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Symantec Axes Sygate Personal Firewall

By Nate Mook, BetaNews

November 29, 2005, 10:35 AM

The first casualty from Symantec's acquisition of Sygate in August is official: Both the free and paid version of Sygate Personal Firewall have been axed due to an overlap with Norton Personal Firewall. Users will be given a discounted upgrade path to Symantec's product, which runs $37.49 USD.

Sygate becomes the second free desktop firewall to be discontinued in as many months; Kerio Technologies will scrap its consumer firewall at the end of the year. Sygate's Enterprise firewall and endpoint compliance products will still be updated and supported, Symantec says.

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By thefly42

edited Dec 6, 2005 - 6:56 PM

Actually Kerio Personal Firewall will continue thanks to Sunbelt Software. They have acquired this great firewall. So While Sygate Personal and Pro Firewall will discontinue Kerio Personal Firewall will continue.

See this article.

http://www.betanews.com/...nal_Firewall/1133468323

Score: 0

By vansrme

edited Dec 2, 2005 - 8:09 AM

I'm keeping the version of Sygate as it is. I stopped using Norton products, with the exception of the older Ghost program, a long time ago.

chris

Score: 0

By computerstreetrod

posted Dec 1, 2005 - 6:30 PM

And just in case you don't have the links:

http://www.my-etrust.com/microsoft/

http://www.microsoft.com...e/software/default.mspx

Score: 0

By computerstreetrod

edited Dec 1, 2005 - 6:18 PM

I have 30 or more computers including five new and worthless Dells which came with Norton Internet Security. Norton has become such an intrusive nightmare, that I am systematically removing it from each computer and installing Microsoft's anticipated partner Etrust EZanitvirus which is free for a year with each individual email address you give them. Upon installation, it immeadiately detected viruses ignored by Norton. Combined with Microsofts free Beta Spyware program, I would encourage anyone with Symantec stock to bail quickly. Visit your stock ticker and you can see them falling even as I type.

Score: 0

By neapolis

edited Nov 30, 2005 - 8:06 AM

I got my Sony VAIO A Series notebook preinstalled with Symantec stuff. I just don't get it why Sony put that crap inside this otherwise super machine! I tried to deinstall it, but it was so deeply hidden in the registry, that it was really difficult to get rid of it! It slowed down the whole machine, had errors and so on. Still I dont know if I got rid of it completely. I suggest everybody should protest and not use their software untill they do something substantial with it.

Score: 0

By drumcat

posted Nov 30, 2005 - 1:50 PM

While you're at it, dump the Sony.

http://boycottsony.us

Score: 0

By drumcat

posted Nov 30, 2005 - 3:17 AM

Hey - FWIW, it seems up again.

Score: 0

By arkytech

posted Nov 30, 2005 - 2:21 AM

I wonder what V-Com is going to use for it's firewall in SystemSuite now?

Score: 0

By THEGAME

edited Nov 30, 2005 - 3:22 AM

First of them all this again show ya what happens when big companies buy out the smaller ones. I have work on many computers that had Norton anti-virus and firewall for protection the conclusion, total junk. Lots of those computers had viruses or have been hack into. Sygate it self is a good firewall and its disappointing to see it go. In fact maybe Norton should consider dumping their garbage firewall and use Sygates. I even feel sorry for the people that use Norton maybe they should sue Symantec for the damages that is done on their computers for failing to do what it said since they have so much money to buy out other companies...lol.

Score: 0

By rijp

posted Nov 29, 2005 - 7:28 PM

OMG! This entire thread, we all agree, Symantec Sucks! Woo hoo!

I am framing this thread, who wants to celebrate, I am buying...

Score: 0

By Squire72

posted Nov 29, 2005 - 7:11 PM

Wow... they certainly suck. Sygate Personal Firewall (Free OR Pro) was head and shoulders better than the Symantec Personal Firewall, which is a bloated, useless piece of garbage.

If Symantec actually wanted to protect systems, the first thing they'd do is remove their own software, and speed things up substancially.

Something of a tragedy, this.

Score: 0

By rijp

posted Nov 29, 2005 - 7:25 PM

--- snip snip snip ---

"...Symantec Personal Firewall, which is a bloated, useless piece of garbage."

