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CNET Reviews - Most Popular Software

Rank Most Popular Titles
1 Norton Internet Security 2009
Norton Internet Security 2009 hits all the right security notes and its superior protection technologies might even win back some jaded anti-Symantec folks, though for some technical support may continue to frustrate
2 Windows Vista Ultimate
Windows Vista is essentially warmed-over Windows XP. If you're currently happy with Windows XP SP2, we see no compelling reason to upgrade. On the other hand, if you need a new computer right now, Windows Vista is stable enough for everyday use.
3 Kaspersky Anti-Virus 7
Kaspersky Anti-Virus 7 continues to outshine its competition with its ease of use combined with thorough antivirus protection.
4 Windows Vista Home Premium
Windows Vista Home Premium is essentially warmed-over Windows XP Home Edition. If you're currently happy with Windows XP SP2, we see no compelling reason to upgrade. On the other hand, if you need a new computer right now, Windows Vista Home Premium is stable enough for everyday use.
5 Norton 360
For home and student use, we think Norton 360 represents the best value for ease of use, tools offered, and overall system performance. We recommend it over McAfee Total Protection and Microsoft Windows Live OneCare.
6 Norton AntiVirus 2009
Norton Antivirus 2009 hits all the right security notes, and its superior protection technologies might even win back some jaded anti-Symantec folks, though for some, technical support may continue to frustrate.
7 Microsoft Vista Home Basic
Windows Vista Home Basic is essentially warmed-over Windows XP, Windows XP SP3. If you're currently happy with Windows XP SP2, we see no compelling reason to upgrade. On the other hand, if you need a new computer right now, Windows Vista is stable enough for everyday use.
8 Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2009
Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2009 provides adequate protection, but the program itself could use some work in telling the user what's going on.
9 Trend Micro Internet Security 2009
You can't beat the price. For a good, basic Internet Security suite, we recommend Trend Micro Internet Security 2009.
10 Norton 360 2.0
A near-perfect all-in-one solution for brand new PCs, Norton 360 v2 may be hard to install and run on legacy machines. However, don't count on Symantec's time-consuming and expensive technical support for help.
11 Adobe Creative Suite 4 Master Collection
12 Norton Antivirus 2008 with Antispyware
Norton AntiVirus 2008 didn't wow us this year. While the protection is solid, the user experience could be much, much better, and the product itself could be more streamlined. Also we can do without the addition of paid services in the technical support section.
13 Microsoft Office for Mac 2008
Office for Mac 2008 may be the best pick for business users, but most people can get by with less costly alternatives.
14 Norton Internet Security 2008
While Symantec's protection is solid, the overall user experience within Norton Internet Security 2008 could be much, much better. Not all the features work together, and the program could use fewer system resources. We can also do without the addition of paid services within the technical support section.
15 Nero 9
16 ESET NOD32 3.0 Antivirus System (Windows)
Eset NOD32 3.0 finally gets its interface right and, along with high-rated performance among independent testing labs, deserves consideration on your desktop.
17 Microsoft Picture It Digital Image Pro 7.0
Picture It Digital Image Pro is the perfect outlet for digital photography fans who want to clean up their images without facing Photoshop Elements' steep learning curve.
18 Windows Vista Business
Windows Vista Business is essentially warmed-over Windows XP. If you're currently happy with Windows XP SP2, we see no compelling reason to upgrade. On the other hand, if you need a new computer right now, Windows Vista is stable enough for everyday use.
19 Sunbelt CounterSpy 2.0
Sunbelt CounterSpy 2.0 distinguished itself in a crowded field by providing a clean, institutive interface and great test results.
20 McAfee Internet Security Suite 2008 - complete package
McAfee Internet Security 2008 trounces Norton Internet Security 2008, offering a better designed product with more security tools.
21 Panda Antivirus 2008
Panda Antivirus 2008 is slower than the competition and lacks independent, third-party antivirus test results, and thus doesn't receive our recommendation.
22 Dragon Naturally Speaking 10 Preferred
Dragon NaturallySpeaking 10 isn't perfect, but it's the best dictation software available. We don't find this upgrade necessary for the most basic dictation, although new features may benefit heavily accented English speakers and those who rely heavily on voice commands.
23 MobileMe
If Apple irons out the kinks, MobileMe could be worthwhile for iLife and iPhone users who want to keep data on their Macs, handset, iPod Touch, as well as Outlook mail and calendars on the same page.
24 Adobe Photoshop CS4
25 Kaspersky Anti-Virus 6
Kaspersky Anti-Virus 6 is light and fast and consistently wins detection awards against the competition; it's worthy of our Editors' Choice designation.