Norton. What needs to be said about the software company that, around 10 years ago, came in and dominated the home security market. Today, hundreds of thousands of computers have Norton Anti-virus, and with its personal firewall, Norton is just waiting to cash in again.

From a consumers point of view, this can either be a good or bad thing. If the firewall is a good product (never mind my feelings about the anti virus), then I may not mind the submission to the powers that be. Then again, if the firewall is a second rate application that is over hyped and overpriced, don't be surprised if I run through town screaming “I TOLD YOU SO”.

Features

The feature list for this firewall is quite extensive, ranging from the usual firewall features down to some which are less common, such as optional ad blocking or phishing verification. The program monitors all aspects of your online experience, and you have the option to permit or block just about everything.

You can also disable popups, and you can configure nearly every option imaginable. When it comes to utility, it seems that Norton has it in the bag.

Using Norton Personal Firewall

Regrettably, I have never been able to depict Norton Anti-Virus in a positive light. I felt that the program was too intrusive, too involved, and too overwhelming. In all honesty, I had the same premonitions in mind when I began reviewing the personal firewall. Thankfully, I left my opinions at the door and kept my mind open.

I will say that established users of the PC should turn away now, as this software is clearly meant for the beginner. That's not to say that it isn't capable, but rather that the software has been designed with the computer newbie in mind. All of the options, from the mundane to the elaborate, can be activated or deactivated with a single click, and nothing is explained in broken techno-babble.

Links to websites are displayed in green, and the Norton User Base has rated the specific websites. Websites that are known phishing or scam websites are clearly identified when you move your mouse over top of them. For someone like me, that would get annoying incredibly fast. However, for the new computer user, that's the exact type of direction that they need: to the point and in your face.

The program handled all of the tests that we subjected it to with ease and without complaint, and though it ate up a bit more memory and CPU load than I would have liked, it was nothing beyond a minor annoyance.

Conclusion

This software has surpassed my expectations. In fact, I would have to openly admit that I like how it's laid out and how simple it is. Unlike the anti-virus, which is intrusive and almost rude, the Norton Personal Firewall is simple, easy to use, and quite capable.

Recommended? Absolutely.