When I came back to work on Wednesday, I essentially didn't have a computer to work with.
It's taken me from then, the 18th, till now, the 4th, to fix the problem and install firewall and virus protection i.e wasted about 8 days.

If you're tempted to download Norton 2008, don't.
Or if you do, be prepared:
Here's what you have to do to get rid of the stuff.

Rolling (backwards)
I rolled back to 2007 which I had on disk.
That failed to renew the subscription and virus definitions.
I then had to roll back to 2006.
The subscription and virus definitions failed when I came to work on the 2nd.
This was despite having over 103 days of subs left.

Uninstalling Symantec
The uninstaller failed.
After searching, Yahoo Search
I visited the Symantec site where they have an Symantec Unistaller tool for when things go wrong.
Downloaded this.
Failed.

Attempted to download and install Kapersky (internet software). Was told I had to uninstall Norton first.

I had no firewall to go surfing around the 'net, pick up my emails or leave a broadband connection safetly.

Visited Cnet found this Revo uninstaller.
It identified the dynamic library and system entries which I had to go through and delete manually.

System now works.

Norton 2008 In summary
For anyone running an older system, I dread to think. You're looking at dial-up style frustration say from a 1999 machine.
Paper readingly boring boot times.

Apparently Norton now charges for help facility so that goes some way to explaining why this release is so diabolical.
As an IT professional, non-core software should sit in the background. Quietly.

Here's my own take Antivirus Software.

Evaluation of Anti-Virus Software 2008

Avira
£Free or £19.99
Pro's: It's free. Clean interface, easily navigable.
When I installed the paid version, it seemed to import all the Network Settings from Zone Alarm meaning I didn't have to run the network set-up wizard on each computer or go round specifying individual IP addresses or ranges. An easy migration I think you'd call that.
The free version runs scheduled scans, something which Avast doesn't do.
Con's: After having run it for 2 months+ on two machines, free and paid versions.. none.
Installed: 2 Months
Download trial

Zone Alarm
£Free
Pro's: It's free. It's fast.
Con's: You're going to need to be a bit of an expert. But I'm here to help you :)
a) To set up your home network.
You need to specify your Local IP Address and Subnet mask. You need to look at your Router>Setup> Internet settings retrieve the settings which should look something like this
Local IP Address 192.187.187.1
Subnet mask 255.255.255.0
and enter them in the Safe Zone manually.
Then it works just fine.
b) It offers a firewall and virus scanning software, none of the extra bits you may have become accustomed to twiddling around with.
Depending on whether the Internet is full of scary people out to get you OR you simply want a system protected from incoming threats decides whether you should choose this Anti-virus software.
As an IT Pro who spends every day on the 'net, this software works just fine and is system friendly.
Installed: 5 days
Download trial

Kapersky
£29.00
Pro's: Easily the quickest in terms of getting connected, getting it's shit and sitting quietly in the corner (like a good Russian should).
Con's: Took a while to identify viruses, you may have to move the scanners above the default level to flush the system out. The Kapersky gets high rankings for finding viruses on your system, so you should see this as a Pro as long as you set the levels right.
Set up the scans correctly and this will be the case.
Slight spectre of overiding security issues with Kapersky being located in the good old USSR.
Installed: 1 month
Download trial

F-Secure
£49.00
Pro's: Spam filtering binned all the stuff I would have deleted myself.
Con's: Compared with the other softwares here; slightly long boot times.
Scan's: Scheduled scans seemed to take a decade, on Friday I seemed to be pulling my hair out then realised the system was on scan. At least on Norton you get the icon telling you there's something happening, this doesn't happen with F-Secure.
Installed: 1 month
Download trial

AVG
$33.00
Pro's: Faster boot times than F-Secure.
Con's: Needs a lot of work doing on the interface. Patience and manual dexterity are the name of the game if you want the software to work.
For example: If you have a persistent spam, you need to go into the message source and manually scoop that emailers address then paste it into AVG's blocked senders list. This is the only way to block incoming emails without them entering your inbox.
Setting up a local network: Again, a cut and paste job. You're going into the router, finding the IP range and subnet mask and adding them to your trusted networks.
I couldn't achieve a two way connection even after fiddling round. Not ideal if you're planning to share your workload between rooms, people or computers. If you plan to network, follow the steps in Zone Alarm...
Installed: 1 month
Download trial

Summary
Most of these software's are either more complex and do less or don't work as well on the things you really want, Avira/Zone Alarm work as well if not better than anything Norton has done in the past and steam ahead of the current release.
In terms of the Spam blocking, Norton still takes a lot of beating, F-Secure probably comes the closest in that respect.
Kapersky was good in that it was fast with high virus availability and lurked in the background with little problem. I hardly knew it was there.
Free software, I plumped for Zone Alarm and Avira. I can recommend it as the software which works to protect you from malicious threats on the Internet, Avira did a great job in mopping up, deleting spam and doing the weekly maintenance
Unlike Norton Antivirus 2008, none of these softwares stopped my computer working and crashed all my software then asked me to phone a helpline.
Shame on you Norton.

