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CNET Reviews - Most Popular Software

Rank Most Popular Titles
1 Microsoft Windows 7 (Professional)
Windows 7 is more than what Vista should have been, it's where Microsoft needed to go. How much damage Vista did and whether Windows 7 is enough for people to finally abandon Windows XP are questions that nobody has the answers to right now.
2 Norton Internet Security 2010 (1 User, 3 PCs)
Norton Internet Security 2010 builds on the immense progress it made in last year's version, maintaining a low system profile while strengthening its security framework. It's not perfect, but even Symantec's detractors should check it out.
3 Microsoft Windows 7 (Home Premium)
Windows 7 is more than what Vista should have been, it's where Microsoft needed to go. How much damage Vista did and whether Windows 7 is enough for people to finally abandon Windows XP are questions that nobody has the answers to right now.
4 Microsoft Windows 7 (Ultimate)
Windows 7 is more than what Vista should have been, it's where Microsoft needed to go. How much damage Vista did and whether Windows 7 is enough for people to finally abandon Windows XP are questions that nobody has the answers to right now.
5 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.
6 Apple Mac OS X Snow Leopard
Intel Mac users will like Snow Leopard's smartly designed interface enhancements, and its Exchange support is a must-have (especially with Outlook for Mac on the way). With a ton of technological improvements, Snow Leopard is worth the $29 upgrade fee.
7 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.
8 Kaspersky Internet Security 2010 (1-Year License)
Kaspersky Internet Security 2010 is a full-featured security suite, and the 2009 version scored well on independent antivirus detection and removal tests. However, be prepared to pay a premium for what you're getting.
9 Quicken Deluxe 2010
Quicken 2010 is a solid finance package, especially for novices, but offers little that's substantively new.
10 Vipre Antivirus + Antispyware
Vipre combines antivirus and antispyware technology in a fast and light application that also includes a worthy set of security tools.
11 Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007 - complete package (79G-00871)
Overall, Microsoft Office Standard 2007 is a worthy upgrade if you need to make sleeker-looking documents and presentations to share with others, and Outlook is better than ever, but you can stick to your current software if you don't feel that it lacks anything.
12 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.
13 Norton AntiVirus 2010 (1 User, 1 PC)
Norton AntiVirus 2010 builds on the immense progress made in last year's version, maintaining a low system profile while strengthening its security framework. It's not perfect, but even Symantec's detractors should check it out.
14 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.
15 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.
16 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
17 AVG Antivirus 8
AVG Anti-Virus 8 is solid at finding and removing viruses and spyware as well as blocking Web threats, but could be lighter on system resources and provide more technical support options.
18 Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2010 (CD-ROM, 1-Year License)
Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2010 offers pricey antivirus protection. The 2009 version scored well on independent antivirus detection and removal tests, but be prepared to pay a premium for what you're getting.
19 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.
20 McAfee Internet Security 2009
Once it's up and running, McAfee Internet Security 2009 is competitive with Norton on speed, detection, and removal of malicious software.
21 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.
22 Adobe Photoshop CS4
If you work with 3D, Photoshop Extended is a must-have upgrade; ditto if you think you'd use more of Standard's tools if the interface were less opaque, if you need to upgrade other suite applications, or if you qualify for an academic discount. All things considered, while Adobe Photoshop CS4 makes some improvements over CS3, it might be worth skipping this generation and waiting for the next.
23 Microsoft Office Standard 2007
Overall, Microsoft Office Standard 2007 is a worthy upgrade if you need to make sleeker-looking documents and presentations to share with others, and Outlook is better than ever, but you can stick to your current software if you don't feel that it lacks anything.
24 Avira AntiVir Personal 8
AntiVir Personal 8 provides more than adequate malicious-software protection, but for the price, we expected more features and polish.
25 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.