Pragmatic Pricing on PC Security Software is Making Internet Safer in India
                     Pragmatic Pricing on PC Security 
Software is Making Internet Safer 
in India
Yash Kumar
Writes for search-marketing.in, 
provides information on 
Digital marketing in india to improve 
Digital marketing strategies.
Many new and sophisticated threats are spreading fast online that can infect your 
computer. IBM calls the Internet as ‘Wild West’. Risks have increased 
exponentially. According to its X-Force 2009 Mid-Year Trend and Risk Report, 
the problem is no longer limited to virus or malicious domains or suspicious 
websites. There has been increase in the presence of malicious content on trusted 
sites, including popular search engines, blogs, bulletin boards, personal web 
sites, mainstream news sites and online magazines.
However, the pricing trends are changing in India as some new PC security 
software companies like Kaspersky and old horse Norton offering PC security 
suites at reasonable prices.
The following is a brief description about these Internet security suites-
Kaspersky Internet Security 2010
Kaspersky provides more than what you expect from a security suite for the price 
you pay. Some of its salient features are:
•It has a unique safe run mode for potential threatening applications or websites
•It gives full picture on programs installed on your system through
•It warns you about infected or unsafe websites
•It has a secure virtual keyboard to protect from identity theft
Kaspersky priced this security suit at just Rs.350. A PC user who buys his PC at 
around Rs.20,000 should not hesitate to buy this software to get protected from 
Internet threats. This is very cheap compared to its MRP in USA i.e Rs.2746 ($ 
59.95).
Norton Internet Security 2010
Norton is the best overall security suite available in the market. It is even better 
than Kaspersky and is a bit expensive. Some of its major features are:
•It provides up-to-the minute protection by updating every 5 to 15 minutes
•It filters unwanted email
•It blocks phishing websites and also authenticates trusted sites
•It prevents hackers from spying and stealing the information as you type
Norton Internet Security 2010 is priced at Rs.950. This is very cheap compared 
to its MRP in USA i.e around Rs.1557 ($33.99).
Bit Defender
If you are looking just for an anti-virus consider ‘Bit Defender anti-virus 2009’, 
which costs only Rs.200 and is reasonably good.
In order to protect yourself from these threats online, you also need to have 
original OS. But, the pricing of the OS is too high to purchase a genuine copy. 
The price of the Windows genuine OS software almost equals to a branded LCD 
monitor. In India, a majority of the PC buyers buy assembled systems rather than 
branded systems. They then get pirated OS and software without much hassle 
since many local technicians take care of this part.
Pragmatic pricing of Operating Systems: Needed for Safer Internet in India
Though the GDP and PPP in India are far less than US, there is not much 
difference in the prices of the PC software. The concept of PPP is to equalize the 
purchasing power of two currencies. For example, the price for a normal hair cut 
in India costs around Rs.40 but the same thing in U.S costs around $ 8, nearly 
Rs.366. This shows that we can get a lot better items at low cost in India. But 
PPP is not working with some companies like Microsoft in India.
The professional version of Windows 7 is available for Rs.12,116 ($264.49) in 
US, and the same in India costs around Rs.7,900 in the local market. It should be 
somewhere around Rs.1,500 if adjusted according to PPP.
To buy a genuine operating system it costs nearly Rs.8,000 for a typical PC 
buyer. This is the reason why many home users in India opt for pirated versions 
and become vulnerable to attacks.
Though most of the PC users in India know the dire consequences of pirated 
software, many of them are unable to use the genuine versions as they are over 
priced. However, the above-mentioned PC security software companies are 
providing the best Internet security software in their class at a reasonable price. 
‘Kaspersky Internet Security 2010’ costs around Rs.2746 in US, but it is 
available just for Rs.350 in India. ‘Norton Internet Security 2010’ costs around 
Rs.1557 in US, which costs only Rs.950 in India. The pragmatic pricing of these 
brands is appreciable. These kinds of initiatives encourage at least the new 
generation users to buy genuine software. Industry leaders like Microsoft should 
do a lot of rethinking on their pricing in India. After all, this is just to make 
Internet safer to browse.
About Search-marketing 
Search-marketing.in website is a useful resource which caters to 
micro businesses on developments in digital marketing in India. It 
provides information on digital marketing strategies and helps Indian 
micro businesses to establish strong online presence and to leverage 
the Internet for business performance and growth.
Thank you for reading this 
article!