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Norton SystemWorksReviewed By: Kirk Hiner Review Date: December 12, 2000
I've been recommending, installing and troubleshooting Macintosh software and hardware for quite some time now. I think it was around 1994 or '95 when I first oversaw the purchase of a fleet of PowerMacs for a marketing group in the large investment firm in which I worked. In the past year, I've supervised three Mac purchases at the internet design/marketing firm for which I now work. Between these two, I've helped countless family members and friends upgrade their Macs or purchase new ones. I point this out because, in each of these instances, there have been three "must have" programs that accompany the hardware purchase.
It's my belief that 97% of all software related problems on the Mac can be solved with either Conflict Catcher or Norton Utilities, and that SimStapler will help sooth those troubled with the other 3%. Norton Utilities has saved me countless times, and one time even got me a discount on a motel room at the Holiday Inn. Stepping hand-in-hand with Norton Utilities has always been Norton AntiVirus, an equally useful--if somewhat less important (on the Mac, anyway)--utility. Whereas I deem Norton Utilities a necessity, I've always viewed AntiVirus to be insurance. The trouble is, aside from a few independent marketing campaigns, the sibling programs have never really been available together...until now. Both products have received upgrades, and both are part of Symantec's SystemWorks v1.0. Also included are their cousin programs Dantz Retrospect Express v4.03 and Aladdin Spring Cleaning v3.5. But before we take a look at the whole package, lets take a quick look at its parts. Norton Utilities v6.0 I've been with Norton Utilities long enough now to expect certain features with each upgrade; faster repairs, improved web functions, etc. Quite often, these small updates are all we seen between major updates. But this time, Norton Utilities v6.0 includes what I consider a major feature...compatibility with OS X. The software and bootable CD are not OS X native themselves, but when run off a MacOS 9 partition or the CD, the program will recognize and repair MacOS X files. Also new to the program is the ability to "scavenge directories" and rebuild the catalogue tree, allowing improved data recovery without having to first run FileSaver. FileSaver is still part of the package (all tools have carried over from v5.0) and should probably still be run, but for those annoyed by the utility's interference, it at least doesn't have to be run as much. Speed Disk also gets a big upgrade with Custom Optimization. Users can now create and import custom profiles that place their most volatile work nearer the free space. Work with a lot of multimedia? Play a lot of games? Keeping that information nearer the open areas can potentially improve performance. Although I didn't notice an improvement on my G4/450, I assume the feature could prove more useful to those with slower Macs or limited hard disk space. Other new features include contextual menus, HTTP/proxy support in LiveUpdate (a tool that allows instant and automatic software updates) and the ability to delete/rebuild the desktop (finally!). Norton AntiVirus v7.0 Like Norton Utilities, Norton AntiVirus is also compatible with Mac OS X Public Beta, performing both scans and repairs when booted from the CD or from a Mac OS 9 partition. Also added is the ability to automatically scan e-mail attachments received in:
Curiously enough, the best improvements come in the preferences settings. Symantec has worked hard to improve the ease of use, and they've succeeded. A click of a button can turn on or off most of the features, making it a powerful tool for even novice users (full customization is still available to expert users). Contextual Menus are now supported and AutoProtection can be turned on and off from the control strip. As with Norton Utilities, NAV sees faster downloads and Http and proxy support in LiveUpdate. Better yet, users no longer have to reboot the computer to take advantage of freshly updated virus definitions. And speaking of definitions, NAV also now offers details on different viruses, explaining what they are and what they can do. As the GI Joe cartoon used to say, "Knowing is half the battle." Dantz Retrospect Express Despite the power of Norton Utilities and Norton AntiVirus, no computer is ever 100% safe. The only way to really secure your system is to back it up, and Dantz Retrospect Express does just that. Provided your backup demands aren't too complex, Retrospect Express makes it simple to automate the copying of files to CD-R, CD-R/RW. Zip, Jaz, SuperDisk, magneto-optical, and even DVD. Aladdin Spring Cleaning Of course, before you back up your system you'll want to clean it up. After all, there's no point in backing up all those outdated applications and preference files, orphaned aliases, internet cache files and cookies, and so on. Spring Cleaning allows users to find and remove such files without having to dig through countless folders. The program is somewhat archaic in its set up, however, and could benefit from more explanation on the files that are being removed. For instance, where it indicates that duplicate files exist on one drive, it doesn't indicate which of the files, if either, is actually being used by anything. The SystemWorks Package The greatest aspect of SystemWorks is the tight integration of Norton Utilities and Norton AntiVirus. The programs now install together, and AntiVirus has become an application within the Norton Utilities menu. I'm surprised Symantec only now made this happen. I'm also pleased that Symantec, unlike many other utility and productivity software developers, hasn't abandoned the printed manual. Whereas many companies go with either "quick start guides" or--horror of horrors--PDF, Symantec provides a full manual that even includes instructions on Retrospect Express! If you don't have either Norton AntiVirus or Norton Utilities on your system, you simply should not pass up SystemWorks v1.0. It's incredibly easy to set up and use, and the programs will no doubt bail you out more often than you'd like. If you've already got recent versions of these programs and are thinking of upgrading, that's pretty much a financial call. Retrospect Express and Spring Cleaning, although good programs, are not incentive to upgrade. However, if speed and user friendliness are important, or if you're using or plan to use the Mac OS X Public Beta, than Norton SystemWorks should be your next software purchase. Well, but only because SimStapler is free.
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