avast! beaten in test by Chinese Qihoo free av?

[Eddy]

You can't make any conclusions based on how/what they tested at all.
The reason for it is really simple.
They do not provide accurate details.
Avast: Free AntiVirus 2014?
AVG: Anti-Virus Free Edition 2014?
Yeah right. But what exact versions?

With what settings?

Did they test things on a fresh install of the os or is there other software on it as well?

Samples used: xxx
What samples?
It can very well be that testing with other samples gives a totally different result for the av's tested.

False warnings or blockages when visiting websites
How and with what websites did they test it?

You could say tests like this are only published as advertisement for the tester(s).
It is not even near a decent scientific correctly test at all.

[RejZoR]

Does it matter? The rest detected them, avast! didn't. Minor version differences frankly wouldn't make a single difference if their cloud backend was (again) the culprit.

[thug4real]

  Is the second time when avast scores such a bad result. Why?

[Secondmineboy]

There were some server and Cloud issues again which should be fixed now.

[thug4real]

Thank you

[cavehomme2]

Avast detection has steadily declined over the past months and now at 90% is rock-bottom as far as I am concerned.

Whilst detection has decreased it has increased with an increase in annoyances from adverts in the paid / professional product, pushing other products, pushing terrible interfaces past v7.

Avast is being used as a cash cow for its new owners and it seems clear that the direction is style over real substance. If these tests do not cause Avast senior management to massively invest in improving their detection rates as opposed to yet more fluff and chasing revenues, then the great Avast will start to collapse as users leave it for superior products.

We need evidence of action and a senior management statement which recognises that there is a problem rather than pretending all is OK. Who is going to push this up the corporate ladder to ensure it gets done? I've worked more than 2 decades in large corporations and can see that they are full of scared folk and cowards who just sing the company song each day - who will prove me wrong and be the brave Avast employee to represent the customers interests over the investor interests?!

[bob3160]

Avast detection has steadily declined over the past months and now at 90% is rock-bottom as far as I am concerned.

Whilst detection has decreased it has increased with an increase in annoyances from adverts in the paid / professional product, pushing other products, pushing terrible interfaces past v7.

Avast is being used as a cash cow for its new owners and it seems clear that the direction is style over real substance. If these tests do not cause Avast senior management to massively invest in improving their detection rates as opposed to yet more fluff and chasing revenues, then the great Avast will start to collapse as users leave it for superior products.

We need evidence of action and a senior management statement which recognises that there is a problem rather than pretending all is OK. Who is going to push this up the corporate ladder to ensure it gets done? I've worked more than 2 decades in large corporations and can see that they are full of scared folk and cowards who just sing the company song each day - who will prove me wrong and be the brave Avast employee to represent the customers interests over the investor interests?!

Why not apply for a position If you're accepted, you can have that honor.

[GaiusBaltar]

Hi,

old topic, I know...

I am constantly following detection rates of different AV programs, look for new reviews and test results, watch AV test videos on Youtube etc. Just for fun and simply because I am interested. I have seen the same software doing good in one test and doing bad in another. I will not take every test (especially on Youtube) for granted. Results seem to depend heavily on settings and complete deactivation of what is known as "brain.exe". 

Latest tests led me to Qihoo 360 Internet Security, which seems to do quite well, and I started to do some research on it since I usually do not install anything without proper "investigation" of what it is that I am going to install... well, might install.

I have not quit avast! yet. So far, it has not let me down. But I have to admit, the ONLY reason that kept me from switching to 360 is that I am not sure about how Qihoo handles its users privacy. There is a lot of talk on the internet about this subject and until I am not sure that my privacy is respected I will not switch.

The reason I am adding a post to this topic is that the subject of this topic and the following quotes represent perfectly what has gone through my head during the last couple of days:

Avast detection has steadily declined over the past months and now at 90% is rock-bottom as far as I am concerned.

