Norton SystemWorks 2003 Review

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(More customer reviews)I have mixed feelings about Norton SystemWorks 2003. On one hand, I'm a longtime user of the SystemWorks family of products, and I feel no Windows computer is complete without vital Norton tools like SpeedDisk and WinDoctor. On the other hand, I've been terribly disappointed with this release of NSW. Here's why:
Primarily, NSW 2003 doesn't include any obvious updates to existing software. I upgraded from NSW 2001, and I really don't see any changes in the functionality of any existing tools. The color scheme and interface has been revised to match Windows XP's friendly pastels and rounded curves, but I really don't see any difference in the way the components actually work. So why upgrade?
Second, NSW 2003 does not play nice with older versions of Windows. In particular, it loads an executable into memory, whether you want to use any "active" tools (such as AntiVirus or Registry Tracker) or not. Under Windows 2000 and XP, this application runs as a service and doesn't cause any problems; but on my Windows 98SE platform, it causes noticeably slower startups and shutdowns, and occasionally causes the system to hang when shutting down. I realize that Windows 98 is now a bit long in the tooth, but Symantec really should have put more effort into making NSW 2003 compatible with Win98 if it is to be advertised as such on the box.
In summary: On one hand, Norton SystemWorks is a solid heir to a useful dynasty of tools for Windows. On the other hand, there is little if any advantage over recent editions of the software, and backwards compatibility is deficient. I suggest that if you have Win2k or XP and do not yet have Norton SystemWorks, pick it up. If you are running an older version of Windows or already have SystemWorks 2001 or later, pass this one by.

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Symantec's Norton SystemWorks 2003 is a smart way to solve computer problems, with full versions of award-winning Symantec products and valuable additional utilities. Norton AntiVirus removes viruses automatically, scans both incoming and outgoing e-mail, and keeps itself updated to defend against new threats without interrupting your work. Now it also detects viruses in instant-message attachments. Norton Utilities optimizes your PC's performance and solves computer problems easily. And Norton CleanSweep removes unwanted programs and files that waste disk space.
The One Button Checkup tool in Norton SystemWorks makes it easy to assess the health of your PC and is now more powerful and flexible than ever. You can customize it to run only the scans you want, schedule scans to run automatically, and undo any changes it makes. Web Tools helps prevent dropped dialup connections when you're online and safely cleans up the clutter left over after Internet sessions. And Roxio's GoBack 3 Personal Edition restores your PC to a healthy state after a serious problem.

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Norton SystemWorks 2003 Pro Review

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(More customer reviews)Should you upgrade? Well, kind of, I tend always upgrade to the latest from Symantec. For this version I only recommend that you upgrade to "Norton Anti-virus 2003", the programs from Symantec such as System Works and Utilities are just same no major differences except for a more sleeker interface and tools for scanning "Instant messages" for viruses. I really don't know why Symantec decided to release this version so early. Yes, I was expecting a 2003 line of products. But I thought that they would of instead released them around mid-2003 when Microsoft Office 11 would debut. Beacause people use MS Office alot and Norton is good at scanning Office files for viruses.
So, should you upgrade?
If recently purchased System Works 2002 or Norton 2002 or any of the Symantec line of products at least wait until your one year subscription is up. Because that's what you by a utility program for, to keep updated against the latest attacks.

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Clean out Internet buildup with Norton CleanSweep from Symantec. Its powerful tools improve your PCs performance by removing unwanted programs and other files that waste disk space. Internet Sweep cleans away the clutter accumulated by Web surfing, including cookies that track your Internet activities. Fast & Safe Cleanup automatically removes files you no longer need, while Safety Sweep prevents the accidental deletion of critical files. The Uninstall Wizard guides you safely step by step through removing old programs. Now Windows XP users can also enjoy the benefits of this award-winning program. Trust Norton CleanSweep 2002 for safe, easy, complete hard drive cleanup.

