So long Avast, and thanks for all the fish!

[Para-Noid]

3) Get use to "opt outs" that's the way things are now. Use Unchecky.

Does Unchecky work with bundled software, after using the program updater to update Avast?

I'm not sure about the in-program updater. I do clean installs that way I can take my
time with each screen and be sure of what I allow to be put on my machine. Try it for
yourself and find out. Unchecky is a very tiny program that is highly effective.

[avaster78]

3) Get use to "opt outs" that's the way things are now. Use Unchecky.

Does Unchecky work with bundled software, after using the program updater to update Avast?

I'm not sure about the in-program updater. I do clean installs that way I can take my
time with each screen and be sure of what I allow to be put on my machine. Try it for
yourself and find out. Unchecky is a very tiny program that is highly effective.

Yes, it's already running. Let's see how it works with the Avast in-program updater, when i use it next time. If it works, it's mostly usefull to my "clients" , who usually won't pay attention to op-outs.

[KevTech]

• Fails badly with the latest Windows Update Roll-up
• No word at all in more than a day from Avast engineering on the above issue

Has been addressed by Avast team in the thread about the update issues.

We have been able to simulate the problem in our lab and I think we fixed this issue. This Windows updates calls new memory related functions which are not fully compatible with avast. We'll prepare EmUpdate with the patched driver tomorrow morning (it means, all & new avast installations should be patched immediately, that's how it works).

[polonus]

Yes, unless you had some RipvanWinkle moments, you should have noticed that downloading and installing software on the Interwebs has become completely different now. Marketing forces rule and shareholders and investors demand growth, consumers only play a role where they generate income. A situation change that materialized and took shape very gradually and slowly. We cannot unthink this now, it is a reality we have come to live with.

Custom install is a must nowadays. Know exactly what you want and even more so what you do not want to include, when downloading and installing!

Marketing forces rule the online show and the role of the user has been limited to being a part of the product. This is what generally has been going on lately, "easy money" made through bundling and additions, sponsored hoots and bells, blurring the core product. Alas in a sense this is overall practice online and this general model  has not left our dear avast av product untouched either as we experience from so many a posting here on the support forums.

Therefore the role of the end-user has changed considerably.One cannot lean back and run the install and start to complain later that this is not what you wanted. The end-user role has changed completely and a lot of folks haven't yet grown into that role of being pro-active and reject that what they aren't after (nagware, bloatware, crap and tools too heavy a strain on the old computer cycles).

On the Internet you never had a situation where you could lean back and let things proceed, but now these are other times.
We all have to adjust to this new situation and act accordingly.

polonus

[REDACTED]

Although I've not been bitten by the bug you can add those who have gone down the 3rd party support SCAM Avast endorses to the list.

My biggest gripe I find Avast releases new version in Fall of each year which frankly I'd define as BETA software....which I frankly define is that the bugs in these releases are more risk to my PC than not having Avast's latest Virus protection efforts. Others have beaten me up for on the Forum for this but I stay on most of my PCs on LAST Avast version until latest is stable.   I've gone thru this several turns of crank and about the time they release new version I upgrade my PCs to the one they are moving from.....why ?......finally IMHO the previous version is stable.  If you don't believe me.....just search on Avast 7 to 8 to 9 to 10 history of Forum posts.

So, I agree on a lot of the items posted and some not.....but I can say I spend more time worrying (and researching) about the affect of Avast's next "tweaks" on my PCs than all other software packages combined.....it is tiresome process.  Although I say this tongue and cheek.....the issues almost rival the problems of not having any A/V. 

So, my question to OP is what is better alternative ?....BitDefender ? Comdo Free A/V ? ....I used AVG years ago and they are even worse, MS's stuff is useless, Norton ages and ages ago......bloatware beyond belief.  I'd love to hear thoughts.

[REDACTED]

For me, dropping back to Microsoft's solution built into Win 8.1 may be sufficient.  Owing to the other things I do I just don't exercise the antivirus software safety net.  The only things Avast has ever blocked for me since probably 2008 have all been false positives.

I've worked all day now with Windows Defender on task and I have to say even though I was using just the Avast shields AND had excluded part of my development area from Avast's file system shield, my system has actually been noticeably snappier with Microsoft's solution.  I have seen consistent 30 second build times again on my Visual Studio solution for the first time since many months ago.  And I KNOW Windows Defender was not more efficient than Avast in the past because I did controlled testing.  I have a powerful system, and I bought it to facilitate my work - not to have antivirus software I don't really even need chew up all the cycles and make it act like a run of the mill PC.

