Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) = Free antivirus from MicrosoftĮSET NOD32 Antivirus = (IMO) Very good Antivirus solution - not free Symantec Antivirus = Professional / Business Class Antivirus Norton Antivirus = Home / SOHO / Personal Antivirus Also note that they are free if you have a machine certified as genuine, otherwise they will turn answer is correct but here's a simplified version:

How this will affect, no one really knows. Note that MSE is changing - their new versions are coming out and they will include more features. They were also known for going into your system and sometimes crashing and then refusing to uninstall - you had to really dig it out with special uninstall tools. One of the reasons people hate Norton was that it SEVERELY slowed your system down though recent versions have been better. So Symantec Antivirus (Corporate Edition) SAVC would be their server based product for business.Ĭorporate type antivirus solutions are usually server based - the server pushes updates to the clients and monitors who is protected, who isn't, who has updated, who hasn't, who is soing risky stuff.įor home use there will alawys be flame wars as to who is 'better.' Currently MSE appears to be a relatively light weight (doesn't bog your system down) and decent solution.

Symantec is usually their corporate branding. Norton *anything is usually their home/personal brand so Norton Antivirus would be for personal usage at home.

Symantec norton antivirus