Real Cost of Living Index - RCLI

Every time I go down the shops things have gone up in price. Usually it's bread. Week on week things seem to be rising.

Here are some figures that go some way in reflecting the real sizes and prices for everyday shop.

You can find the rest on The Telegraph website.

Cairo - Hanging Church

KML 30.00552 31.22991

Called the hanging Church because it was once positioned over the gatehouse to the Coptic quarters.

Oldest Church

The Coptic hanging church is the oldest church I have visited, dating back to the 7th century. Some parts of the church have been carbon dated, the most recent revealing first construction around 2nd century BC.
It's clear this church has been around in some form for a very long time.

The courtyard and church have a distinctly Arabic feel with intricate wooden carvings, aprons and balconies.

Hanging Church - Courtyard

 
Hanging Church - Entrance

 
Hanging Church - The Inside

Unlike the Church of St. George, this one is entirely Coptic.

Inside the Church

Inside you can find 110 icons dedicated to the Christian faith most of them dating back to the 18th Century some going back as far as the 8th century, it is said this church is one of the earliest examples of Basilica style architecture.

There are continuous tour groups moving through, although this does little to spoil the over-all atmosphere which is made in the upwards direction;

• Admire the wooden timber beams which have made up the construct for many centuries.
• The use of the Basilica Style to bring light into the structure.
• The ornately structured chandeliers.

all make for a warmth of style in keeping with Arabic, European and Christian decorations and considerations.

A pleasure to be in and around.

Weblinks: The Hanging Church website - Find out more about the hanging church, history and visiting times.

Accommodation - Budva

Since arriving in Montenegro, most of my time has been spent looking for accommodation.

Early riser
Spoke to girl last night at Fisherman's Cafe, who told me the season ends when October begins.

Spent last night in the Blue Star hotel. You might check them. They have 3 hotels in the Budva region. The Montenegro, The Blue Star and the Splendid.

Am in the Splendid at the moment. It is the only hotel I've stayed in to have piped TV in the bathroom, apart from Caesar's Palace. Aside from that, it's part of the group and I managed to check all three from the Blue Star.

I've marked the blue star on the map for your interest.

http://www.montenegrostars.com/

Blue Star - Budva

Zorbing - NZ

Popularised by Andrew Akers, Zorbing is the pursuit which involves immersing yourself in water, surrounding yourself in a giant inflatable ball, then rolling yourself down a hill.

I took two rolls, one with harness the other immersed in bubble bath.

Here’s a video.

Zorbing - Rotorua, New Zealand

Weblinks: Zorbing

Wai o Tapo - Geyser

One of the main attractions and features of Rotorua and the area is the high level of geothermal activity.

On the same rift as White Island, mentioned earlier in this blog, Rotorua is renowned for it baths and geothermal formations.

No where can these be found in more glory than at the Wai-o-Tapo park.

Lady Knox
A 15m Geyser erupting daily.
Lady Knox Geyser, New Zealand
Lady Knox Geyser, New Zealand
Each morning there is a regular show at 10.15am.

Weblinks: Lady Knox

Rotorua - Buried Village

Buried Village, Rotorua
Buried Village, Rotorua
Part of the range of attractions on offer around Rotorua, family owned, the lost village tells a story through a museum and guided tour, of how a village Te Wairoa and it’s notaries were either buried or managed to escape the eruptions of Tarawera in 1886.

Swingers, Museum, Buried Village, Rotorua

Te Wairoa
A point of departure for international tourists to take the pink and white terrace lakes, calciated lakes similar to that which can be found in Pummukale Turkey.

The main hotel was owned by a Scotsman, McRae, it was from here a local notary, Guide Sophie used to take parties up to the terraces.

Buried Village, Rotorua

Omen
Part of this included a trip across a lake Rotomahana.

Ten days before the eruption, crossing this lake, dog headed apparitions were spotted in in a Maori war canoe, none of which existed in the area.
The village elder who accurately predicted this was an omen of doom and bad things would follow.

Lost
Ten days later at 1am in the morning the village was buried and 150 of the residents had lost their lives.

