[Explanation] Why old avast! versions are forcibly updated

[RejZoR]

Ok, so complaints over this matter are growing like mushrooms after a rainy day. I'll explain it here why avast! team decided to do so and what is my personal technical opinion on this matter.

Users are complaining that they were forcibly updated and that avast! team doesn't have the right to do that. Well, that is actually incorrect. They do have every right to do so and they did so for a very good reason. Let me explain why.

Do you really expect avast! team to fix version 7 and release updates for it when it has been long ago superseded by v8 which has also been superseded by v9 which will soon be superseded by version v10 very soon? It's a 3 generations old version which apart from signature updates will NOT receive any program updates or fixes ANYMORE. If it works fine for you then great, if it doesn't, only way to resolve that is to update to the latest version. And if latest version still has the same issue, then you have every right to demand a fix from the developer because you are using the latest version which still has that issue. As for the forced updates to latest version, if you haven't bothered to update your product to the latest build of that major version back then, then you will be forcibly updated to the latest version (currently v9 aka v2014). If you do have the latest version of that major version (latest build released for v7), then you will be left alone to continue using it for the time being. It's how they decided to run old versions and you can only accept it or leave it. There is no other way around it.

The reason for such decision is that they will only provide technical support for latest versions of each major release. Because also supporting every single build in between is an administrative nightmare that no one would ever be able to solve or satisfy the users that are using them. And also because every new release which brings new protection features also needs to have a fallback so that all the signature detections for current version also work with all the older versions. And same applies to the entire cloud infrastructure. It has to be backward compatible with older versions to a degree that allows them normal operation. But doing so too extensively causes heavy complications and high costs while holding back quick progress for current version because tehy also have to take old versions into account. And that is just a bad and expensive way to run such business, from financial/manpower aspect and also protection aspect.

If current latest version 2014 doesn't satisfy your needs or you feel like it's not operating as it should, then do so. Ask questions, request fixes, avast! team will respond to that and try to resolve it. Because it is the latest version and they have the requirement to maintain it in the best possible way and they will.

If i've been updating avast! to the very latest versions on every single release since year 2004 when i started using it and had absolutely no issues with it on several systems, then i find it very unlikely that your system is somehow that different. Because when it is, from my experience, there are deeper problems with that particular system that just reflect all the issues through other installed software which can also include antivirus like avast!. And users naturally then blame the antivirus, even though i'm quite confident to say it would turn out it isn't after deeper inspection. Been there, seen that too many times and not just with avast! but also with NVIDIA drivers, even entire OS (Vista back in the days) etc.

Just update to the latest version and if there are problems, we and the avast! team will be happy to try and help you until the problems are resolved. You'll soon learn to appreciate that and you will also start to like the latest version(s).

[Lisandro]

Thanks for having the patience to write it down

[REDACTED]

Many people have "complained" (as you call it, Rejzor... I would call it doing exactly what you then go on to tell them to do in your own post - that is TO TELL AVAST and request fixes), but the "complaint" is that they don't want avast forcing an update to THEIR computer.  Someone forcing something upon you that you do not want and did not ask for is immoral and unethical... (that's what us earthlings call it Lisandro, maybe because you think you might be on Mars you don't understand that). 

Plain and simple solution...
broadcast a message and say as of such a date (a couple of months out) this version will no longer be supported, here are your options... update, use another AV or understand no updates will be sent to this older version any longer (not even definitions)

See that... simple.

They have everyone's email address to send an email to... they have the ability to broadcast messages to the computer... but instead a method is chosen that is invasive and locks up people's computers and when they come on the forum to express their anger, they are told quit complaining, avast has the right to do this and even though many valid reasons have been told why they don't want to... ignore them, demean them, show a complete lack of understanding or willingness to work them... that's the motto here...

Lisandro... Rejzor having "patience" to write it down... really?  Is it "your job" to maybe have written that yourself?  If it isn't your job then if I have to choose between someone from Avast not saying anything (which is the norm) or saying sarcastic one liners, then please you are really making your company look worse then they already do with your lack of "patience" when people have legitimate concerns. 