Avast is being used as a cash cow for its new owners and it seems clear that the direction is style over real substance. If these tests do not cause Avast senior management to massively invest in improving their detection rates as opposed to yet more fluff and chasing revenues, then the great Avast will start to collapse as users leave it for superior products.

I will have a close eye on upcoming AV tests. For now, I will stay with avast! because I have high hopes for the detection rates to improve again. If that will not happen, 360 may indeed be an alternative. 

So, what I mainly want to say is: Please, dear avast! team, fix whatever the problem is (server or cloud issues or something else) and improve the main function of the program, protection! You have provided us with a great free AV for years and I am grateful for that! I have been a user for a long time. I have installed avast! on my friends computers. I want to stay with avast! and have confidence in its abilities! I want it to get better! I want it to be the best free AV!

Just sharing my thoughts.

[polonus]

Hi GaiusBaltar,

Thanks for sharing some concerns. Yes we have come to live in quite a different software world, where bundling,
marketing-ads bordering on nag screens dictate the present practice.

Another observation.
There are some misconceptions where privacy is concerned, it is now a non-existing animal and we have to come a live with these facts.

Also the commercialization on the Interwebs is growing, marketing and communication are major initiatives in this money driven model,
while security and kernel assets are marginalized.

Often the communication targets and marketing targets do not match and also in the case of avast! this might have led to users abandon ship.
"Backs to basics" seems the credo now.

Avast! is still one hell of a free av solution, but the growing marketing-noise means an annoyance to some.

polonus

[allenergy]

Thanks for sharing some concerns. Yes we have come to live in quite a different software world, where bundling,
marketing-ads bordering on nag screens dictate the present practice.
 
Avast! is still one hell of a free av solution, but the growing marketing-noise means an annoyance to some.

polonus

That's the PROBLEM polonus.. I do NOT have the free avast!  Having paid for something I do NOT expect nagware, ad screens OR poor detection.  If Avast! has my money, they should respect me as a customer and STOP constantly trying to upsell me.  It is annoying.   

Personally I think that all the Avast! evangelists who are getting a robust AV for free should not tell the PAYING CUSTOMERS to just chill.  It is we who keep Avast! in business - when we are not happy that a product we BOUGHT is performing in a substandard way, for whatever reason, as paying customers we have every right to demand customer service and technical support if needed, and to demand that it be fixed.   

Avast! has every right to market and nag free users, that is the business model.  They want your MONEY not your free use.

There needs to be a separate area in the forum created for paying customers.  The Avast! attention should be going to those who keep the company in business as priority, not the masses of free users.  Free users pretty much forfeit the right to complain or ask for features, but paying customers have the right to expect the product to perform as advertised and meet rigorous demands.

Quote from: cavehomme2 on March 31, 2014, 02:11:15 PM

    Avast detection has steadily declined over the past months and now at 90% is rock-bottom as far as I am concerned.

Whilst detection has decreased it has increased with an increase in annoyances from adverts in the paid / professional product, pushing other products, pushing terrible interfaces past v7.

This is cause for concern as far as I am concerned.  I BOUGHT what I felt was a top notch AV/Firewall/Internet Security suite.  I want top notch.   It is also concerning and very annoying to be hit with obtrusive ads pushing additional products when I've already paid for the product I am using.  Send me an email every month with news about other products if you wish, but get out of the product I paid to install and run.

Quote from: cavehomme2 on March 31, 2014, 02:11:15 PM

    Avast is being used as a cash cow for its new owners and it seems clear that the direction is style over real substance. If these tests do not cause Avast senior management to massively invest in improving their detection rates as opposed to yet more fluff and chasing revenues, then the great Avast will start to collapse as users leave it for superior products.

Unfortunately this could explain the decline in the quality of Avast!  The uglier new designs that favor space for promotions and the decline in performance.  We need to be able to trust the AV solution we have, completely, or else why use it?

My current subscription is up in late November.  I am seriously considering switching to another of the top rated Internet Security suite AV software. I considered it this past November, but I have always loved avast! and felt I wanted to stay with avast!   I even purchased Avast! Internet Security for my mother's netbook recently. 

