Moving on from Avast!

[shovenose]

I've been using Avast! for a very long time. I started on the free edition and switched to the paid Internet Security probably about two years ago, and used that all on my computer exclusively, as well as recommending your product to friends, family, and customers at the computer repair shop. Why? Because it had great protection and wasn't annoying like Norton and AVG.

Fast forward, and the new versions have become increasingly obnoxious, slower, bloated, and users see more ads and pop ups on their screen from Avast! than the malware it's supposedly protecting against.

I get that most of the annoyances can be disabled. But every time Avast! updates the interface moves the settings around and makes them harder to find, and add more garbage.
SafePrice? What were you thinking? There are already a bunch of price comparison sites, and if I'm shopping on Amazon it's probably because I want to be shopping there, and they usually have the best price anyway. If some random other website has the same item for a few cents cheaper, I don't care, because it's another site I need to sign up for, put my payment information, (increasing the risk that my credit card is hacked), and then I probably won't get free two day shipping like I do with Amazon Prime.

Most of the big names in anti-virus have cought up in terms of protection rates to Avast! both their free and paid products. Norton (free with Comcast Xfinity internet) used to suck but it's so, so much faster than Avast! and doesn't get in my way. Is it set up with a few annoying things by default? Yeah, but it's much easier to disable these extra gimmicks that do no nothing but aggravate and confuse users, and they aren't constantly adding obnoxious junk like Avast! SafePrice. For a free software if you don't have Comcast, Panda Cloud Anti-Virus has the best detection and the simplest interface. Their newest version has an occasional pop up promoting their paid Pro versions, but that is understandable and if you click it away once it stays away forever. Just remember to not install their toolbar when you first install it

So, it's been a great several years but I have unisntalled Avast! from all of my computers, cancelled all my subscriptions, and I will not recommend your software anymore.

The more useless junk you add to your software, the more users you will lose.

[Eddy]

Slower?
No, it has become faster.

Harder to find settings?
Not really.
But as with all new software the user should spend some time to explore it and learn how to handle it.
And that is where most users fail.

SafePrice, GrimeFighter, automatic install of Chrome etc...
I don't want/need them.
It is ofcourse up to the user to decide.
In my opinion they should not be installed as opt-out, but as opt-in.
Ofcourse users can choose not to install them (or remove them after install), but that is not the way it should be.
Most users (although they should) do not use a custom installation.
At least a user should be asked during install if he wants SafePrice (and the other things) or not.

Detection rate differences are about the same as they where 15 years ago.

Panda cloud is not a av, it is a (scanner) cleaner.
That means it doesn't protect in real time.

[shovenose]

A faster more efficient AV engine is useless when you pile it in resource hogging garbage.

And most users don't know how to deselect SafePrice and other junk.

[Eddy]

Most users don't know how to use a computer.
If it was a exam for a drivers license, over 99% would fail 

[waking]

Panda cloud is not a av, it is a (scanner) cleaner.
That means it doesn't protect in real time.

Well, Panda Cloud Cleaner is an on-demand scanner and cleaner.

But Panda Cloud Antivirus Free provides:

"Real-time Antivirus & Antispyware."
"Behavioural analysis protection."
"Process Monitor."

[bioxx750]

Panda cloud is not a av, it is a (scanner) cleaner.
That means it doesn't protect in real time.

Most users don't know how to use a computer.
If it was a exam for a drivers license, over 99% would fail 

Guess who just failed the test...

I told you in another thread already that you're spouting nonsense about Panda.

[bob3160]

Are you here to advertise their product
I read that it also comes bundled with a Toolbar so
why are you complaining about items in avast!
In avast! you can at least choose not to install the items you don't want.

[AdrianH]

Are you here to advertise their product
I read that it also comes bundled with a Toolbar so
why are you complaining about items in avast!
In avast! you can at least choose not to install the items you don't want.

Wrong.  They make a very clear offer of a Panda toolbar which is shown on the first install page.   The choice to install or not is extremely clear, unlike all the "extras" from avast.

[midnight]

Most users don't know how to use a computer.
If it was a exam for a drivers license, over 99% would fail 

 

[zerotox]

Most users don't know how to use a computer.
If it was a exam for a drivers license, over 99% would fail 

Alas Avast grows short of real, solid arguments, so when that happens - the users are to blame, they are ignorant, they can't appreciate that jewel of an AV and handle it. Its understandable, everyone in the AV industry is in for the money but stating that the moneymaking toys that more and more decorate an AV are for the benefit and use of the clients is hypocrisy to put it mildly. Just admitting that this is the trend - we improve the AV but these things are inevitable because of the marketing department, would add to the dignity of the company. My 2 cents.

[davexnet]

Since avast! and many other software vendors use to their benefit (notice I didn't say "takes advantage of")
the fact that novice users just do the regular install, press the"next" button without really looking,
have really very little idea about what's running on their system ,etc,etc...

You have to conclude that that is the  price (from the point of view of the user) of being a novice.
The only way for the user to feel more in control is for them to educate themselves a little.

Since that is unlikely, one must conclude that avast!'s model "works" - in most cases
the package *they* want to push actually gets installed.

A little bit of education goes a long way.

[polonus]

Agree that marketing noise has overwhelmed the basic product to an extent,
but you can still get it the way you probably like it, when you aren't the marketing target user.

Sign of the times bundled software is sneaking in and trickling through everywhere around us.

Those that click through today without paying attention what they install, should not complain afterwards.

I do not need avast's Grimefighter, I do not need dropbox (as it has been vulnerable to an extent).

On the other hand I cannot do without the avast's shields up, running and active, the streaming updates,
and I like the software updater and the PUP detection (not set as by default).

Every user nowadays has to be aware of what comes bundled with the install, that is so for a multitude of software now.
Sign of the times. So always do a custom install.

I use some other vendor's add-ons next to avast's residential product,
I like DrWeb's url checker extension and I cannot do without Bitdefender's TrafficLight.

The core product of avast has kept me malware clean for over 10 years now,
so I am moving on with my custom avast av solution.

polonus

[polonus]

Why you did not read here then of how to disable these ads:
 http://lifehacker.com/how-to-disable-avasts-annoying-sounds-and-popups-1530732542

Of course we cannot support some of the advice Lifehacker gives in that linked article
as the Community Features form an integral part of the avast user protection we are against unchecking that.
So you are better off enabling that, same as I said above goes for the PUP detection.

Before coming moaning and groaning here, see how a custom install is performed and see how tweak-able avast really is,

polonus

[FillInTheBlank]

Well I've just updated Avast! and it decided to install some additional things like Grimefighter without asking.

That's a rather shady move.

[schmidthouse]

Mostly I think, people who are not satisfied with a software program or who have problems with it, simply move on, uninstall it and find something that works for them.
They move on with life and business.