Competitors had simply added new software to existing packages. "They bolted engine on top of engine on top of engine," Sjouwerman says. The result was that some consume more than 200 megabytes of memory on consumer PCs that often run with 512 megabytes.
Sunbelt wrote its new security suite from the ground up. Its Vipre Antivirus and Antispyware recently launched to good reviews, with the Hardware 2.0 blog saying it "redefined" security software.
The program installs about as quickly as Norton's and leaves a PC feeling as spry as it would with no security software installed. The user interface is clean and simple, and while Vipre doesn't include nearly as many add-ons as Norton, it does have a few bonuses. The software, for example, can permanently erase sensitive data. It also stays in the background, nagging users with fewer alerts.
Both companies say performance will remain a priority in future editions. But the products are unlikely to see the kind of boosts in speed they enjoy this year. Fat code that had accumulated over the years offered a chance for a crash diet. "It will be hard to achieve these kinds of breakthroughs every year," says Symantec's Gibney.
Timothy Salamone of TX @ Nov 19, 2009 16:13:12 PM
Tim Salamone of TX @ Aug 27, 2009 14:58:02 PM
Van of CA @ Oct 31, 2008 16:46:38 PM