Ed (Honeymooners), not Peter, Norton should handle Internet security.

Is there worse version control than that done by Symantec with Norton Internet Security?

I am convinced that the slow performance of my PCs is because of Norton Internet Security taking over and running who knows what in the background.  A friend suggested that the 2009 version was better.  Better than the previous versions for which I had paid?

OK, so I decided to check my version.  I tried by logging in to my account.  Nothing explicit there.

I stared at the non-Windows interface of the Windows Norton Internet Security software.  Finally I tried clicking "Help & Support", then About.  I have version 165.5.0.135.  Is that version 2009?  Beats me.  The copyright is 1997-2008.

I stumbled onto the download area in the Symantec web site and it wanted to know what version I had.  Doesn't Symantec know what version its registered users have?  Symantec presented a drop down list with options for Norton Internet Security of 2009, 2008, 2007, etc.  No mention of 165.5.0.135.  Other than the copyright, nothing on, in or near the software indicates a year.

I clicked 2009, figuring that there might be some small improvements on its most recent version and that maybe I had it since my renewal was in mid November 2008.

Symantec presented me with a file to download to update my Windows Norton Internet Security software.  I did it.  First it wanted to delete the old version.  I said OK.  That was it.  It never tried to install a new version.  I did that myself.  When it finally finished I checked the version.  Still 165.5.0.135.  Still copyright 1997-2008.

You can't make up stuff like this.

Aside from my natural suspicion of companies that make money by selling you protection (against them?), it bugs me that Symantec makes money with such lousy version control.