Why I am replacing avast and no longer using it

[cdukes]

Hi,
I have been using Avast for a VERY long time. I work in the support field and have recommended and installed avast literally hundreds of times.
I wanted to take a minute to explain why I am no longer using Avast and am now looking for alternatives in the hopes that someone out there in the Avast food chain might listen.
In years past, Avast would quietly run on my system and would only come up when a real alert was necessary. My AV is supposed to be seen only when a real emergency comes along. A few years back, you guys started adding things here and there like webrep, etc. The latest version of Avast now pops up messages constantly with completely useless information.
No, I don't want your ad
No, I don't want to use a pc doctor
No, I don't want to take a survey
No, I will upgrade my other software when I am ready, why are you even asking?
No, I don't want whatever product/company you have sold out to this week for ad revenue.
While you're at it, why not add a useless paperclip guy?

So far, my search for a better product has turned up bitdefender, but I have not installed it yet. I sincerely hope they aren't complete sellout/ad whores as well.
I wish you guys the best of luck, but caution you that you are just a new/better/less intrusive product away from bankruptcy. Remember how the almighty Symantec Antivirus fell? They thought they could rest on their laurels and now are struggling to keep up with the new breed.

I'm done ranting now, I truly hope it has an impact.

[schmidthouse]

Points taken, only time will tell.
Goodluck.

[AdrianH]

Agreed. I have been using and installing avast since 2003 ( the old days of Alwil) .  I removed avast from all my systems, I am sick of the garbage they add.

My phone has been ringing constantly for weeks, my email box is full, all people that I have installed avast for saying the same thing ...

"Enough, no more, I don't want adverts, I don't want xyz product installed at update."  "Get this cr*p off my PC"

The guys I work for used to install avast to several thousand machines each year .............. not any more. The constant complaints have become impossible to deal with and were damaging business as customers were so angry.

The fact that the product has needed constant correction over the last year or so , plus the poor performance and reviews shows how attention to the core product has been lost.

Adding "Easter Eggs" and the staff spending hours playing puerile games in the CEO's office then posting about it in a blog does not exactly inspire confidence.

[RejZoR]

I don't agree with all things, especially about easter eggs and them having fun in office. Every company needs to have some fun and relaxed atmosphere. But i do agree with all the ads, extra apps, popups and other nonsense. I'd understand that 10 years ago when avast! was still emerging, but they are escalating all this now that avast! is ALREADY one of the worlds most widely used AV, known all over the globe. Why? It's unnecessary and annoying ballast.

[Davy]

I too have stopped using Avast,  along time ago.

Avast has too many hands in the fire and it will never get like it use to be, it will only get worse with pop ups and add on's. It's does appear Avast is going like many other AV's  bloated and problematic and Avast users  are the real beta tester themselves, why so many problems?

The AV I have now... no names no flame wars has never given an ounce of trouble and completely advert free, the only pop-up from it is 'Virus dated base been updated'.

People seem to jump at anything going free, there is nothing free for nothing - ever, there is always a catch!

Another gripe on this forum.
Half of them, usually Avast fanboys, can't seem to comprehend on what is being said and in reality things that's do happen is unreal and imaginary...

look back at the onset of these pop ups, Chrome install is another good example - it is these very people what has their heads in the sand not the users who are complaining.

Yes my computer DOES run faster since removing Avast, like others before me I CAN'T recommend Avast anymore and stopped installing it on machines that I repair.... those good day's have gone, Avast has gone down hill, a rather steep one.

Dave

[RevolutionSphere]

I too have stopped using Avast,  along time ago.

Avast has too many hands in the fire and it will never get like it use to be, it will only get worse with pop ups and add on's. It's does appear Avast is going like many other AV's  bloated and problematic and Avast users  are the real beta tester themselves, why so many problems?

The AV I have now... no names no flame wars has never given an ounce of trouble and completely advert free, the only pop-up from it is 'Virus dated base been updated'.

People seem to jump at anything going free, there is nothing free for nothing - ever, there is always a catch!

Another gripe on this forum.
Half of them, usually Avast fanboys, can't seem to comprehend on what is being said and in reality things that's do happen is unreal and imaginary...

look back at the onset of these pop ups, Chrome install is another good example - it is these very people what has their heads in the sand not the users who are complaining.

Yes my computer DOES run faster since removing Avast, like others before me I CAN'T recommend Avast anymore and stopped installing it on machines that I repair.... those good day's have gone, Avast has gone down hill, a rather steep one.

Dave

Just wondering what AV do you use now?