Set in beautiful surroundings, including jungle, trout streams, waterfalls, interspersing the various bits of ruin and excavations along the way, this was a good way to spend the afternoon as the weather stayed good.

Weblinks: Buried Village

Holidaying on White Island

Travelling with PeeJay's.

White Island is about 40k off-shore. Takes about 1 1/2 hours to get there.

In 1932 there was a sulphur mining operation on the island. After repeated eruptions, deaths and eventually bankrupcy, operations ceased.

The island now is like a moving sand of volcanic activity.


White Island, New Zealand
As you can see the place is not exactly Hawaii.

Don't look into the Rain
We are told stories of melting radio's zippers, trainer islets, items of clothing, the rain is acid, the floor is a shifting crust of ash beneath which lies pools of boiling mud.

It is home to the worlds most acidic lake.

White Island, New Zealand
At PH1, this lake is pure hydrochloric acid, there were still Germans rolling their towels out beside it as we arrived.


White Island, New Zealand
Everything on this island seems to explode or break. Which is why we are given helmets and gas masks when we arrive.

Weblinks: PeeJays
Weblinks: White Island

Pacific Coastal Road

Today I will be travelling the North Island Pacific Coastal Road.

I have been advised this is one of the most spectacular in NZ.

I will be taking some photographs of what I deem to be the good views.
Maybe stopping off at some of the attractions.

More later.

Weblinks: http://www.newzealand.com/

Milford Sound Underwater Centre

Milford Sound Underwater Centre, New Zealand
This is not part of the tour and costs and additional $25.

Underwater
Gives you the opportunity to get down to Milford's salt water layer and observe the wealth of wildlife.

This isn't like Loch Ness, where you might have the odd sock floating around, there are many fish, corals and life going on 10m under.

Friend
These fish were showing off for me.

Notice the particularly ugly one at the front.

Milford Sound - Underwater Center, New Zealand

Weblinks: Milford Sound Underwater Observatory

Milford Sound

Milford Sound is one of New Zealand's top attractions.

The drive down takes 2hrs and takes in some dramatic countryside.

Knobs Flat, New Zealand

Mitre Peak, New Zealand

The area was discovered by a Welshman who got blown off course into the mouth of the sound and it effectively saved his life.

Milford Fjord
At the time, the English had no word for a fjord, so the Welshman named it Milford Haven, which was subsequently re-named Milford Sound.

Granite Peaks
You cannot fail to be inspired, the rocks here are mighty.

Two tectonic plates meet here, the Pacific and the Australasian which goes some way by way of beginning to explain how such a dramatic landscape was created.

As you drift along in the boat, its like someone has come and smashed the sides of the rocks away with a hammer.

Milford Tour Options
There are a number of choices and options, but most tours are done through boats.
The company I went with was Red Boats 'Encounter' nature cruise.

This takes in the sights, but without the bus loads of tour parties which congregate around the harbour area.

Here are some pictures when we set sail.

Most Popular
This is the most photographed view in New Zealand.

New Zealands Most Popular Photograph


The Entrance to Milford Sound, New Zealand

One of the advantages of the smaller boat was it's maneuverability and ability to get close in to the rocks.

Waterfalls
This tour actually goes under a number of the waterfalls which run off the granite outcrops as you go along.

Bowen Falls, Milford Sound
Stanley Falls, Milford Sound, New Zealand
Pixie Falls, Milford Sound, New Zealand

It was hot, so we welcomed getting under the water for a bit of a cool.

Seals
Here's some seals doing what they do best.

Seals, Milford Sound, New Zealand
Weblinks: Red Boats

Southland Museum

Invercargill has penguins walking the streets in the winter.

I have heard this therefore it must be true.

To find out some more interesting facts to be had about the area, I’ve taken some time out to visit the Southland Museum.

There are some nice displays on Maori art. And other bits and pieces that indicate Maori efficiency at catching fish.

Here are some Maori clubs.

Maori clubs, Southland Museum, New Zealand

The Maori used a full bodied thrusting action to gain maximum effect from these stubby clubs.

Sub-Antarctic islands

Upstairs at the museum is a exhibit by Greenpeace about the southern islands or the sub-Antarctic islands.

Windswept, cold, full of seagulls.

Fate
Each island tells a story of unlucky travellers after being thrashed upon the rocks, clambering up to face death or starvation or de-hydration under grotesque circumstances.
Whalers, sealers or seamen were forced to eat whelks, limpets anything they could get their hands on.

Differing explorers suffered different fates, which are documented.

One group made a go of it.
By the time they were picked up they had cultivated 2 hectares of potatoes and harvested 3,000 seal skins.

