I’m sure by now everyone knows about how Norton Internet Security blocks affiliate links and banners by default in previous versions. Here is an article I wrote about it on my old siteNorton Blocks Affiliate Links and Webmaster Revenue.

Well I REFUSE to use Norton Internet Security just based on principle, even though Symantec corrected the problem by change the default ad blocking to OFF. But I did have an old version of Norton SystemWorks that I had been using for virus protection. My virus definitions expired and I was frantic to be sure I was protected so just bought the upgrade to SystemWorks2006 because I thought it would be the fastest easiest way to quickly make sure I was protected until I could figure out what software I wanted to buy instead of supporting Symantec.

Boy did I blow it with that quick and easy decision. The upgrade would not install. I was on the tech support 800# for 2 hours off and on last night. Waited on hold for over an hour one time. The instructions sucked! It did not tell me I had to uninstall all previous versions. I assumed since it was an upgrade it would just overwrite or add to the previous version. So then when I finally did get it installed - it automatically ATE ALL MY COOKIES! It thought it was doing me a favor by cleaning out all my temp files. I LIKE my cookies and don’t ever want them deleted - stupid Norton.

So now all my forums and other places I go do not remember me and I have to log in from scratch which is a PITA. I hope none of your affiliate cookies got deleted in the process. I am about to do my Christmas shopping and hoped that in the process I could give affiliates commission from some of my purchases. STUPID NORTON! I hope not many surfers are upgrading their Norton and lose their cookies like I did, right at the height of the Christmas shopping season. :-(