avast! Internet Security OK for use in a home business?

[rljohnson]

I just purchased avast! Internet Security via download, and was surprised to see the following in the "General Terms & Conditions" (from Nexway, Inc.):

***** BEGIN QUOTE *****
...

Product License
...
The user is exclusively permitted to use the product for their own personal use...

...
Users are authorized to make use of the service for his sole personal use.
Using avast! services without further permission for professional, commercial or promotional purposes is prohibited.
...

Copyright

...
In addition to the right of use for private and non-commercial purposes...

***** END QUOTE *****

Does this mean that avast! Internet Security can't be used in a home business?

[DavidR]

Doesn't seem correct to me (but I'm an avast user), as far as I'm aware it is only the avast free version that is restricted to Home and non-commercial use.

[Alikhan]

As far as I'm aware, Avast Pro (and above) are not restricted to business use, therefore, it should be fine. (Also an Avast user)

[olddog]

Again, I'm just a home user, but looking at the Avast! range, the products advertised for small and home office are Endpoint Protection and Endppoint Protection Plus.  I haven't actually seen any advertising suggesting that Avast! Internet Security 2014 is for other than home use.

Regardless of that, if the stipulation "Using avast! services without further permission for professional, commercial or promotional purposes is prohibited" appears in the particular product Eula, then I doubt it can be used legally for any business purpose. This is something perhaps needs to be clarified by Avast!

[bob3160]

Again, I'm just a home user, but looking at the Avast! range, the products advertised for small and home office are Endpoint Protection and Endppoint Protection Plus.  I haven't actually seen any advertising suggesting that Avast! Internet Security 2014 is for other than home use.

Regardless of that, if the stipulation "Using avast! services without further permission for professional, commercial or promotional purposes is prohibited" appears in the particular product Eula, then I doubt it can be used legally for any business purpose. This is something perhaps needs to be clarified by Avast!

Totally agree. It was my understanding that you couldn't use the free version unless you where a home user.
I also thought that once you purchased the product, that made it OK for use in your business.
The current wording in the current Eula obviously disputes that belief.
Many small businesses have no need for the Endpoint protection since all of their computers are individual computers not networked.

[rljohnson]

Again, I'm just a home user, but looking at the Avast! range, the products advertised for small and home office are Endpoint Protection and Endppoint Protection Plus.  I haven't actually seen any advertising suggesting that Avast! Internet Security 2014 is for other than home use.

Regardless of that, if the stipulation "Using avast! services without further permission for professional, commercial or promotional purposes is prohibited" appears in the particular product Eula, then I doubt it can be used legally for any business purpose. This is something perhaps needs to be clarified by Avast!

Totally agree. It was my understanding that you couldn't use the free version unless you where a home user.
I also thought that once you purchased the product, that made it OK for use in your business.
The current wording in the current Eula obviously disputes that belief.
Many small businesses have no need for the Endpoint protection since all of their computers are individual computers not networked.

What's confusing is that the avast! Internet Security EULA itself makes no mention of this restriction.
I had read (and saved) the EULA before installing a trial version, and checked it again to verify that no such restriction was there.
This restriction was part of the "General Terms & Conditions" from Nexway, Inc., who processes downloaded purchases for avast!.
So, I had thought it might be some generic restriction that Nexway includes for software marketed to or targeted at consumers (rather than businesses).

[Vladimyr]

I have been using 'avast! Internet Security' commercially since version 5 was released.
Can't remember seeing anything in the EULA that restricted such use.

[rljohnson]

I have been using 'avast! Internet Security' commercially since version 5 was released.
Can't remember seeing anything in the EULA that restricted such use.

Thanks, Vladimyr.
I couldn't find anything either in the EULA for 'avast! Internet Security' which restricted commercial use.

By contrast, the EULA for 'avast! Free Antivirus' (at http://files.avast.com/files/legal/eula-avast-free.pdf) clearly disallows commercial use:

***** BEGIN QUOTE *****
2.  Permitted Use of the Software
You may install and use the Software  on an unlimited number of computers. The Software must be used exclusively 1)  by  you as an individual or members of your household solely for private non-commercial purposes ...  or  4)  for  internal  support  to  you  as a  sole proprietorship  or les très petites entreprises (TPE)  with  registered office in France....

ANY USE OF THE SOFTWARE OTHER THAN AS EXPRESSLY AUTHORIZED BY THIS SECTION OR  ANY  RESALE  OR  FURTHER  DISTRIBUTION  OF  THE  SOFTWARE  CONSTITUTES A MATERIAL BREACH OF THIS AGREEMENT AND MAY VIOLATE APPLICABLE COPYRIGHT  LAWS.
***** END QUOTE *****