Haven't heard much about Avast lately

Due to the recent threads on the Antivir update problems, potential KAV CHKDSK problems, and if anyone thinks that AVG has improved. I just wondered who all is using Avast, and how they like it. I have used it in the past and thought it was ok, but I thought I read somewhere recently it had it's own problems as far as Virus removal. My son uses it and likes it, and only uses it along with Windows XP Firewall for protection. While I admit I didn't like the GUI that much, I did like the different shields it had, and the Virus Data Backup Recovery, or what ever it was called, and even liked the voice feature when it updated. Anyway, I'm not knocking the other AV's I mentioned as I'm using AVG ISS now, have always liked Antivir PE, and especially liked AOL AVS which has the KAV engine. Just curious about Avast as I haven't heard too much about it lately that's all.

 

I used avast! for several years, but haven't been running it for a few months lately. I do, however, go to their forum often just to keep up with anything new and so on.

They have had several bug fix releases for their 4.7 a while back and it had always been pretty rock solid. No bug fix release for a few months now, but like I said it had been pretty rock solid with that release.

They have always been increasing their virus detections according to AV-Comparatives tests. Avast! is getting better and better as time goes on.

My assumption is that the avast! team are hard at work on the upcoming version from my observations.

The avast! GUI is what drives me away from it. I know that is a silly reason, but hey, who wants a Ferrari with a school bus for a body... Hopefully with their next release they will look more professional. That doesn't mean that I don't respect the avast! team or the antivirus itself, I just hope it improves in that area.

 

Yeah I agree DaveD, the GUI was kinda my sticking point too. I did find a thread on Avast from a week ago, but there has been so many new threads on AV's with either problems or doubts, that I thought a new one on how good Avast is or isn't might fit better now.

 

Hi,folks: I have been using Avast not too long, but am a happy camper. Prior to this, I have used many other AVs, most gave me some sort of problems, which push me farther and further away from them. I have not encountered any kind of problems which I would have had w/ others by now. If there are no problems, I normally do not post any complaints or concerns at Forum. I do believe many other AVAST users are on the same boat as I am. Because users do not have any question to ask, therefore it is so quiet on Avast's front. I guess, no news is good news. eh? BTW, even on Avast's own forum, I do not see too many postings either.

 

I'm a happy user of avast! Home Edition, I've tried so many new comer/so-called the best detection rate antivirus but avast! is always be my choice.

I've been continuously using avast! for more than 2 years with no infections, avast! has caught many threats (mostly worms, trojans/spyware, adware) before they do any harm to my personal laptop and my home network (5 computers).

I *completely* have no any problems with avast! at all (except some false positives), for me avast! is rock solid stable/reliable antivirus software, especially its excellent update system. So, no problems then no questions to ask.


About GUI, if don't like the skin, so then why don't you guys use avast! skinless interface?

 

Hey Tap, good to hear from you. This whole Avast thing came to mind a few days ago after my wife ordered a PC for herself. She told me she didn't want "all that stuff" like I had put on the one we shared over the last several years. That's when my son interjected and told both of us we should just Avast and be done with it. So that along with the thread from a week ago here, and now this one, I guess I have heard about Avast lately and it's mostly good. I still wonder how it would be for removal though, and if anyone has had a good or bad experience with it in this area?

 

I wouldn't worry about removal, in your case. The number 1 priority is always prevention. That is one area that avast! is very good at with all of the different shields, most importantly the Web Shield HTTP scanner.

Removal, on the other hand, is only something you will need to worry about if your anti virus fails you. In my opinion, avast! will protect you well enough in the first place. They are very good at getting detections out for new and current viruses which is most important.

I would recommend that, with any anti virus program, that if you detect a virus that has already gotten through and 'infected' your system that you boot into Safe Mode and remove it that way. It's easier and usually more thorough. Avast! also has a boot time scanner which is an excellent option.

 

The only reason i haven't tried Antivir yet is due to the fact that i have Avast!.
Rock solid so far, as Avs go.

The main problem is when my computer drags, the main suspect is Avast!. My bet is that next build will lighten things up. I hope anyway. It's not very often, so i tolerate it.

The GUI isn't bad. I don't know what you're talking about. What's wrong with it?

 

You can count me in as happy avast! user. I'd go with AVIRA but honestly, their free edition is crappified to the max. And that dumb notifier popup is the cherry on top of this crappiness... Kudos to the scan engine and GUI team though...
avast! on the other hand is limited but not to the point where it becomes annoying. So it's very well balanced and i like that.

 

I like Avast antivirus very much.
Their forum is on tops in my opinion.
Though I always used the skinless interface that TAP showed in the post.
Never liked the "media player type one" that comes as default.

I have now changed to Avira Antivir, but my main reason is that I run SandBoxie my browser and email client. So I don't feel I need that much the proxy software.
Without Sandboxie, I would feel naked with Antivir.
Plus Avast's updates cause never no problems unlike Antivir's

 

I have been using Avast! home for about 3 years now, and have had no problems with it, can't say much on the subject of virus removal since I haven't had a virus in that time, but I am very happy with it. The GUI doesn't bother me as I don't sit and look at it, but since the subject has come up, I have looked at it recently, and compared it with both AVG's and AntiVir which I run on other machines, and quite frankly I wouldn't want to spend any great amout of time looking at any of them , so there's not a lot more I can say on that.

 

As far as the GUI on any of the AV's, there is a thread on this already, but for the sake of this thread maybe a better thing to say is how the GUI is laid out. I liked the way AOL AVS was laid out, and Antivir's, because everything was right there that you needed to get to. Avast, while not horrible or ugly was just laid out differently which wasn't for my tastes. That's all. It is however a fine AV, and my opinion I hope doesn't offend anyone.

 

Another happy Avast user.
I actually like the funky GUI.
Differentiates it from anything else.

 

AFAIK that's only available with the paid version.

 

No. The skinless interface is available for both versions, what you mentioned it called "Enhanced user interface".

 

OK then.