Which Security Suite?

Q: I recently purchased a new Dell machine and I was told by Dell that the McAfee security software was not a good choice even though it came with a 30 day free trial version from Dell on the machine. Is there any truth to this or are they just trying to sell me another security suite? They want me to buy Norton 360 at $79 a pop. - Gene DeMarco.





A: In my own testing Norton comes out significantly ahead of McAfee (though McAfee has promised me Great New Things in the version coming later this year). I use Norton Internet Security 2009 myself. With Norton 360 you're paying $10 more for a backup system and system tune-up.
The other top suite in my estimation is Zone Alarm Extreme Security ($69.95). You'll find reviews of these and others at http://go.pcmag.com/securitysuites.
It isn't like they're encouraging you to pay $79 versus no dollars at all. You'd still have to pay for the McAfee after 30 days. This is what I'd recommend: Don't buy anything through Dell, check out the security suite reviews, and select one that looks good to you. Then install the trial version (usually 30-day) of that suite. Assuming you like it, convert the trial to a paid subscription before the trial period runs out. - Neil J. Rubenking.