I will watch to see what Avast! does.  I am really tired of the stream of  updated versions (that seem to be bigger resource hogs, have more focus on advertising) and I am concerned about upgrading every release because of the long stream of user reported issues in the forum.    As a paying customer, I am not willing to be a tester or a guinea pig. 

 Avast! needs to learn to respect and appreciate their paying customers!  We are Avast!'s  'golden goose'.   Updated versions should not be in general release until ALL the bugs are found and worked out.  This is an AV/Internet Security system, there is no space for "maybe it works" or "it is good enough" here.   Avast! needs to treat their free and paying users differently or they will find all they have left is the free users and the business will be trouble. 

Release updated versions only to the free users and let them work out all the bugs, let them 'earn their keep' so to speak by helping the company troubleshoot.  But do NOT release to paid customers until the product is perfected.

Quote from GaiusBaltar on  April 25, 2014, 10:59:18 PM

You have provided us with a great free AV for years and I am grateful for that! I have been a user for a long time. I have installed avast! on my friends computers. I want to stay with avast! and have confidence in its abilities! I want it to get better! I want it to be the best free AV!

I think that Avast! needs to be the BEST PAID AV and Security SOLUTION! There is not one of you free users that helps to support the company or R&D.  They cannot stay in business without those like me buying their products.  Please realize that Avast! does not exist for it's free users.  If you think it does, you will surely put it out of business.  But before then, product quality will decline and advertising will increase as they try to cut costs and find additional revenue.   

If you want a great Avast! and you want Avast! to stay around, pay for something already !  Avast! is very fairly priced, especially with specials offered.   I got Internet Security Suite for my mom's computer on sale for $19.99 on the Avast! website.

I want to add that I have a business.  And I give things away for free. Products, downloads.  I take care of my free users when they have an issue or question - and I treat them with respect and make them feel appreciated.  But I go the extra mile for and really take care of my paying customers who order my programs and services.  If all I had was free subscribers and users, I would NOT be in business.  I also attempt to convert my free users to paying customers.  Avast! is trying to do the same thing.   Avast! wants to be a beloved free AV solution so you upgrade and use it as a paid solution. 

I'd like to see Avast!  stay around, I'd also like to see them improve the product.  To do that, they need more paying customers..   Until the increase comes, the free users will see more and more nag screens and popups.  Avast! needs your business, not your endless free use. 

[bob3160]

Personally I think that all the Avast! evangelists who are getting a robust AV for free should not tell the PAYING CUSTOMERS to just chill.

For your information, my free version is the same as yours and, I paid just as much for avast! Premier as you did.
I do have a free copy of avast! Internet security thanks to those that clicked on my link for referring
them to avast!.

[Para-Noid]

Like Bob, my free version is the same as yours. I also have a "paid" AIS license.
Many "avast evangelists" have both the free and a paid version.
In fact some evangelists use only a paid product.
To condemn someone for using the free version is rather closed minded.
Many users who purchase a paid product usually start out using the free version.

Your statement about avast has every right to "nag" is correct. However too much "nag" chases potential paying customers away.
Therefore those who use the free version have every right to complain.

I do fail to see why a separate childboard for paid versions should be created.
Especially when "paid" users get the same assistance here. Not once has anyone
using the free version ever told a user with a paid product "to chill". Most evangelists
have at least some knowledge of the workings of the paid products.

[DavidR]

<snip>
I do fail to see why a separate childboard for paid versions should be created.
Especially when "paid" users get the same assistance here.
<snip>

The other question is who would staff this 'paid version' sub-forum, surely not those volunteers using the free version (whose only concern is helping other avast users) if there were to be segregated sub-forums.

Not only that it would make the forums much more messy and harder to find/follow issues which can be present in both free and paid versions. Certainly this topic would fall into this category as virus definitions/detections would be the same across the board.