Symantec Launches Transition Assistance for Pressured Dr. Solomon's Customers

Cupertino, Calif --September 14, 1998-- Symantec Corporation (Nasdaq: SYMC) has launched a specialist transition service for Dr Solomon's users that are being pressurized by Network Associates (Nasdaq: NETA) to transition to an untested antivirus product.

Symantec Transition Services has been set up to provide bespoke transition assistance for companies and individual end-users. Hotline numbers provide direct access to transition specialists that can provide immediate information and quick access to services such as free technical support, free software to uninstall Dr Solomon's or Network Associates antivirus products and install Norton AntiVirus, and for qualifying companies, specialized consultancy and free product.

Dr Solomon's was about to launch version 8.0 of its AntiVirus Toolkit product when Network Associates announced its acquisition. In June, in a statement on Dr Solomon's web site, Network Associates said it wanted to alleviate customers concerns by telling them that AntiVirus Toolkit was expected to ship on schedule this Fall. However, the company has now told customers they will instead have to upgrade to a totally new product in October which it says combines the two companies' technology.

"It takes three months to fully test a new product, let alone one that combines two completely different technologies. If Network Associates is telling the truth about an October launch for a combined product they are asking customers to move to a version 1.0 product that they will not have had enough time to fully test," says Enrique Salem, vice president of Symantec's Security and Assistance Business Unit.

"Network Associates is afraid of losing customers to competitors and is rushing through an untested product simply to get customers locked into a contract. Companies are being misled into thinking they will be using finished product when in fact it will be the customers who are doing the final testing.

"Aside from the danger to customers of virus infection from using an untested product, customers will have little option but to go through subsequent transition phases once the technology integration has been carried out properly. Putting the security of their customers networks at risk in order to get them signed up on a contract is wrong."

The aim of Symantec Transition Services, Salem adds, is to assist Dr Solomon's customers who feel they are being railroaded by Network Associates into making decisions about their corporate network security that are more beneficial to Network Associates than to themselves.

Symantec and IBM announced an alliance in May in which IBM assigned its antivirus customer base to Symantec. Already more than 1,500 companies that were using IBM AntiVirus have committed to transitioning to Symantec.

"Through our on-going experience of transitioning IBM's customers, we have developed a deep understanding of the issues that companies face when moving from one antivirus solution to another and refined a very smooth and efficient transition process. Symantec Transition Services will extend that experience and knowledge to Dr Solomon's customers and Network Associates customers too for that matter," says Salem.

The Symantec Transition Services hotline number is: 1-800-734-2659.

About Symantec
Symantec is the world leader in utility software for business and personal computing. Symantec products and solutions help make users productive and keep their computers safe and reliable anywhere and anytime. Symantec offers a broad range of solutions and is acclaimed as a leader in both customer satisfaction and product brand recognition. Symantec is traded on Nasdaq under the symbol SYMC. More information on the company and its products can be obtained at www.symantec.com.

NOTE TO EDITORS: If you would like additional information on Symantec Corporation and its products, view the Symantec Press Center at www.symantec.com/PressCenter/ on Symantec's Website.

Brands and products referenced herein are the trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. All prices noted are in US dollars and are valid only in the United States.