Should have read:

"Symantec -fill in blank- (software), -deleted- IS a bloated, useless piece of garbage."

Score: 0

By Squire72

posted Nov 29, 2005 - 7:58 PM

Agreed...

Deleting Norton Antivirus off a friends computer increased its speed like 500% - it was sick.

Best part, it was a P4 3.4 - but it took over a minute to open a word document... now, less than a second.

Score: 0

By horsecharles

posted Nov 29, 2005 - 11:22 PM

may have been 'cause the active file protection engine was enabled and/or the email spam utility(which can stall or freeze Windows Explorer)...at any rate, Happy Riddance!

Score: 0

By nrlz

posted Nov 29, 2005 - 3:18 PM

I wonder what will happen to Sygate's employees? Are they laid off? Merged into Sygate's other products? Merged with Symantec? They made one hell of a good product and it would be sad to see them gone.

Score: 0

By crashoverride

posted Nov 29, 2005 - 3:10 PM

Yet another example of symantec destroying everything they touch. The pricks.

Score: 0

By drumcat

posted Nov 29, 2005 - 2:05 PM

Anyone know where an archived distro is?

Score: 0

By Kramy

posted Nov 29, 2005 - 3:30 PM

Sygate 5.6

Kerio 4.2.2

Kerio 2.1.5

Score: 0

By wincement

posted Nov 29, 2005 - 1:56 PM

Symantec sucks.

Score: 0

By mjm01010101

posted Nov 29, 2005 - 1:25 PM

Wow people love to complain.

SO stop whining and use any one of the hundreds of other software or hardware based firewalls. The market is flooded with them and even your OS's built in one has a rdecent firewall. sheesh.

Score: 0

By wincement

posted Nov 29, 2005 - 1:57 PM

A good thing was tossed in the trash, and we're supposed to say nothing?

Sure there are alternatives, but a waste is a waste. No way around that.

Score: 0

By Bugeyes

posted Nov 29, 2005 - 2:14 PM

Not like the original developers didn't profit from this.

Also, not as if they couldn't code another free firewall product and sell it again.

It's not a waste, it's good business for Symantec, and good business for the developers of Sygate.

On a different note, for about the cost of Norton Internet Security, you can buy an old PII400 with three NIC's in it and make your own firewall using any of a number of Linux distros, and have a DMZ to boot!

Buggy

Score: 0

By wincement

posted Nov 29, 2005 - 4:19 PM

There's one category that doesn't benefit from this: the consumers. And seeing as how that's the category I fit into, I don't like it.

Boo on Symantec.

Score: 0

By Mark Gillespie

posted Nov 29, 2005 - 12:44 PM

The only Symantec/Norton product I let anywhere near my PC, is the old (pre Powerquest) Ghost, everything else is horrendous.

I find it amazing that a company with products as bad as theirs even has marketshare.

Score: 0

By Bugeyes

posted Nov 29, 2005 - 2:09 PM

Their corporate products are where they make their marketshare. Their personal products are too bulky, but their name is out there because alot of people see it on their pc's at work.

I use SAV 10.0 at work, and it performs rather well at what it's supposed to do.

Buggy

Score: 0

By rijp

posted Nov 29, 2005 - 7:27 PM

... as compared to what? Nothing? Yeah it works well, when you don't have anything to compare it to.

Score: 0

By Metshrine

edited Nov 30, 2005 - 11:49 AM

SAV 10 runs extremely well compared to the latest version of NOD32, NORTON Antivirus, and avg free (which many people only laud because it is free, again, price always affects a review). I have done many tests on a/vs and speed on my home network and SAV10 ranks right up there with the best of them, beating out the above mentioned ones in scan time.

Anyways, smoothwall can take the place of any firewall they throw out there on the market, it does MUCH MORE than any product, requires a p166 (which is what I run it on), and is extremely flexible

Score: 0

By Joco

posted Nov 29, 2005 - 12:37 PM

Try Outpost (www.agnitum.com) you will be amazed. Even better than Sygate.

Score: 0

By HalfBakedChimp

posted Nov 29, 2005 - 12:22 PM

cant beat them? buy tham and destroy them.

this is symantec's business motto right?

