Why is Norton Telling Customers to Uninstall Spybot?

I would expect anyone who has had a computer for any length of time has Spybot Search & Destroy by Safer Networking installed. If not, they would most certainly have heard of Spybot as it is one of the oldest anti-spyware/malware applications available. It is also still free.

So, what is the issue? It is simply this: Rather than working with Safer Networking to resolve whatever issue causes a problem with the installation of their software, Norton Internet Security (NIS) is telling their customers to uninstall Spybot. To rub even more salt in the wound, PepiMK reported in the support forum:

By the way, now that the harm is done and any printed box of NIS will show this warning* for the next 12 months, Symantec of course said "lets continue discussions again".

*{"this warning" refers to uninstalling Spybot}

McAfee did the same with Ad-Aware during the summer. At least McAfee responded within a couple months and released a patch to remove several products, including Ad-Aware, previously indicated incompatible with McAfee as no longer being flagged.

These are supposed to be the "white hats" -- you know, the good guys. Yet, with all of the logfiles I analyze to help users clean the infections, the antivirus product that I see the most on those infected machines (Norton) is telling their customers to uninstall a highly respected free anti-malware anti-spyware software product. I see this as highly unprofessional on the part of Norton.

Considering the reported results and conclusions at ThePCSpy in the "What Really Slows Windows Down", perhaps Norton should spend more time on self-improvement.

See Either Safer Networking Ltd. or Symantec leaving the Anti Spyware Coalition...