[tlock65]

You are given a choice as to whether you install Chrome or not, during initial installation of Avast. I've seen others complaining about this & apparently there must be a lot of people that can't read, or have very poor comprehension, because I've installed Avast! free & AIS several times in the past few weeks & have never unintentionally installed Chrome even once. Open your eyes & pay attention while your installing.

Pretty much ALL the things I see people complaining about here can be adjusted or completely eliminated in the settings or during initial install, if people would only read & pay attention to what they are doing. It's just common sense, which everyone should use when installing any program. If not, then there's no anti virus program in the world that's going to keep your PC safe.

[Davy]

@RevolutionSphere

Sorry, not getting into or starting a flame war. I will say they don't do 'Freebies' and pester the user with adverts AND pop ups.

@tlock65
Try again buddy I am not going down that road again, I KNOW; that is K-N-O-W otherwise and so does many others on here (and elsewhere) and YES I have seen the tick box and there were times I haven't -  just like Grime Fighter.

I have no reason to make things up, I have no reasons to tell lies and I have no reason to say things happen when they haven't - do you understand that?

Dave

[tlock65]

Glad you "know" otherwise. You have a nice day 

[RevolutionSphere]

@RevolutionSphere

Sorry, not getting into or starting a flame war. I will say they don't do 'Freebies' and pester the user with adverts AND pop ups.

@tlock65
Try again buddy I am not going down that road again, I KNOW; that is K-N-O-W otherwise and so does many others on here (and elsewhere) and YES I have seen the tick box and there were times I haven't -  just like Grime Fighter.

I have no reason to make things up, I have no reasons to tell lies and I have no reason to say things happen when they haven't - do you understand that?

Dave

I wasn't trying to start a flame war or get into one, I'm just curious to know what you have switched to. I don't really care if it good or bad or what anyone else thinks.I do argee with you on the ads/pop ups but ah well, I guess its just a sacrifice that you have to take when using Avast.

[polonus]

We can live with your criticisms unless you do not wrap it up in disinformation
and present your case without exaggeration (I mean the Easter egg game accusations etc.).

I will have to point out that the av program to-day is quite different than that of say some ten years ago.
But we all have come to live in a completely different world, haven't we?

The intrusive advertising that for instance comes on TV has increased so much,
that at times when sitting an' watching a film after an ad-block I forgot the plot of the film.
So if that is the overall ruling model and that is how everything has changed,
avast av is also a minor part of these general changes.

Another aspect is that the major public now arose to the fact that the digital world around them became rather intrusive
(Snowdon, NSA, surveillance clamps that came down on us, general commercialized privacy invasion)
and many now feel just being little peons without any saying in the matter.
Users feel left out.
And I agree to some point that the scales of the balance have swayed out quite too far to one side.

But agreeing on that, I say all online parties are into that, so avast! is not living on an island.
And we are all the blame.
Did not we do it to ourselves?
Is there anything outside a global player like Google as an alternative?
Is Google to blame or did we all silently let them conquer that position until there is no way back?

So do not start blaming avast for general trends,
for general user apathy.
Be glad you could have posted this here!

polonus

[cdukes]

@polonus,
My post was meant to try and get the attention of someone capable of making better decisions. If Avast! loses its technical community backing, they will fall by the wayside, just like the rest have in the past. Selling out is not ok "just because google does it".
That justification is horribly weak and inexcusable.
FWIW, I installed bitdefender yesterday and haven't heard a peep from it yet.

[Vladimyr]

I have a number of commercial customers, all using AIS, some with default settings but most customized by me. Not a single complaint have I had, even when I've specifically asked for them!
I'm not saying that there haven't been issues that I've been aware of or been annoyed about, but thankfully, the end users have not noticed.

For 'Free' users I just turn off the popups and monitor their status via avast! "My Account".

[cavehomme2]

Glad you "know" otherwise. You have a nice day 

Stop it man, people like you are really out of order.      Many of us are experiencing genuine issues and yet you dismiss us as imagining the problem or even lying. No, these are genuine problems.

As a commercial user it is completely unacceptable for me to receive spam popups and other marketing within the product, even when these things are disabled in options. For example, I am a Secureline user as well, for several months, so what message did I recently get WITHIN secureline AFTER i had logged onto the VPN...."buy Secureline now, special discount for Easter!"   

Avast Marketing have gone crazy and they are now losing many people.....but as they lose many people they advertise even more and exacerbate the problem, then more people leave Avast, so marketing people send even more popups.....it is a crazy circle, in fact a downward spiral. I have been an Avast user for more than 10 years, but this really now looks like the end soon, I will not be renewing my commercial licenses this summer if this situation continues.

[Para-Noid]

Enough already! If you would like to see changes in avast please post here http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=146141.0
Please post using a mature and dignified tone. An appropriate post will reflect better on you.