I purchased Norton version 2003 anti-virus and firewall (mainly because of a low price) and my builder (who has a fast broadband connection) did the considerable downloads to update it. I had assumed that version 2003 plus downloads equals version 2005, but now I'm not so sure that's the right way to understand the difference between those versions. Am I protected against more recent complex virus and malware? I run Norton's Live Updates daily and after each check via the Internet and any necessary download their message tells me that "all products on this machine are up to date."

If you update your virus definitions regularly, then you're safe. The difference between Norton 2002, 2003, 2005, etc. has to do with the program itself, not with the viruses they protect you from. The newer programs generally have more options, but as long as you have an unexpired subscription to Norton's Live Update it doesn't really matter much which version you are using.

If you compare running Live Update as buying a new volume of an encyclopedia, then Norton 2003 and 2005 are the shelves that you put them on. Norton 2005 is just a more modern shelf.

Thanks Leau. Sometime in the future might version 2003 not be able to handle a DAT file that 2005 could?