What would you like to see in the review?

[RickW]

I'm posting this question in a few of the antivirus forums I know, to get feedback from the user community. I will be reviewing avast! as well as the dozen other antiviruses on the market, but first I need to create a baseline checklist for an apples to apples comparison.

What features do you need to see in the end-user software?

What features do you need to see in the management software?

What do you consider a priority?

Does price matter much in a corporate environment?

Basically... what would you like to see in the review?

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

[bob3160]

This question sort of puts the cart before the horse.
What I as a user would like, is to see a review before it goes to print so that the buggs or,
incorrect statements can be rectified before the review is published.
I'm not looking for a review that  paints a rosie picture, just one that brings out the facts.
Good, bad or indifferent. As long as they are factual.
At least that's my opinion.

[szc]

Weel said Bob my friend... nothing to add. My thoughts are exactly the same.

Cheers !

[xistenz]

I think that the review should focus on the quality of the product. An engineering definition of quality: Quality is how many features an item has and its conformance to those features.

For example, you would consider a top-end luxury car to be of good quality if it has many features (sun-roof, air-conditioning, expensive sound system etc.) and they work all the time, every time. Its no good if the sunroof only works when the seats are reclined at a specific level.

Similarly, a cheap run-about is not considered a good quality car because it has fewer features (just some wheels maybe  ), and the features may not work all the time (e.g. the window winder gets stuck)

So I think that the review should have some focus on the quality of the products

[lee16]

'Good' things i would like to see commented on:

Websheild
Network shield
Skins
Ability to customize Avast
Transparent/automatic Scanning of Email clients such as Thunderbird and Outlook (On win2000/Xp only)
Help/support for the product

And of course no product, so some 'bad' things that could be commented on:

Script blocker only support IE based browsers (available in avast pro only)
Can't choose which server you update from
Can't resize skins


Also you could comment on the differences between the Home and Pro versions

Of course these are only me suggestions/opinions.

Thanks

--lee

[bob3160]

Lee

Can't choose which server you update from

I didn't know it mattered where the update came from, as long as you got one.

[szc]

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Can't resize skins
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Hardly you will ever see that with this skinning engine. Main (background) bitmap is static and non-resizeable graphic part. Also, buttons are not separate parts. Buttons as well as everything else (animations, effects, etc.) are the internal part of the skin. When you compile your skin that way, there is nothing user can do to change it's size. It's how ActiveSkin works an that's it...

Also, there is option to resize your avast! console - you have to switch to enhanced user interface. So something for everyone I guess...

I attached small example... if avast! users get (somehow) possibility to enlarge (resize) their skins, they would get something like this... Jaggy and not so nice... Anyway, there are some methods to enlarge bitmap files using bicubic procedure, and that would give much better results with no jaggy edges at all... but, on the other side, pictures would be much more bloory... other problem would be if users want to make their user interfaces smaller... if they go too far, they would get just a bloor on their screen, nothing else... So, I don't think this should be priority when we speak about future avast review... MHO

Cheers !

EDIT: Btw RickW - web site you are doing maintenance on, is wonderful... so nice, and easy for the eyes, sharp edges, all useful information on the spot, I just don't know what else to say... WONDERFUL !

Try to collect as much good information regarding avast! as you can... Also, no one said you have to write all the best. If there is something that needs to be done and/or changed, let us know... Alwil guys and we (forum regulars and many other forum visitors) are here to try to make things better. That's really what makes us different than any other forum and puts avast! ahead of many products in it's cathegory. Friendship, desire to help each others, love and understanding...

[bob3160]

Nice Wesite RickW
I did notice one thing. avast! is listed as aVast.
I assume that's just a little typo?
You also mentioned that AVG has the lowes mem usage.
Is that because it also has a lousy detection rate???

[RickW]

This question sort of puts the cart before the horse.
What I as a user would like, is to see a review before it goes to print so that the buggs or,
incorrect statements can be rectified before the review is published.
I'm not looking for a review that  paints a rosie picture, just one that brings out the facts.
Good, bad or indifferent. As long as they are factual.
At least that's my opinion.

Fair enough.  I will be sure to allow the vendors to preview the review before it's officially posted.  I understand how frustrating it is to read something in a magazine or online that you know is incorrect, with the author clearly not knowing what he/she is talking about.     And your opinion counts.

For example, you would consider a top-end luxury car to be of good quality if it has many features (sun-roof, air-conditioning, expensive sound system etc.) and they work all the time, every time. Its no good if the sunroof only works when the seats are reclined at a specific level.

Similarly, a cheap run-about is not considered a good quality car because it has fewer features (just some wheels maybe  ), and the features may not work all the time (e.g. the window winder gets stuck)

Got it.  So the review should be about cars. 