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Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition Review

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(More customer reviews)I purchased a new dell computer to replace my laptop and of course it came with XP already installed on it. I was open minded and gave it a chance, but ulitmately, I reformated my hard drive and put windows Me back on it. Hopefully this review can help you decide if this if for you or not.
-IF YOU HAVE NEVER OWNED A COMPUTER AND YOUR FIRST SYSTEM ALREADY HAD WINDOWS XP ON IT, KEEP IT, THIS IS DEFINITELY FOR YOU.
--here is why, this is a great operating system when all the drivers are compatible with it. Of course if your system came with XP on it, all the drivers are pre-installed and thus compatible.
--for those not on the technical side, your computer will be more reliable with XP on it because it doesn't crash nearly as often as 98 or ME.
--it is pretty user friendly in that it doesn't require that you have to read a huge book to learn how to use it. The tutorial in the begginning is sufficient enough to get you started and the overall use of the system is not complex.
-IF YOU HAD A PREVIOUS COMPUTER AND WANT TO UPGRADE TO XP AND YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF WINDOWS IS BASIC, STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS XP.
--here is why, if you are upgrading your computer, you'll find that a lot of your stuff that worked fine with 98 or me will not work with windows XP. You'll have to download those drivers from the internet and if your modem is not working with XP, your [messed up] because there is no way you'll be able to get onto the internet to download your drivers, unless you have a second computer and a way to transfer files from each other.
--overall it can get very complicated and fustrating to get everything to work the way it did when you had 98 or ME so it requires a fair amount of advanced knowledge to get things to work right. So unless you are comfortable with some advanced trouble shooting, stay away.
-IF YOU ARE WINDOWS SAVY, HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE, STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS XP.
--here is why, the control you have over XP is very little compared to that of 98 or ME. The whole program is like an airplane that is always on auto pilot that can't be turned off.
--I for one was frustrated with that because I like to have total control over my OS and be able to disable programs, etc that I don't want running or options that I don't need which take up a lot of memory. With XP there is very little control over that. If you try to go to system configuration and look for the start-up tab to disable programs that load on startup, it's not there, for some reason XP does not give you the option to disable those programs loading on startup. If you push ctrl-alt-del and disable them from there, once you restart windows, you'll have to do it again.
--Be prepared to have some of your favorite programs or games to not work correctly with XP, I'm sure enough has been said about that with other reviews.
--Expect some of the new drivers you do download to not fully work, ie. for example I downloaded an XP driver for my scanner's make and model from their site, XP recognized my scanner and the diagnostic on it was successful, but a couple of my art applications did not recognize it.
--many things are forced on you. XP will force you to use that dumb little MSN messenger, which starts up everytime you log onto XP. You can't easily disable it unless you get into the regedit, but good luck.
--lastly is the activation protection, which you must do within 30 days or you can no longer user it. This is the worst feature about XP because if you are like me who is consistantly upgrading your computer, it will cause a problem. I reformat my hard drive at least twice a year to clean up old junk, with XP everytime you do, you'll have to re-activate XP by calling microsoft or going online. If your computer came with XP on it, you wont have to activate it, but if you make a change to your computer (ie. hard drive, peripherals), you'll have to then activate XP. Microsoft put this in there so that people couldn't pirate XP by swapping hard drive with a computer system that doesn't requrie activation and installing XP from there and then swapping back hard drives. XP wont let you, you'll have to activate XP once you put your hard drive back in because windows will start recognizing different hardware.
Overall I gave it a low score based on my personnal experience. I didn't think it offered that much new. Sure it doesn't crash nearly as much, but the minute you try install your peripherals, you may run into problems and then XP will start crashing on you. The last straw for me was XP would not work with my RIO mp3 player. I already sacrificed a scanner and webcam not working but no one can take away my music. When I switched back to ME, life was much better because everything was compatible again and I look back at my XP experience as just a horrible nightmare. XP is not break through, most of it consist of improved media (ie. media player or movie maker) but those are just programs and can be downloaded from microsoft. The actual inner guts of XP is nothing revolutionary that requires you to consider upgrading. In a year or so, everything will be XP compatible and you most likely will be forced to upgrade but for now, stay away until all the kinks are worked out and reliable drivers become available.
-most XP incompatabilities were with USB peripherals, external hard drives, mp3 players and webcams-
-XP seemed to do well with many printers though.

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Microsoft designed this exclusively for home computing. Windows XP Home Edition puts the exciting experiences of the digital age like digital photos, music, and video, to building a home network at your fingertips!

