RESOLVED: Why does Avast install on top of remnants of old AV program?

[ecbritz]

Personal insults will not blind almost 650 viewers of this thread to the fact that Avast allows unsuspecting users to install its program on top of conflicting elements, instead of helping such users to realize and remove the conflicting elements. Avast is not as user-friendly on installation as it seems to be. This is my charge. The repetition of my message was necessitated by a small band of Avast "Evangelists" who denied, dismissed and opposed my remarks as if I had somehow caught Avast out and Avast needed "cover". An exception was CraigB who finally admitted the problem. But he also corrected me in ways which were useful to both myself and other viewers. CraigB also gave some hope that a function warning unsuspecting installers of Avast might be added to the program in future. I really appreciate constructive debate and criticism concentrated on the matter at hand. If it was not for CraigB, I would started to doubt the integrity of this forum itself. Avast is an excellent program and I would encourage anybody to buy the Pro or Internet Security versions. But it needs to prevent unsuspecting users from installing it on top of conflicting remnants of other AV products.

[Asyn]

Personal insults...

Sorry, but nobody did insult you in any way..!!

[Lisandro]

The repetition of my message was necessitated by a small band of Avast "Evangelists" who denied, dismissed and opposed my remarks as if I had somehow caught Avast out and Avast needed "cover".

We're not blind not deaf. You've posted and was listened. Please, keep forum atmosphere.

I really appreciate constructive debate and criticism concentrated on the matter at hand. (...) I would started to doubt the integrity of this forum itself.

We also love constructive debate and criticism. But if you doubt about it and do not trust your security company, maybe it's time to move on. We can't help you further.

But it needs to prevent unsuspecting users from installing it on top of conflicting remnants of other AV products.

Whenever it is technically possible (for time effort, programming, etc.) it will be done.

[bob3160]

But it needs to prevent unsuspecting users from installing it on top of conflicting remnants of other AV products.

Using that analogy, when someone punches you in the eye, don't blame the person throwing the punch,
blame the eye for being in the way to receive the punch.
The culprit are the manufacturers since they didn't prepare  the standard removal to remove all traces of their program.
(To be fair, since avast! also has a removal tool, I guess they also need to improve their standard add/remove function.)

[ecbritz]

I was very happy to read the following coming from the Tech Team: "Whenever it is technically possible (for time effort, programming, etc.) it will be done." If I received this greatly appreciated answer at the start of the thread, this would have been a very short, sweet and gratefull thread. Not a saga of denial and dismissal attracting the attention of about 800 viewers to date. I do trust Avast and I like its special protective and scanning features.  I would not have bought a three computer license for two years, recently, if I did not like Avast. I've known Avast for at least ten years. The main reason I prefered Kaspersky for most of that time, was the deceptive ease with which Avast could be installed, compared with the "strict" installation of Kaspersky -- the checking for conflicting elements. This kind of installation instills trust, not only in the product but also in the installation itself. When Kaspersky installs, one knows that it is properly installed and will function as intended.

But enough of that. After the promise given by the Tech Team, I'm done with this topic. MANY THANKS! Also to the "Evangelists" whose product loyalty I do appreciate!

[SafeSurf]

After the promise given by the Tech Team, I'm done with this topic. MANY THANKS! Also to the "Evangelists" whose product loyalty I do appreciate!

If you feel that you would like to close this thread, please go back to the first open post in this topic, click the modify button in that Post and change the title/subject, add [Resolved] to the beginning.  Thank you 

[ecbritz]

The one question still remaining is whether it is technically possible for a AV program provider like Avast to provide a generic "conflicting remnants" cleaner, on installation of its  program -- a cleaner which does away with the need to use special uninstallation tools provided by a wide variety of other AV and AM products. CraigB dispelled my illusion that MSE came with such a cleaner. This question is beyond the actual thread subject, which has been resolved. But just to put a last curl in the cat's tail, I'd like to know if such a cleaner would be too much to ask for, for technical reasons. Thanks again for a very nice conclusion to this debate.

[bob3160]

I'd like to know if such a cleaner would be too much to ask for, for technical reasons.

Such a cleaner already exists you simply have to pick the right one at:
http://singularlabs.com/uninstallers/security-software/

[Gopher John]

Any program removing a competitor's product opens up a real can of worms, regardless of whether there are conflicts.  I believe that it was McAfee that targeted certain competitors' products, even when there was no conflict.  At most, perhaps the installer could raise a flag about a possible conflict with an installed program would be a good feature.  The true and final responsibility (and option) must remain with the user.  They could either proceed with the install or abort until they'd removed the offending program.  Otherwise, they suffer the consequences of the conflicts.

[ecbritz]

I'm not as knowledgable about AV matters as most of the subscribers to this thread. However, I think that not only a flag should be waved, but a good AV program should refuse to install until the coast has been cleared of conflicting forces according to a check it automatically runs at the installation phase. The program, not the user, should recognise and decide what conflicts with itself. This is what Avast has promised for the future, I thought. At this point of reaching about 1000 viewers, I am happy to declare the issue resolved. Thanks very much to all for a good discussion coming to a very hopeful conclusion!