Avast WEBforum
Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Beta - Avast => Topic started by: petr.kolacek on August 16, 2018, 03:46:49 PM
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Hi everyone,
new beta version 18.6.2348 (build 18.6.3977) is released.
Fixed
- Reporting Antivirus and Firewall state to the Windows Security Center after performed upgrade or downgrade
Known issues
- Crash related to TLS 1.3 support under specific circumstances
- Two detection dialogs displayed for phishing detection
- No detection dialog displayed for Webshield or Fileshield detections under specific circumstances (malware is blocked and moved to quarantine, but dialog not shown)
- Problems with signing to Avast account via Facebook
- Do not Disturb mode - not working correctly in Edge browser
Download links:
https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=179943.0
Enjoy this beta!
We are looking forward to your feedback.
AVAST Team.
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Thanks for the new beta, fast beta refresh :D
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Are these BETA thoroughly being tested by QA before being released?
We would rather have BETAs which include more fixes and take more time rather than quick new BETA versions.
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Thanks Petr, testing it asap...
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Are these BETA thoroughly being tested by QA before being released?
We would rather have BETAs which include more fixes and take more time rather than quick new BETA versions.
Hi Alikhan, we are close to the 18.6 public release and therefore you can see shorter time between the updates as well as less changes in it. Generally, we aim to release a new beta once per week to keep some rythm and amount of changes.
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Detection sound is back, thanks Martin. :) Else, nothing to report so far.
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auto update. Up and running
Thx Petr :)
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Are these BETA thoroughly being tested by QA before being released?
We would rather have BETAs which include more fixes and take more time rather than quick new BETA versions.
Hi Alikhan, we are close to the 18.6 public release and therefore you can see shorter time between the updates as well as less changes in it. Generally, we aim to release a new beta once per week to keep some rythm and amount of changes.
If we are so close to the public release, why are there are there so many Known Issues ?
When known issues are carried forward they just don't seem to get resolved there are some problems that have been carried forward for many program updates. Asyn has a topic on one of these that has survived several program updates.
I would agree with Alikhan as to why some of these things aren't picked up in Q&A and Alpha testing (I have mentioned this in the past). I think this constant monthly program update leaves us in a permanent Beta state.
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If we are so close to the public release, why are there are there so many Known Issues ?
This is why I raised the question. There are many known issues there and probably more must be more known internally.
I would agree with Alikhan as to why some of these things aren't picked up in Q&A and Alpha testing (I have mentioned this in the past). I think this constant monthly program update leaves us in a permanent Beta state.
I also think this monthly program update is causing problems. Far too many BETA versions are coming out (not necessarily close to public release) which have many known issues.
In the past, there used to be Release Candidate (RC) before the final stable version was released and would last a few days for final checks. Currently, the process seems rushed.
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Perhaps slow down of the beta releases, fix the outstanding bugs in current and previous versions might be a better idea, don't know why the need to rush releases for, i know your probably trying to stick to a Windows 10 monthly release schedule, but is that really the best idea in terms of product stability, folks recommending Avast Free/and Paid versions to friends and Family
I've been using Avast Free since 2006 after major issues I had with WIndows Live One Care, sure getting my machine infected then probably was my own fault, but nowadays I keep all programs up to date, and Avast Free.
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I think this constant monthly program update leaves us in a permanent Beta state.
Well, nearly, but I totally agree with your sentiment, @DavidR.
Standards like ITIL and SOX require thorough and well-defined staging.
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I personally am fine with it.
When they come, they come and they come on auto update. ;)
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it would be better if you fixed some of the known issues before you could release the final stable version........i don`t mind your constant Beta updates ...but i mind them when they come with nothing being fixed ....and having more and more issues arising....
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I personally am fine with it.
When they come, they come and they come on auto update. ;)
I no longer allow Program Auto Update, pretty much the same as other programs on my system I decide when they should update.
Originally Avast only had the virus definitions on Auto Update and the program update was on Ask. I do prefer that old option, but now I have gone a step further and set program updates to Manual.
What bothers me is happening currently, there are Known Issues listed in the topic for the last beta, https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=220998.0 (https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=220998.0). These known issues aren't reported in this beta version information at the top of the topic. The problem is they don't appear in the Fixed list for this beta, nor do they appear in the Known Issues list, they have just disappeared into the ether.
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I personally am fine with it.
When they come, they come and they come on auto update. ;)
I no longer allow Program Auto Update, pretty much the same as other programs on my system I decide when they should update.
Originally Avast only had the virus definitions on Auto Update and the program update was on Ask. I do prefer that old option, but now I have gone a step further and set program updates to Manual.
What bothers me is happening currently, there are Known Issues listed in the topic for the last beta, https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=220998.0 (https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=220998.0). These known issues aren't reported in this beta version information at the top of the topic. The problem is they don't appear in the Fixed list for this beta, nor do they appear in the Known Issues list, they have just disappeared into the ether.
The betas have been quite passive/refined lately as there hasn't been a beta released that has messed things up on my OS for a long time so I set to auto update.
So far it's been OK.
I agree there should be closer accounting/documenting of fixed and new issues.
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Let's put it this way, if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. ;)
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Let's put it this way, if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. ;)
Not the heat but the hassle and time. I'm more than capable of looking after myself, but looking at some of the topics in the forums, with bug that remain in place for some considerable time.
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Not the heat but the hassle and time.
Too bad, as there are only very few beta testers for XP.
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Not the heat but the hassle and time.
Too bad, as there are only very few beta testers for XP.