I know what you mean.  What good is a flashy product if it doesn't work?  On the flip-side, what good is a review if it doesn't look under the hood?  If you skim over http://www.antisource.com/article.php/20050107181823745, you'll see how poor that 3rd party review is.  The author obviously didn't put any effort into it.

'Good' things i would like to see commented on:

Skins

Is skinning really that important in an antivirus?     I do see one advantage to it though.  If you can completely reskin software, including logo replacement and custom About info, it is a great feature to redistributors.  So let's say I would like to lease someone else's product, then resell it as my own - just slap on a new look, setup my own customer service department, and I'm in business.  Hmm... that makes me think...

Sash: Thanks for the compliment!  When I redesigned the layout, I made sure to keep it clean looking and focused on content rather than frivolous graphics.  Hopefully the next redesign will be a little more sleek.  The avast site looks very nice as well.

[RickW]

Nice Wesite RickW
I did notice one thing. avast! is listed as aVast.
I assume that's just a little typo?
You also mentioned that AVG has the lowes mem usage.
Is that because it also has a lousy detection rate???

Yes, sorry about the typo.  I'll get that fixed.  Where do you see that AVG has the lowest mem usage?  I haven't personally reviewed AVG yet.

[szc]

Is skinning really that important in an antivirus?   

Yes skinning is very important when it comes to avast! Vlk (Ondrej Vlcek), our guru and avast father, specificaly said he wants avast! to be skinnable application. That makes avast! antivirus also different than any other antivirus product. It's actually first antivirus with this feature... Also, we should respect his opinion. He is the guy with vision, and I believe he knows what he is doing. avast! is different than any other antivirus, so let's think different. All those which don't like skinning, crying is forbiden... they have no rights to say anything against avast! just because it's skinnable... why ? Because they can choose non-skinnable interface. Something for everyone. Don't you think so ?

Making skins takes sooooo much time, I can not even describe it with plain words... there is so many things that needs to be done. Everything is polished and without any single error or bug if you can see... so, I wouldn't say skinning is not important. Try to sell new Chrysler looking as LADA from 1980 or something like that... no go...

RickW wrote:

I do see one advantage to it though... If you can completely reskin software, including logo replacement and custom About info, it is a great feature to redistributors.  So let's say I would like to lease someone else's product, then resell it as my own - just slap on a new look, setup my own customer service department, and I'm in business.  Hmm... that makes me think...

I wouldn't go that far... that's why we have lawyers. That's exactly their field. If I see someone is using my own product copyrighted by me, under his/her name, I wouldn't hersitate a second, and I would immediately report it and let my lawyer do the rest. Making programs is serious and not easy at all business, so everyone should be very aware of that fact. Similar thing happened to Pop Tray, small e-mail notification program... some crooks took original program, and just put a new skin on it, although they were not so clever... they didn't even change buttons layout  So many people noticed that, and they immediately reported to the author. Many avast! forum contributed in searchnig for those crooks, and gave moral and other kinds of support. Finally, they got them... can't run away far from crime. Whoever wants to do his business that way, should consider spending some time behind the bars, or at least paying some serious amount of money. Either way, not so bright future I would say 

Cheers !

[bob3160]

RickW

Where do you see that AVG has the lowest mem usage?  I haven't personally reviewed AVG yet.

The following link is where it's stated:
http://www.schadentech.com/Reviews/Antivirus/conclusion.htm

[RickW]

RickW

Where do you see that AVG has the lowest mem usage?  I haven't personally reviewed AVG yet.

The following link is where it's stated:
http://www.schadentech.com/Reviews/Antivirus/conclusion.htm

That's another guy who contributed a few articles, but has a site of his own.  I don't necessarily agree with everything in his review, but at least he gets an A for effort. 

[lee16]

I didn't know it mattered where the update came from, as long as you got one.

Makes it nice and easy to do an Advanced firewall rule for the avast update then, but this isn't important to the majority of people.

Also thanks for the info on the skins Sash, very interesting. (isn't it possible to change the skinning engine though?)

Rickw, thanks for your replies.

--lee

[darth.mikey]

Hmmmm RickW  technical support for a program is very important!!Also please don't make the review about how 1 product is the "best" forget the others attitude , instead write who should use a specific product (example:if you want an all in one security product check out....if you need a strictly virus catching AV consider....)I would say price is not so important in corporate enviroment but is more important to home users.
Oh and lee16 what's that about script blocker only supporting IE , i use the pro version and it supports mozilla and netscape too(just currently isn't working in mozilla 1.7.6 wonder why?)!!!