With number of users dropping, it must be be hurting their pockets, hence vlk have to ask the reason their number of users are declining indirectly here. They only have to look so far why their users are declining by looking in the mirror
If he didn't ask, you'd complain about how they don't care. I am glad a company that size has a COO that will even come by. I think "he" does care...can't speak for the other top folks there. Just saying....
If I am not mistaken, these were vlk's words. It might not be 100% word for word, but he did said something like that. Almost a year back. "We will leave it as checked (those unwanted programs) as most users will just click install without unchecking the box"
@vlk - as a long time user of Avast, I would like to thank you for your interest in our opinions! I am not a typical a set-it-and-forget it type of user. I prefer to roll-my-own layers of defense. #1 is the antivirus detection rate based on signature detection. Without this being in the top tier, I am going to look elsewhere for my antivirus engine. I am not looking for an all-in-one, protect-me-from-everything nasty on the net solution. I understand that multi-layered defenses in a product can provide enhanced protection, but so far I have not found one product that can do it all to my standards. I understand that we are reaching the limits of signature based detection, and that zero-day exploits can find their way past these defenses. But that is no excuse not to have a #1 signature based defense at your front door! Is this a product you would consider using (or are using)? Have used it for many years, but currently using Avira. I regularly follow AV-Comparatives, Virus Bulletin VB-100, and AV-TEST for the latest test results. It this a product you would recommend to your friend? I used to recommend it to all my friends and family ... If yes/no, why? Detection rate is no longer in the top tier. What are the things you like about it? 1. The Avast community is one of the best features about Avast. As well as Avast reps regularly appearing in the discussions with answer and updates, I have observed a fair amount of candid discussion and disclosure when mistakes are made, unlike most of the other vendors. 2. Advanced Options 3. Light impact on system 4. GUI is friendly On the flip side, what do you not like about it? Detection rate, detection rate, detection rate ... Any other comments/opinions? 1. Maybe too many false positives 2. Most of the bloat can be avoided by using custom installation options, and selecting just the protection modules you need. Regarding any add-on offers, be careful which boxes are checked. Lots of complaints here from others, so currently there may be too much reliance on user interaction. Add-ons could be made to look less like "let's slip this past the user when they're not looking", by DEFAULT, unchecking the option to install any extras...
Hi guys, We, the Überevangelists on https://forum.avast.com, are reading - and discussing this topic as well. All issues/complaints posted here can't be a surprise for Avast, because we are telling them the same for some time now. So frankly we are a bit surprised that Ondrej/Vlk started this topic here. Greetz, Red.
Used to use avast on friends /familys pcs but most of them never reregister (I used to do it for them)and a few thought that some of the ads popups meant they had to click them,and ended up with trial versions and goodness knows what.Just not worth the hassle.I doubt if i would use avast any time soon personally as I dont like ads/social media /upgrade stuff pushed down my throat.
I'm surprised that they are aware that GUI and functions of the program itself have to be simplified for Average Joe's and Jane's and yet they keep on insisting all this extra crap the same people don't understand being thrown in their faces. Registration, trial offers, offers popups, pre-checked 3rd party apps/extras, all this stuff is nothing but confusing to such users. You can say registration is easy, but when I get calls from average users how to register it because it's too confusing to understand, then you know something clearly isn't allt hat simple as it seems. I don't want to brag, but I'm really good at dumbing myself down to the level of users and have been saying this for months if not years already. I work with customers and I know how far backwards you have to go sometimes to explain simplest (to me) things to customers. Do it some other way. Everyone use popups, why not innovate something new? avast! kinda innovated the marketing approach through freeware. Others used it, but no one used it on such massive scale. And it worked great for them. So, why not think out of the box again and avoid all the traditional annoying nonsense and make something that will attract users and won't be annoying to existing ones?
this bothers me too. i dont want to see those damn facecrook, twitter etc buttons on any program i use....no thanks are you a serious company with a serious program or a whore/shill for FB + twitter if it makes you a few nickels?
It would be nice if you were forced to view all the ads and popups (basically what we are seeing now) for the first month or two and after that, you could disable them (in paid versions you could disable anything from day zero). This way you ensure people see what you want them to see but 1-2 months is really the point where you decide whether you want to pay for something more or simply stick with the free version. And when you decide for free version, there is no point in bombarding me with paid stuff. I know it exists, I'll willingly decide for it. Don't harass me for it constantly. Progressive unlocking of such goodies as time progresses is inverted approach that further encourages user to use your program for longer, because he'll get rewarded for that.