I suspect there will be/is a point where (unless a specific version is kept) Avast software will cease to function on XP
There are already issues on some XP systems that weren't existent in the recent past.
However my XP OS runs still OK with latest version of Avast Free. The GUI is too high of Resources :)
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I suspect there will be/is a point where (unless a specific version is kept) Avast software will cease to function on XP
Yep, please see: https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=220639.0
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I suspect there will be/is a point where (unless a specific version is kept) Avast software will cease to function on XP
Yep, please see: https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=220639.0
THanks Asyn :)
So to be clear, the version 18 will be kept specifically for XP users going ahead?
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So to be clear, the version 18 will be kept specifically for XP users going ahead?
Exactly. :)
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So to be clear, the version 18 will be kept specifically for XP users going ahead?
Exactly. :)
All the more reason to have all bugs squashed prior to that date, whilst I'm not having any issues there are still many XP related issues with avast.
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So to be clear, the version 18 will be kept specifically for XP users going ahead?
Exactly. :)
All the more reason to have all bugs squashed prior to that date, whilst I'm not having any issues there are still many XP related issues with avast.
Absolutely, that's also why every XP beta tester is extremely valuable for the whole community, imo.
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So to be clear, the version 18 will be kept specifically for XP users going ahead?
Exactly. :)
All the more reason to have all bugs squashed prior to that date, whilst I'm not having any issues there are still many XP related issues with avast.
Absolutely, that's also why every XP beta tester is extremely valuable for the whole community, imo.
I would be interested in knowing if Avast will "stream line" the version for XP, simplify and decrease Resources used up by massive GUI.
imo The XP os's with low RAM and Processor have the hardest time with the recent Avast versions
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Hello DavidR, Alikhan, Patrick2 and others. Let me get back to your comments and questions from the beginning of this BETA post. It goes beyond the particular update, however important enough to go deeper ;)
First of all, THANK YOU for your interest related to (not only) BETA program itself. The feedback you provide as well as your physical presence here in the forum, is really and highly appreciated. You all are one strong and important part of the Avast Antivirus development life cycle.
Now, let me comment some of your questions and comments.
Q: If we are so close to the public release, why are there are there so many Known Issues ?
A: I guess you are referring (with the "many") to the 5 known issues mentioned in this forum post, right? If so, it could be relative how much is many for you as well as for the others. What is more important I think is that how probable is that you meet such (even 5 or 150) issues and what is the impact of them to you and your system. For example, for the first look, crash could be taken as very serious issue. And you would be right, but if it happens in situation that just 1 out of 1 000 000 clients will get it, it does not seem to be such a big deal. Moreover, we need to think about decission not to release new version "on time" with all the other fixes and new features to the remaining 999 999 just because of this one. This is why the quality of the product is not something you can actually "measure", it is something you need to discuss. Each of the problem is unique to some degree and require discussion about what will happen if we do this or that. As we take care about our (not only BETA) users here in Avast, we discuss such bugs, their probability to happen and their possible impact.
Q: Known issue survived for many program updates.
A: Well, there could be few reasons why. First could be, that we are trying to fix it, but are unsuccessful so far. Second could be, there is something more important that this one. For example another issue which was found internally and is a bigger issue than this one. You will not see it in the last forum post and probably not even in the new one and we need to give it higher priority. Another could be that the person maintaining this part of the code is not available at the moment (illness, vacation, etc.). As for the previous question, it is something we discuss internally (discussion on top all unresolved issues, new features, etc.) and always aim for what will be the best for most of our users.
Q: Often BETA updates (related to monthly updates).
A: One beta update per week (sometimes "longer" week :) as we are not so precise to be on time) represent lot of code changes. Each of the code change may harm the product functionality, performance, security and other quality attributes of the software. I personally believe it is a good practice. If we are able to release program update for every single code change, that would be great. Because when you are able do it, you may be able to isolate a code change, that makes trouble with the software. On the other side, you can deliver the new features, bugfixes, code refactoring and other changes very quickly to the user you take care about. One code change still represent less risk for the product quality then 100 of them. And when we continue with this chapter to PUBLIC release once per month - not only new features, support of MS Windows "changes" and other stuff is important. It is about fixing all the problems we found internally as well as from the outside - BETA, public channel, etc.
Nothing is perfect and Avast Antivirus client is not an exception. We need to accept this fact and focus on whatever best and meaningful we can do in given time and resources.
This is how I see it. Thank you for reading such a big post and have a nice day!
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Petr
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Thx Petr
Appreciate your time in going into and explaining stated concerns about beta process. :)
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Thanks for the explanation Petr,
I can fully support the fact that something, even if important to one user, need not be important in the overall scheme of things.
The only thing that bothers me is when there are updates or new releases and they come out with broken components
that have worked perfectly well in previous releases.
I can except problems with something new. It bothers me when something old gets broken and in some instances discarded.
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Thanks for the explanation Petr,
I can fully support the fact that something, even if important to one user, need not be important in the overall scheme of things.
The only thing that bothers me is when there are updates or new releases and they come out with broken components
that have worked perfectly well in previous releases.
I can except problems with something new. It bothers me when something old gets broken and in some instances discarded.
Hi Bob, I understand your point. However, because the program is built on top of a code that is somehow connected to each other, it is almost impossible to guarantee such things will not happen. Although we perform regression testing based on the changes we have done and even when we are successful to find something broken, it could happen there is no time to fix it (and test it) before the beta, but still valuable in the overall picture to release it as is.