Forwarded From: anonat_private http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/a/AP-CompuBug-Systemworks.html January 25, 1999 Norton Works in Your PC's Sewers Filed at 8:07 a.m. EST By The Associated Press Utilities programs do the everyday chores around your computer -- sweeping, taking out the trash, making sure the electronic doors are locked. That means checking for viruses, deleting useless files, and making information stored on the hard disk readily accessible. Windows 95 and 98 come with disk scanning and defragmenting utilities, and there are individual programs available to accomplish other chores. But if you want a one-stop problem-solver, check out Norton SystemWorks from Symantec. Norton Utilities has been around for years, filling the user-friendliness gaps that Microsoft left in DOS, and later in Windows. This latest incarnation is a suite of programs that make life with a PC decidedly easier. The package includes Norton Anti-Virus 5.0, Norton Utilities 3.0, Norton Crashguard 4.0 and Norton Cleansweep 4.5. Computer viruses are self-replicating programs that cause mischief and even physical damage. They travel on the Internet and on shared disks. Although often hyped, especially by companies that offer solutions, they are real; and if you spend a lot of time downloading Internet files, you should have protection. Norton Utilities includes several handy tools. There's an unerase function, a disk optimizer, a utility for cleaning up disk space, a crash-recovery and prevention module, and ``doctors'' for both Windows and the hard disk. Crashguard offers a parachute when Windows practices its annoying habit of shutting down programs it deems to be operating illegally and losing your work in the process. With Crashguard running, you can terminate the application and save your work. The doctors diagnose and fix problems, keeping you informed in the process. Because Windows is so complex internally, installing and uninstalling plenty of software can cause a mess. A doctor usually can rescue you on its own; when it can't, it refers you to one that can. The Cleansweep utility tackles your hard drive and helps you remove unwanted cookies, plug-ins and outdated files. It also keeps track of everything that's installed to the drive so that it can be uninstalled properly and completely -- something Windows' add/remove programs and individual software installations sometimes don't do. One of the nicest features of the package for novices is a dictionary available in the Help file. It translates any highlighted term from Technobabble into English. If you can't distinguish UART from a Yugo, it'll be a friend indeed. The package also includes Norton Web Services, a site for software patches and product updates aimed at the business user. Patches are software fixes that update an original product shipped with a shortcoming. System requirements for Norton SystemWorks are modest: 486/66 or higher processor, 16 megabytes of RAM, at least 105 megabytes of free hard disk space and Windows 95/98. Norton products are widely available at retail. The suggested price for SystemWorks is $69.95. -o- Subscribe: mail majordomoat_private with "subscribe isn". Today's ISN Sponsor: Internet Security Institute [www.isi-sec.com]
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