I had been a loyal Norton user but when I was not allowed to re-load my newly purchased Norton anti-virus program after my computer crashed I swore off Norton forever. I compared many different anti-virus programs mainly by reading the articles in PC World Magazine which I subscribe too. It highly rated Kaspersky and I was lucky to find Kaspersky 2009 at a greatly reduced price at a local discount store.

Not a bad program for genealogy research, but I had some trouble just getting started with it. It’s not very user-friendly and I really didn’t feel too good about signing up and paying for another website (Ancestry.com) that this program offers. I once had my credit card number ripped off and the thief was using Ancestry.com website. Just didn’t cause me to feel very safe about researching my family lineage on-line anymore.

I had been using Trend Micro TITANIUM 2011 internet security software for an entire year without a single problem. No viruses got through, no problems that I’m aware of. It’s been the same so far with TITANIUM 2012. I use an old computer running Windows XP. It took about 10 -15 minutes to install including the re-boot. What I like about this particular program over several others that I have used in past years is that this program runs silently in the background never ever bothering me to answer questions about what I would like done with a virus or problem it has detected.

Roxio Creator has been around for a long time. I’ve gone through at least 4 other versions and have nothing but praise for the product. It works and works well. Every version adds new features and this version, Creator NXT is no exception. Usually I upgrade my Roxio software when I upgrade Windows and I need the newer version of Roxio to work with the new versions of Windows. I upgraded this time after going to Windows 8.

The best way to describe Microsoft Streets & Trips is to say it’s like having an internet mappimg site (like MapQuest.com) running on your computer so you don’t need to be connected to the internet. You enter the start and end points, along with any places you wish to stop at along the way. S&T will then calculate the route. It also gives you estimated drive times. One nice feature is that if you are connected to the internet while you’re planing your trip, it will go out and get updated road construction and detour info.

Microsoft MapPoint 2010nnWhile this may not be technically correct, MapPoint appears from a user standpoint to be an enhanced version of Microsoft’s Streets and Trips. Both can be used for plotting trips, and with a GPS adapter, turn your laptop into a full blown GPS. Using a computer to plan trips has a lot of advantages over a standalone GPS. You can plan your trips and side trips on a large screen, easily save and edit them, and look up possible destinations on the internet at the same time.

First things first - I was able to easily install the software following the directions provided. This is somewhat significant in that my DH is a technical person and I’ve done very little of this on my own. Of note is that 600 mb is needed for each of the Language Levels. I did struggle and had to ask for help installing the headset/microphone, but the techie had little difficulty and I’ll admit I surrendered to offered help too quickly and believe I may have been able to do that on my own as well.

The best way to describe Microsoft Streets & Trips is to say it’s like having an internet mappimg site (like MapQuest.com) running on your computer so you don’t need to be connected to the internet. You enter the start and end points, along with any places you wish to stop at along the way. S&T will then calculate the route. It also gives you estimated drive times. One nice feature is that if you are connected to the internet while you’re planing your trip, it will go out and get updated road construction and detour info.

This is easy to use tax software. I’ve used Turbotax to do my taxes for the last few years and I’ve always been happy with the results. It walks you through your taxes step by step with lots of helpful tips. Very easy to use!

This Norton security works fabulously. We have used Norton products for several years now and have never had any problems. It’s easy to download, setup, and run. If you are looking for an affordable computer security software look no further!