OK a couple of times this month I've had to deal with avast! on wife's PC and that enough is alone to nix it. I can't simply add a file to a trust list; I have to report it as a false positive and fill out the requisite form fields before submitting and gaining access to my file and resuming my work. avast! really went from the coolest, neatest AV to pretty much one of the most annoying. What instigated this? Syncing a file from my PC to hers, knowing it will likely trigger avast! (it triggers about every AV's heuristics), I told her in advance to tell avast! to allow/trust/ignore/whatever when it pops up. Those options weren't there so she didn't know what to do. She further added that "that thing is always popping up with stuff about being not protected and upgrade and whatever". End result: user is completely desensitized to any security warnings thanks to fear-based advertising! Make it easy (one or two clicks) and I'll do it; make it intrusive (filling out a mandatory form) and I'll get rid of it entirely. Make it easy for me to get on with what I am doing and make the rest of the stuff optional at my convenience and I'll be happy to help by giving everything you ask.
I must agree with many other points mentioned by previous posters 1. Pop-ups in Free and even paid Pro version are ANNOYING even I myself, my family members and friends getting tons of popups ... in fact most of people who have avast! ignore popups or trying run it in the silent mode because it's happening too often (like in past week I got like 12 popups for Business Free version of Avast!) it degrades any effect from real warning detection cause the user is already annoyed IMHO simple decaying counter on client would help to solve, show Ad, start e.g. 30 days counter to NOT show it again make sure there is no more than 1 popup (tips, features, products) to show within 72 hours timeframe remember what Info/Advertising Popup the user already seen and avoid to show the same stuff over again repeatedly btw. those're 1-2-3 basic advertising rules, so it's degrading end-user opinion about Avast! more than anything else 2. Installer needs simplicity for installer add "Lite" preset which will install only the Antivirus w/o any bloat like the CleanUp, SecureLine VPN etc. 3. Free version needs free variant of Secure DNS from Pro version https://www.avast.com/faq.php?article=AVKB44 https://www.avast.com/faq.php?article=AVKB188#artTitle which is quite surprising considering the free, open-source DNSsec and TLSa checker https://www.dnssec-validator.cz/ which was done under oversight of CZ.NIC 'neutral exchange point' group (yes the same Czech lands like Avast is from ) ofcourse the question is what does the Avast! version do compared to this free plugin/app does? 4. Logs are hard to access some logs, long path / filename entries / warnings are hard to read and hard to find because there is no more way to get it from interface (one must find the right log file and hope it's there) e.g. introduce new module / tool in Tools section for all Avast! Logs named e.g. Log Manager which will allow read, cleanup and administrate logs 5. Exclusions are pain sometimes even restart of whole avast/services isn't enough to trigger those and whole OS restart was needed please add us some easy indicator it actually works and is active and in what module etc. 6. Last scanned items design flaws typical example of bad readability design is Last scanned items, it can show 5 items maximum, no scolling allowed now the terrific part is, it's able to list 5 lines of same item and if the scan repeats it keeps going on my proposed change is simple to change the way how repeated item is shown Item name (repeated X times) https://www.wilderssecurity.com/threads/avast-please-share-your-opinion.378539/save-draft (scanned 50 times) C:\Windows\system32\taskeng.exe (scanned 2 times) C:\Windows\system32\conhost.exe (scanned 1 times) I could go on but it's too hot weather to remember all the flaws I dislike
Unlike many in this thread, I'm happy as a pig in mud with my free Avast! As for popups, just turn on Gaming Mode and popups are gone. Too Simple! There are many well thought out features I enjoy like Software Updater, which checks for out of date programs and includes Flash updates that all update from the Avast console, no websites to go to. Nice time saver. I like the fast file scans, say after a download, it scans FAST, compared to Bitdefender which puts the file in a queue and takes 1-2 minutes to scan. I also really like the boot scan that can be scheduled, no need to make a CD or go to a website. The interface is attractive and looking at AV-Test and Av-comparatives detection rates are in the 98-99% detection range the past 4-6 months. I think its one of the best free AV's around. One small issue is the first time I open my web browser it takes a long time to open, which could be the browser or Avast checking it out.
