1. Generaly I think that the avast7 UI is fairly well laid out and relatively few levels to go through to find what you want.
I just wonder if the Share, Support and Settings links on the main screen should be in the location they are or should only be the Maintenance tab as it is duplication (though Settings isn't in the Maintenance tab). That would then leave the Upgrade button out on a limb, since it is already in the Summary section this too is redundant.
2&3. I think that there are too many tabs, especially if the user hasn't unchecked the Community, avast recommendation settings you then have the Market tab.
I do think it is a good thing to have the Tabs as essentially without it you would be adding another level in the UI to find these options and what they contain, now or after a revision of the Tab grouping.
I know the Marketing guys are trying to push the marketing/upgrade path, but it is everywhere (duplication, duplication, duplication) and we have the periodic general upgrade ads combined with the auto update notifications. Someone really has to decide on a reasonable marketing policy/strategy as having it shoved down your throat at every turn is somewhat intrusive.
4. I like the Settings screen and the sub-screens as you essentially only have one level to go down to find the detailed settings. However, there are 16 sub-sections in the main settings window, that could possible be reduced without adding too many levels. But the 16 don't seem to be easily grouped into common areas.
5. The current 'Summary' page could do with revision, given what I have said about moving the Share, Support and Settings buttons. The Secured section Monitor and green check mark image is too large and pretty ugly and I always have the Hide Details selected to reduce the overall size of the Summary screen.
6. personally I could do without the Real-Time Shields, 'Protection Status' sub-section whilst it is nice to see all of the data at once it isn't essential and must be a bit of a nightmare for the programmers to display all of this data and it is massive.
7. I have generally liked the toaster update notifications as they were relatively unobtrusive, but now they are obtrusive, since the introduction of the double height and wider combined auto update/upgrade toaster (which still looks bad). I have dialled the duration right down to 1 sec and I don't think I'm alone in doing that, so its marketing benefit is lost.
8. Although this might be considered an aesthetic suggestion the overall size of the avastUI is too big, even more so on a netbook (1024 X 600) or low resolution screen, even when you reduce the size to the smallest that avast will let you go.