Thanks for your input and your first post as we all have opinons...
But, you shouldn't get an attitude and start acting like your better when you don't know anything about the people posting
"Do you use netbooks only? Craptastic laptops from 1998? If you actually kept up with their products you'd know it's one of the best out there anymore."
Wow, and you built your own pc... all by yourself... So did my son when he was 8.
I own a technology consulting firm and have been a consultant and partner for Compuware, CA, EMC, VMWare, HP, and yes... Symantec for the last 10 years. I have an MCSA, MCSE, CCNA, and am certifed as a EMC TA (Technology Architect).
Being a Symantec partner I think I do keep up with their products.
I actually like Symantec's Corporate Enterprise solutions... But I personally would not use them on my personal latop (which I should say is little more powerfull than a netbook) because although they have improved over the last few years, they are still not efficient enough, yet, for me to be satisfied with the performance.
Funny thing is, I have read everyone of those reports from AV-Comparatives, as I do every year, before you even posted it.
Symantec has gotten better but not as good as products like Nod32 which is the only product that has "Never" missed and in the wild virus (per AV-Comparatives). Symantec is a very close second.
http://www.eset.com/home/compare-eset-to-competition
From a performance standpoint Symantec used to be the worst but has improved greatly over the years infact getting to within 20 milliseconds scan time of Nod32 (check that link about and look at the performace tab)
However boot time lag and browser start up lag is still quite high.
Now, don't go thinking I am some Nod32 fanboy. I actually quit using Nod32 and switched to Vipre by Sunbelt software. Sunbelt has contacted me many times over the past years trying to get me to switch from Nod32 to their product and after a lot of research I made the switch last year and have been more than satisfied.
My reasoning is for a home user viruses aren't the main threat but spyware, adware, highjackware, etc are. Viruses are usually targeted from design to attack a larger corporate enterprise target and the home users are just collateral damage. They want the list of CC# from Amazon or the passwords from E-Trade (just examples) and don't really care about your PPCGeeks login info
LOL. Virus attacks are like using a Nuclear bomb to attack a fly, a lot of people get involved that were not the intended target. Spyware, Adware, and worst of all Highjackware are intended to attack the home user. How many people know of someone who has gotten the fake Microsoft Antivirus poping up on there pc telling them they have viruses and if they want them removed they need to buy the bogus product. Then it bascially disables everything on the pc until they buy it or get someone like one of us to remove it.
Since Vipre is superior in Adware, Spyware detection/prevention/removal than Nod32 and is just about as lightweight from a system resources point of view it is my personal choice... for now
Tools of the trade as pointed out "used" to be (they were always my must goto)
Hijack This (you left this one out)
Spybot Search & Destroy (hasn't been very good for years)
Adaware (hasn't been very good for years)
Malwarebyte (Still very goog for removal... Which is owned by SunbeltSoftware maker of Vipre)
People are going to use what they want no matter what anyone says. Personally it would take a lot for me to ever consider using any Symantec product on my personal pc's, servers, or laptop. Hey, there was a time when Microsoft had the best Antispyware available, it used to be Giant Antispyware... remember that? But when Microsoft bought them they had to change it and of course it was useless after that.
I am just giving my 2 cents so I will shutup now and let the flaming begin