For myself and friends/family ,its not the popups that are the problem but the type of popup.My neighbour feels reassured that avast popup has told him that his av has been updated ,or that its scanning emails.What doesnt reassure him is popups telling him that his computer isnt adequately protected unless he buys the pro or other popups telling to purchase something to clean his computer.Because he also has the free version ,half the time he thinks that everything advertised in the popups is free too.At the moment there are better choices than avast and in my view its because of all the ad popups.Personally I prefer agnitums directions approach ,for advertising.
My free Avast NEVER bothers me like what your neighbor described, I barely hear from it or see it. He can get rid of the popups by Right-clicking the Avast icon in the tray and tick "Silent/Gaming Mode". This cuts them off. My feeling is we're lucky to have a 100% free multi-faceted AV which Avast makes zero from. If they want to advertise a bit to upgrade so folks can make a decent living, I have zero problem with it. Many people would complain if you were giving out free $100 bills and say "C'mon! Don't you have any small bills!?" https://blog.avast.com/2015/01/22/d...le-sound-and-pop-up-notifications/#more-33768
If you have zero problems with the popups and avast devs making a decent living then why do you choose to suppress the ad/popups??.Also seeing as your a member here,I would guess that your pretty clued up on things.Some of my neighbours /family ,are in thier late 60s early 70s and the popups are a click magnet to them.They dont delve into settings.All they like to hear/see is "virus database has been updated" or "a threat has been detected".Doesnt silent /gaming mode suppress these too?.If i did that for them all id get is phone calls asking me is thier anti virus working.I still maintain theres far better ways to advertise than this way.
one thing is sure: avast has gone from the nice version 4 to a suite that "makes-it-all" and is more than ever focused on getting the money. even by annoying their user, hence risking loosing them. it's an avast business decision. and a bad one in the long run.
@vlk I'd like to ask for your candid opinion on Avast. Is this a product you would consider using (or are using)? Don't use realtime AV myself It this a product you would recommend to your friend? If yes/no, why? Yes, I used to install Avast Free on friends PC's, until (I believe) Q3 2014 when real world detection rates started to decline and detection rates. Because Panda Free detection rates started to increase, I now install Panda What are the things you like about it? Hardware supported code simulation and virtualisation + reputation scoring On the flip side, what do you not like about it? When everything ends up in memory to execute and avast offers hardware virtualisation and reputation checking, why offer manual options and channel specific blacklist (fingerprint) data bases? Any other comments/opinions? For the free version, choose a simple no settings version like Panda Free, with only execution shield consisting of 1) Signed by trusted Publisher & Certificate from trusted Signer? a) Yes execute b) No = proceed 2) Hash In local cache (meaning checked) a) Yes execute b) No = proceed 3) Hash cloud white list? a) Yes add hash to local cache + execute b) No = proceed (or time -out) 4) Executable in local blacklist? a) Yes block b) No = proceed 5. Run rep score and send PE to Avast for off line analysis 6. Run hardware based virtualization behavioral analysis with rep-score as input a) Combined rating suspicious = block b) No = warn Regards Kees
It's been almost a year since vlk posed the questions in OP, so I thought this topic could use a bump to ask the long time, current avast users if there have been (m)any changes regarding the things mentioned in this topic? Looking at their forum, things like SafeZone Browser being silently installed without user permission, a Video downloader being bundled with said browser (WTH?), don't inspire confidence. I haven't personally used avast for a longer period of time, so any input from longtime users if anything is changed since last year is appreciated. I don't know if avast is a worthy recommendation to people that ask me what free av should they use.
Have not used Avast in awhile. Is is it still bloated? I miss the old days of Avast without all the crapware bundled into it. Does it still have the Credit Report thing and software updater checker?
I've been looking into it the past day, to see if it is something I can use on my parents machine (in hardened mode). The installer still includes all the junk apps, but they can be unchecked during install, so that they do not get downloaded/installed. With only the file/web shields, the GUI and program seem pretty easy to use and I have not noticed any slow down. Basically, I am looking for something to lock down their machine, without causing a lot of popups or false positives. If anyone has any thoughts on this, please PM me, as to not turn this thread into A vs B.