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Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional Upgrade Review

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(More customer reviews)Let me tell you Microsoft has done something right finally. Windows 2000 has the stability of NT and the compatability of 98(well almost). I have it running for a week(I had advanced copy) so far and there hasn't been a crash nor a blue screen of death like in Windows 98 SE. The basic requirement I think is a lot of ram, 64+ is fine but I think 128 is good and 256 the optimal. Windows 2000 Professional is easy to use, it looks just like Windows 98 except underneath all of it, it's the NT kernel, which means stability. Windows 2000 has gotten rid of DOS(almost) there is very little dos support and you may not be able to play certain legacy games. The good thing is that companies are writing drivers so that there is a lot of compatability with new things. Basically everything you have in Win98 can probably run in Win2000. There is a program you can download at Microsoft.com to check if there are any compatability issues. The fact that Microsoft must first approve software drivers before it is made available to the public is another boon. I hope this has helped you! Windows 2000 is really great compared to Win98 or 95!

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Full Product Built on NT Technology Windows 2000 Professional offers rock-solid reliability and improved manageability that simplify desktop management. And its integrated Web capabilities and broad support for mobile computers and hardware devices make it easy for business users to connect to the Internet and work anywhere anytime. * Windows 2000 Professional is built upon the rock-solid reliability of Windows NT technology which makes it significantly more reliable than either Windows 95 or Windows 98 technology. Reliability improvements in Windows 2000 Professional make it even more stable than Windows NT Workstation. Windows 2000 Professional offers high system uptime dynamic system configuration and resilience to application failures. * The support for standards-based security in Windows 2000 Professional protects corporate data in stand-alone and networked environments. Windows 2000 Professional offers a set of built-in tools that make it easier to deploy and manage. In addition Windows 2000 Professional offers an intelligent user interface that adapts to the way users work thereby making the users more efficient. * Windows 2000 Professional extends the capability of notebooks through support for Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) Smart Battery and Advanced Virtual Private Network (VPN). It enables users to Work Anywhere Anytime through support for offline folders and files. The improved hardware support in Windows 2000 Professional includes support for the latest hardware standards including Universal Serial Bus (USB) Infrared Data Association (IrDA) and IEEE 1394. * Windows 2000 Professional is designed to make it easier for organizations to embrace the Internet. The built-in Internet Explorer (IE) a tightly integrated browser provides users with a faster and richer Internet experience.

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Windows 98: Second Edition Review

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(More customer reviews)I don't buy 'bleeding-edge' operating systems and softwares anymore unless they've been out on the market for at least 3 months. Historically Microsoft has been so eager to make sales that most of their products have been released half-baked & the customer winds up risking invaluable data by installing them, wasting hours of time diagnosing problems that can't be fixed by an end user, and investing a significant amount of money in hemorroidal ointments. The 2nd Edition of Win98 is what the 1st Edition of Win98 should have been (in fact, it's what the 1st Edition of Win95 should have been). The 1st Edition of Win98 was garbage; a lot of hype, a lot of stuff most people remove once installed, and a total pig on system resources. This 2nd Edition is stable enough to risk upgrading from Win95 for production and home stations and has enough fixes in it to warrant its price. One recommendation: if you can avoid it, don't buy the Win98 2nd Edition Upgrade as it's buggier than Win98 1st Edition. Install Win98 2nd Edition from scratch. I know the Win98 2nd Edition 'Upgrade' is cheaper. There's a reason for it, people.

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Microsoft Windows 98 has quickly become the standard operating system for the vast majority of (non-Macintosh) personal computer owners. If you're thinking about upgrading from Windows 95, or adding Windows 98 on to a multi-OS platform, you'll get a comfortable, fairly intuitive graphical user interface, with point-and-click simplicity. The biggest (and most controversial) feature of Windows 98 is its deep Internet integration. The Internet Explorer browser bundled with Windows 98 pops up constantly, inviting you to connect to the Internet and surf the Web quickly and easily. All the plug-ins you need are supported, and for folks who don't want a high level of under-the-hood control of their OS and Internet software, the stability of the combo can't be beat. In fact, diehard Netscape users often don't uninstall Internet Explorer from Windows 98 because the program is so deeply integrated in the OS. Windows 98 has all the features of Windows 95, but some have been retooled, renamed, and spruced up. Perhaps the nicest improvement about Windows 98, though, is its use of a better file allocation system, enabling much more efficient use of hard drive space. Windows 98 supports the most widely used software programs, peripherals, and hardware, and it comes standard on most new PCs in the United States.

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