PC Tools. Remember those? Founded in 2003 as WinGuides.com, and acquired by Symantec in 2008, PC Tools provided PCs with security and utility products. As is the case with a LOT of Symantec products, the security suite portion of PC Tools went quietly into the night. A page on the PC Tools web site says that the security portfolio (Internet Security, Spyware Doctor, and Spyware Doctor with Antivirus) was retired on May 18, 2013.
Anyone that has used Symantec products ever, has experienced the Symantec mafia. Symantec has a habit of acquiring good products with a strong customer base (a lot of times they are competing products) and all-of-a-sudden the products just disappear. Over the years we half-expect to hear someone find the missing products in a cemented barrel while diving in the East River. At least this time, Symantec has erected a tombstone and written an epitaph.
Per the Symantec announcement:
This activity will not impact PC Tools Utilities products. We are retiring the PC Tools Security portfolio as we focus on streamlining our product range to provide fewer, better solutions for our customers. As an alternative to your PC Tools Security solution, Symantec recommends the award-winning, new Norton Internet Security. It provides you with powerful internet protection, no matter where you go or what you do online – and we have special offers available to our existing PC Tools Security customers.
There's an entire FAQ dedicated to answering the most common questions customers might have about the retirement. Things like:
- "What will happen to my product?"
- "What happens to my just renewed subscription?"
- "What will happen to support?"
- "What is replacing PC Tools Security?"
The FAQ is here: The PC Tools security portfolio was retired on May 18, 2013
