Norton SystemWorks 2000 Smoothly Integrates New Features

Complex operating systems and applications, ubiquitous Internet connections, and hardware-packed PCs have made utility programs more important than ever--and full-service suites are the most cost-effective way to get them. Unfortunately, leading suites have evolved into compendia of often-unrelated programs that look and act different, presenting users with a steep learning curve. Norton SystemWorks 2000 changes all that. Symantec has taken the disparate parts of its best-selling suite, integrated them under a new interface, and added a group of useful new features.

SystemWorks 2000's Standard Edition includes AntiVirus 2000, Utilities 2000, CleanSweep 2000, and Web Services (a subscription service that provides an online locus for upgrades to popular software). The Professional Edition adds the Norton 2000 Y2K utility, and Ghost (for backing up and cloning disks). Both versions come with a Bonus Pack that contains basic compression, encryption, fax, and Web design utilities.

Right out of the box, installing SystemWorks is a single integrated process. At installation, you have the option of enabling portions of the utilities, arranged by varying protection levels. The levels go from full-time automatic monitoring of hardware and software to a minimal degree with only antivirus protection enabled; and you can customize at any point after installation. You will need plenty of hard disk space, though--reserve about 120MB.

One Interface

The heart of SystemWorks is the Integrator, a central location for accessing and tracking all parts of the suite. Individual utilities are visually and functionally alike, option menus are common, and a single, common rescue disk now covers the whole suite.

Norton has also updated each component of SystemWorks. For example, the new Norton Utilities includes hardware diagnostics, and Norton AntiVirus actively scans e-mail attachments. Although utility suites can create problems with some combinations of hardware and software, even the prerelease version worked flawlessly for me. The latest incarnation of Symantec's suite remains an essential--and now fully integrated--tool kit for nearly every PC.

SUMMARY

Norton SystemWorks 2000 PRO: Excellent integration, helpful new features. CON: Requires a lot of disk space. VALUE: Covers all essential bases, much cheaper than buying the individual programs. Standard Edition $60, Professional Edition $100 Symantec 800/441-7234 www.symantec.com/us.index.html