When to expect avast! 5 Beta?

Looks very interesting. I am also willing to beta test. Avast has been one of the most stable AV I have ever used. The support is great and the program is great. I was never happy with the front-end of the program but the look from the screen shots show they are heading in the right direction.

Ice

 

Raven211, avast has the technology to check idle time activity (no keyboard and no mouse movement). It is something different on Vista than in XP (avast needs improvements on this routine in Vista). But I think the screensaver module is intended to be run while the screensaver is running and won't use keyboard/mouse detection, leaving this detection to Windows itself to load the screensaver.

 

So what you're saying is, no matter if I use the screensaver module or not, Avast! (v5) will take care of tasks of its own when I'm not using my system anyway?

 

No, I'm not saying that.
avast Pro has scheduling possibilities, avast Home free just have the screensaver module. Well, there was a feature called VRDB (virus recovery database) but it will be dropped in avast 5.
So, no tasks on-demand that will be managed by avast Home (the on-access or resident activities will be there, of course).

 

Okay, now I think I got that straight... Now, about the scheduling capabilities in the Pro-version - is that where you mean idle-detection apart from screensaver module can be found, or were you talking about the screensaver module only all the time?

Another thing I'm not sure about... is the screensaver module indeed a screensaver which you select under the desktop-properties, OR, does it sense when the screensaver, whatever is chosen as screensaver, goes on, and begins to do intensive tasks like scanning the system and so on - and in that case, would that option be on by default?

That last thing might indeed just be some wishing-thoughts of my own.

 

On the other hand i think this feature is useless (screensaver scanning). I only perform full system scans so i get that green checkmark in some antiviruses, but other than that i rely on on-access (real-time) protection only. I mean i see no point in doing full scan unless you are installing AV on a known infected system where you just have to sweep through all the files. Otherwise, whats the point of on-access if some are scanning their drives daily. It's just stupid and only stresses hardware for no real reason.

 

what theyre dropping the VRDB? why, isnt that a pretty useful feature, ive never used it since i havent been infected or anything, but in theory it sounds like it wuld be a good option?

 

Maybe they can tell us about a replacement.

 

avast Pro does not have idle-detection to schedule. Only the screensaver module (on both Home and Pro versions) has it (on version 4 and 5).

It is a screensaver like any other. It does not detect other screensavers and run in background, it starts the scanning and the screensaver of your own set into avast screensaver module.
The properties of the scanning can only be fully configurated with the Pro version.

 

In theory only. It's an obsolete technology that allows reparation of few infections at some executable files (.exe, .com). It sounds more than in fact it is.

I think it won't be a replacement for it.

 

hmm well thx for clearing that up a bit.

 

agreed 100%. If your machine is infected while your real-time shields are up, the security software has failed. Realistically, the only time you need to scan is on an already infected machine or if you like to watch the toolbox icon go gaga.

Ice

 

Unless you've been unlucky enough to score a zero-second threat before the definitions were updated. (Which I suppose could be looked at as a failure.)

 

If that zero second threat got past the AV, Sandbox, hips and FW, then you really would have a winner!

Ice

 

Actually if on-access misses it at first, it will eventually detect it once detection is added. Either when user tries to run it or when the program tries to start by itself. Thats also where self-defense and anti-rootkit functionality comes into use later.

 

I wonder if the beta will be released this week?

 

I'm wondering that too.
A regular check of the Avast forum hasn't turned up an official date so far.
Hopefully it isn't too far off.

 

It's nothing official yet. Few of us were able to get hands on the first alpha few weeks ago, but that was very early version with lots of non functional features and many bugs. But it looked great. Beta release was not announced yet but we're expecting it soon. You'll see it when its out.

 

I can't wait

 

TICK.. TOCK.. TICK.. TOCK..

avast! 4 Home/Pro Version 4.8.1351 released August 17, 2009

Changes

* improvements in some unpackers (WinExec, Installers, Droppers)
* various fixes and improvements in the scanning engine
* Standard Shield: stability improvements in the kernel-mode drivers
* preparations for smoother migration to v5 (when it's released)

http://www.avast.com/eng/avast-4-home_pro-revision-history.html

 

FWIW, on my system it needed to reboot after the update.
It's encouraging to read that last line in the changelog!
Maybe 5 beta isn't very far down the road.

 

i sure hope its not very far down the road. im excited to test it out. this IS honestly the beta that ive been most excited for EVER so far.

 

I'm pretty sure it's been some Norton edition for me - I think 2009 - but this definitely shares spot with it. The times and how they change definitely got a lot to do with it.

 

It ranks right up near the top for me too.
Enough that I check the Avast blog and forum every day.

 

hehe likewise