Score: 0

By kanenas

posted Nov 29, 2005 - 12:20 PM

bloat-mantec does it again, SYGATE firewall is amazingly good, kill your norton-whatever-firewall and evolve the seagate one

Score: 0

By roj

posted Nov 29, 2005 - 12:20 PM

So, axe the product that works and keep the junk that's invasive, bloated and buggy.

Yup - typical Symantec.

Score: 0

By GimieGimieGimie

edited Nov 29, 2005 - 12:12 PM

No surprises here, Symantec is one of the worst companys in the world & their products (aside from Ghost) a complete waste of time & resources.

R.I.P Sygate Personal Firewall :(

My favourite software firewall of ALL TIME.

Score: 0

By Kramy

posted Nov 29, 2005 - 3:22 PM

I've found downloads for Kerio 4.2.2(911), and Kerio 2.1.5! :D

Score: 0

By maniakmx3

posted Nov 29, 2005 - 11:54 AM

It's amazing how many people have the Symantec Virus on their computer...Right under their noses...

Score: 0

By johnny20004

edited Nov 29, 2005 - 10:57 AM

Symantec products...waste of system resources!!

Score: 0

By sophist_dreams

edited Nov 29, 2005 - 11:36 AM

I stopped using sygate when I heard that suckmantic had aquired it.......doesn't surprise me a bit.

Score: 0

By Aires

edited Nov 29, 2005 - 11:14 AM

Really?? Well what a HUGE suprise _that_ is! Tsk.

Should say "Users will be given a discounted downgrade path to Symantec's product".

Score: 0

By gawd21

edited Nov 29, 2005 - 11:09 AM

We knew this was going to happen. Symcraptec does this to everything they buy.

Score: 0

By horsecharles

posted Nov 29, 2005 - 11:05 AM

Symantec is Satan.

Score: 0

By rijp

posted Nov 29, 2005 - 7:27 PM

No Symantec is Satan Spawn, GOOGLE! is Satan!

Score: 0

By horsecharles

posted Nov 29, 2005 - 11:29 PM

aw, come on! you're trollin'! Name one product damaged, one documented security breach, one single immoral act(such as having sold privacy data w/o consent), one former employee complaining about them, one stock or partner scandal or complaint....
Try and come up with just one single misdeed by Google, come on....

Score: 0

By ohyeah

edited Nov 29, 2005 - 10:50 AM

Symantec SUCKS and BLOWS at the same time. the only good product they have is ghost.

Norton firewall is not user friendly.

Score: 0

By rijp

posted Nov 29, 2005 - 7:27 PM

.. and Ghost isn't even their product!

Score: 0

By yleclerc

edited Nov 29, 2005 - 11:13 AM

Isn't the "new" Ghost their "other" purchase of "Partition Magic" maker PowerQuest? Since that purchase, I've been read a lot of complaints that Ghost is bad now.

Score: 0

By ngoducthang

posted Nov 30, 2005 - 1:54 AM

agreed, for ghost users you guys should try acronis's imaging software it's the best in my opinion... also the lost of sygate is bad, what's the next best firewall? outpost? kerio? or steganos?... nyhow RIP sygate we'll miss you!, actually i'll miss you, now i have to go find another one to keep myself protected hehe

Score: 0

By jordenpro

posted Nov 29, 2005 - 10:44 AM

This is very disturbing.

I wouldn't downgrade to Norton Personal Firewall, even if it was FREE.

Symantec is useless software.

Score: 0

By grassy

posted Nov 29, 2005 - 11:07 AM

Symantec's software isn't useless.

You forget that it uses all your resources and slows down your computer.

While I understand Symantec's desire not to lose revenue from one of their other products it would still be nice to see them release a free version of sygate for those who wanted it and then they could promote their crappy $50 firewall as an upgrade for those people so inclined

Score: 0

By jsc315

posted Nov 29, 2005 - 11:07 AM

yea norton is a joke

Score: 0

By horsecharles

edited Nov 29, 2005 - 11:19 AM

I agree w/ JordenPro-- received it for free, promptly removed it.

Score: 0

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