Southland Museum, New Zealand
Weblinks: Southland Museum

Kelvin Hotel - Invercargill

Petrol tank gauge is showing empty and I just make it into the Invercargill before the Hog starts spluttering.

Find this hotel. It’s called the Kelvin.

It’s cheap $104. When I go to the room, there are some French journalists broadcasting something from the lobby window using a laptop and a satellite phone.

Burn

When I look in the mirror I realise I have got a sunburnt face.

My hands are burnt as well.

Will have to remember sun cream for the long rides.

Broadband
The hotel has broadband so I can get some work done in the morning.

Weblinks: Kelvin Hotel - Invercargill

The road to Invercargill

Today I am going to journey southwards.

I plan to drop in on Duneden and Invercargill.

Dunedin

Have just driven through the town-centre.

It really isn’t worth getting off the bike.

Re-Fill
Stop a Micky-dees in the industrial estate for essential carbs.

The Southern Scenic route

This winds it's way gently through the lowlands surrounding the south-east of New Zealands south island.

It's free.

It passes through The Catlin National park Nature Reserve.

It runs from Dunedin right through to Invercargill taking in many impressive sights on the way.

Here's some pictures I took along the way.

Southern Scenic Route, New Zealand

Southern Scenic Route, New Zealand

Southern Scenic Route, New Zealand

Purakaunui Falls.
A stopover point a couple of km's of the main route on a dirt track.

It's impressive because the falls are in a semi-tropical setting, canopy sub-canopy, Lyrebirds etc.

Purakaunui Falls, New Zealand

Tuatuku Beach
Like Harlech beach for length and spread, this one stretches for miles and you can get a great view from the headland.

Tuatuku Beach, New Zealand

Mclean Falls
Located slightly of the road.

Mclean Falls, New Zealand

After a tramp through the bushes, you are rewarded.

Youths were cooking noodles on the rocks at the base. One is obscuring the picture here.

Mclean Falls, New Zealand
Here's a view from the 5km unmade road you need to travel down to reach the Mclean falls.

Mclean Falls, New Zealand

Cathedral Caves
Located on private land, you have to pay to get into this one.

Cathedral Caves, New Zealand

As you enter the gate keeper hut, they sell postcards of different views of the caves which are located on the shoreline.

Cathedral Caves, New Zealand

There is even one picture with a couple getting married.


Weblinks: Southern Scenic Route - New Zealand

Kiwi Birdlife Park

Another place which is worth a visit, is the Kiwi Bird Sactuary.

This has live Kiwi’s to watch in their natural habitat.

It has some interesting bits of natural wild-birdlife up-close, including walk-in aviaries, allowing the birds to grab hold of any attractive sundries you may have about your person.
Doesn’t happen often, but there is an amusing story about a missing lens cover on the audio-guide supplied when you walk in.

Visit @ 11am or 3pm to take advantage of the live Maouri show.

Here's a few pictures.


Walk in Aviary, Kiwi Birdlife Park, Queenstown

Some ducks hanging out.
Kiwi Birdlife Park, Queenstown, New Zealand


Maouri Hut, Kiwi Birdlife Park, New Zealand

A Maouri house before settlers arrived.

A whole Maouri family whould fit in one of these.
They used to sleep close to the floor so as to overwhelm attackers when they stooped down spearing them in the face.

Lodging at - CP Queenstowm

Now lodging at the Crown Plaza, Queenstown.

View from Crown Plaza, Queenstown, New Zealand

Here is a view from my window.

Hog is parked safetly outside.

Weblinks: Crown Plaza, Queenstown

Kawarau Bridge - Bungy jump

The first commercial Bungy site.

Copying from drug crazed egalitarian tribes down in South America somewhere, AJ and his friend from Holland had an idea that this might be a good thing to do.
Working together with scientists from the local university, they developed a formula to make the first Bungy rope.

This was to string people from a local bridge.

Mad
Initially as the blurb will tell you no-one was interested in this ridiculous and frightening sport. And in the first year they only managed to find 28 people mad enough to do it.

Sales
Hackett developed the 'Bungy Code of Practice' to qualify and quantify this mad new pursuit.

Slowly, more and more normal punters came in, Hackett become the Bill Gates of Bungy and Bungy became the multimillion pound sport it is today.

Kawarau Bridge, Bungy, New Zealand

I did all this Bungy bollocks in Australia a few years back.
If you haven't done it, you need to do it. If you have, don't feel you need to do it again (unless your friends are watching, which mine aren't ;) ).

Weblinks: AJ Hackett