NAV 2002 Enters Public Beta
Keeping in line with its recent trend of holding public beta tests, Symantec has released Norton AntiVirus 2002 sporting an overhauled feature set. As an incentive to testers, the company will also be giving away 50 complimentary retail copies to those who find the most bugs. Since it began alpha testing in early June, NAV 2002 has focused on two key areas - efficiency and stability. Symantec has taken a fresh look at development for this release, re-engineering the product's scan engine so it is optimized for better performance. Known internally as "Torito," NAV 2002 also includes a new HTML-driven user interface, and improved e-mail protection.
Additionally, the NAV installation process has been streamlined with a post-install configuration. Symantec has also opted to begin using the Microsoft installer, noting the release will install on Windows XP, but legacy support for Windows 95 has been dropped. Other improvements introduced in this version include integration with Internet Explorer, and script blocking technology which first appeared as an add-on to NAV 2001.
Gone in the release is the troublesome POProxy which has been replaced with a new module known as NAVProxy. NAVProxy works in conjunction with a shared file, named SymRedir, to offer firewall-like protection to any e-mail client that supports POP/SMTP. Other Internet related functions include built-in access to SARC's online virus database.
Join the NAV 2002 public beta at symantec.com, and become eligible to win free prizes by reporting bugs.