Hey I got a joke for you... What's the difference between Avast and an unethical hacker? Well a hacker goes into your computer and does things that cause your computer to lock up and Avast... well... they... ummmm... hmmmm... guess I need to work on the punchline 

[RejZoR]

And yet you go on and grind the same thing as everyone did in all the threads. Read my post again and do so continuously until you'll finally understand it. Don't like the way they run backward support, then go with a competitor's product. And sooner or later you'll experience the exact same thing. Calling them unethical because they want to protect you the best way they can is just plain ridiculous.

Broadcasting some message won't solve anything because it has been proven countless times that people don't read them and they just want them to "go away" so they can do whatever they were doing.

[Eddy]

On a side note.
Basically, they are all complaining that avast is protecting their systems in the best way possible.
And that is exactly what they have asked avast to do.

[RejZoR]

That's the reason why i don't understand them at all. They haven't removed stuff, they have only added it. And all of it is either removable or configurable. Plus it offers better protection. So why are they fighting that off so desperately is beyond me. Apparently just for the sake of it even without giving the very latest version a proper chance. Because if they would, they'd soon find out they are superior.

[REDACTED]

I don't think anyone is arguing with your strawman explanation.

The problem you keep conveniently ignoring is that the people should have been notified ahead of time so that they could have prepared or went elsewhere if necessary.

and as for this:

Broadcasting some message won't solve anything because it has been proven countless times that people don't read them and they just want them to "go away" so they can do whatever they were doing.

Are you actually trying  to argue that because some people in a group may ignore a message it is justifiable to not notify  the whole??

As with the Google chrome offer in the Avast program update - if at least they were informed that it was going to be included, and they failed to  decline, they don't have the same justification  for outrage that they would have  if they were not told  before hand at all.

So, as a final attempt to try to hold you to point:

No one argues with the manifesto you wrote

The problem is that they did it with out notifying anyone ahead of time so that people could take whatever measures they deemed necessary!

[RejZoR]

Notification to prepare for what? They'll just be dismissing that message or forget about it and when the D day would arrive they'd complain about it just the same.

[REDACTED]

Fine - notify anyway.

Then those who had legitimate issues would have had a chance to prepare.

and if for whatever reason they failed to do so, Avast and the rest of us could say that they were warned ahead of time, and refer them to the reason why it was done.

[RejZoR]

Just give the latest version a chance and you'll see it's no boogeyman.

I recommend that you remove avast!, use avast! Uninstall Utility and install latest version clean and fresh.

You can also use this config that i made:
http://rejzor.wordpress.com/avast-protection-tweaks/

Which makes avast! less intrusive, with high performance and more security. I'm also preparing for final release of v2015 where i'll make this config again, specifically for that version.

Works like a charm on any system from low end to top end.

[REDACTED]

All this is intellectual masturbation for hide the bottom of the problem:
YOU (AVAST) have NO RIGHT to change the contents of OURS computers without our permission! And I'm sure this could be subject of complaints to courts!

[RejZoR]

They have no right, but you use THEIR program. You all keep on forgetting that over and over again. Who says they don't have the right to do that? They designed it and they have every right in the world to do that. If you don't like it, move on. It's that simple and they frankly won't cry after 5 lost users who just can't deal with it.

If you use the latest version but not the very latest build, they will not enforce anything on you if you have updating set to MANUAL. If you have an old version, they will if it's required by them due to backend infrastructure.

[Eddy]

cfz (and others), stop whining like little babies who don't get what they want.
avast did nothing wrong, they just did what the users asked them to do, namely protecting their systems.
If you don't like it, remove avast and go use something else.

And I'm sure this could be subject of complaints to courts!

Why don't you take them to court? Oh wait, I know. You are one of those people who like to see others do your homework. Stop nagging and get over it.

[REDACTED]

(...) They designed it and they have every right in the world to do that.

I hope this is a joke. So the manufacturer of my car can break into my garage at night to change the engine or the tires? ridiculous!

[RejZoR]

(...) They designed it and they have every right in the world to do that.

I hope this is a joke. So the manufacturer of my car can break into my garage at night to change the engine or the tires? ridiculous!

So, you want to go the analogy game. Sure. If we follow your analogy, avast! "break" into your "garage" and exchanged your weak flat four with a turbo charged flat four and your crappy worn out tires with a brand new set of high end tires. That's what happens when v7 gets updated to v9. So, you don't want a better engine and better tires for free. You still make no sense.