While most of Symantec's competitors seem to be struggling with software "bloat", it's good to see one of the big guys heading back to more of a streamlined approach.
I installed the software on two PCs so far...one a Vista Ultimate having no existing security software, and the other a Windows XP with McAffee's product. The installer suggested removing the McAffee product (which I did) and the installation was similarly uneventful on both of my systems from there on. It does force a reboot, and between the initial install plus downloading any updates, it took longer than I expected - about half an hour end to end.
As for performance, there is a slight (but noticeable) increase in the reboot time when Norton starts up - perhaps an extra 30 seconds total. And if you're sensitive to performance, you can also tell when the product is updating virus signatures in the background, or performing one of its quick virus scans.
The basic anti-virus protection seemed fine. Not too obtrusive, although it's difficult to really assess the quality of the virus scanning, since I've yet to actually encounter a virus. I tend to be careful, but still, being one of the better known products, Norton gives you a sense of security in case you do something silly and let an infected file in.
I didn't activate the network protection features that come with the product. I tend to rely instead on a router with a strong firewall capability, and then I keep my "internal" network fairly open. The product did detect a number of networked apps I use, stopping to ask my permission before letting them open whatever ports they were using. Would have been nice to set this sort of policy globally, rather than having to bump into applications one at a time.
One feature I would have liked to see is the ability to designate one of my PCs as the "master" for policy decisions and updates, with my other PCs driven from the master. For instance, on kids PCs, I'd like to set a strict policy, record any unusual activity, and know that my policies can only be changed from my central master computer. Big corporate AV systems do this - would be nice to have the same capability at home.
Like the network protection, I also didn't find myself using the password management features of the product. My PC is a ThinkPad with the built-in fingerprint scanner, and I prefer to use the IBM security software, which provides this same function. The biometric device (fingerprint reader) seems more secure, and it would be nice if Norton provided integrated support for these types of authentication devices.
The internet security feature is sort of helpful, but if you know what you're doing, you can do this on your own by looking at a sites digital certificates. Norton automates this, telling you that it's okay to trust a particular site. Not sure I'd buy the product just for this capability, but it's a nice add-on feature.
Overall, I was also glad to see that the product seemed to be fairly stable and to operate without all that much overhead. Compared to a few of the others I've tried, Norton is about the best mix of usability, capability and efficiency.
It's sort of sad that we need this type of software in today's world...I'd rather be spending my money on software to make me more productive or entertained. But, if you accept that you need protection, Norton is as good a choice as any.