I did Google searches, and places like PCMagazine list their picks, but I doubt Avast 2015 is in many of the lists yet.

Example:  http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2372364,00.asp

What's the best comparison test you know of for rating efficacy and efficiency of the various antivirus packages?

-Noel

[REDACTED]

The one that keeps popping up from credible people I know, and also read online, is BITDefender FREE.
I can't say much about it.....or against the others (except AVG which I detest)......because my strategy in any given year is to use Avast's previous version (in this case V9/2014) as my A/V except for one test PC which I try the latest.  Thus, I personally have not taken the time to "try" it on a PC.

To your point on this thread, the problem I see each year is Avast takes longer for their "NEW" Fall release to become stable, and I see an alarming trend that when things do go wrong with an Avast release the potential consequences have become more severe.....not to mention more bloatware in each new Fall package.  The combo of the bugs being ironed out, and me having to read these Forum threads, means 6+ months before I even consider migrating.  Going from Avast 6 to 7 to 8 to 9 to 10 things have only gotten worse.  Some of the posts above say this is the new way of things......perhaps so......but IMHO opinion when Avast hired the Symantec CEO it went from a technology company to a marketing one. http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/former-symantec-executive-named-ceo-of-the-makers-of-avast-1217471.htm  I wish Avast would just stick with what they are good at in past and not be diluted by all these other efforts.  Clearly they are traveling the path of trying to tap other market needs ($) but IHMO it has diluted them and the quality of their A/V solutions & Avast's brand name has suffered.  Others will post on this Forum (of course they are subsidized by Avast thru free licenses and other items) to say there is no issues and 200 million people can't be wrong....it is just you single user that is the problem.....clearly not true in many cases but the instant defensiveness speaks volumes. On the positive side I do think the Avast developers are very smart people and I truly want them to build on success and not slip the other way.......as a long time user it sometime gets tough to keep the faith so I "get" where you are on this.

So, in summary I view Avast's previous version as better than the learning curve of the solutions from the other guys.  It's the devil I know but got to admit that Avast's 2015 really has me wondering...again.....but as usual I'll cross that bridge on Avast 2015 next ~Summer when the stability/maturity improves to a level I'm comfortable with.  My take on all this is that you cannot be on the bleeding edge of A/V adoption but also cannot drag your feet too long in order to be properly protected.....moving target and takes research & judgment.  For me I supplement Avast with MBAM Pro & CryptoPrevent and over the years and across my family PCs I've been virtually virus & malware free....so at end of all the "effort" and combo of this protection with the "way" me/family use PCs is solid.....which to Avast's credit they have been a big part of.

[KevTech]

Bitdefender free has no configuration options.

Here are a few free AV but I am not sure I agree with the top pick.

Have tried all on the list.

http://www.techsupportalert.com/best-free-anti-virus-software.htm

[REDACTED]

Bitdefender free has no configuration options.

Question.........since I've note tried it.......do you need config options ?
From what I've read and people have told me it is a fast (light) A/V that does good protection job....the knock on it is a lot of false positives.
Sounds like you have tried......what was your Pro & Cons ?
If not BD, besides Avast....what is your choice ?

[REDACTED]

Bitdefender free has no configuration options.

Question.........since I've note tried it.......do you need config options ?
From what I've read and people have told me it is a fast (light) A/V that does good protection job....the knock on it is a lot of false positives.
Sounds like you have tried......what was your Pro & Cons ?
If not BD, besides Avast....what is your choice ?

By no config options seriously it's not an exaggeration... there are zero.  You cannot configure anything.  Once you install it the idea is to never look at it again.  It's a better scanner but if you want to schedule scans, make custom scans, set exclusions etc... you get nada

[REDACTED]

You're perceptive to notice the changing nature of Avast's technical prowess, thekochs.

Kaspersky seems to get high marks in various comparatives.

For me a replacement would not have to be free as much as it would have to be good.  I used to pay for Avast, and I had no problem doing so until I sensed the decline in their quality.  Then the value proposition for the free version was still positive - until yesterday. 

Thing is, it actually has to both work and it has to be unobtrusive.  But it became something that drew attention to itself and required more and more expertise to use, and took more and more computer resources.  I found myself altogether too aware too often that it was on task.  Even though I'm technical and have no problem dealing with configuring and maintaining it, the (admittedly small) distraction takes my mind away from my work. 

An antivirus package is NOT the center of attention, it's a necessary evil that must be minimized.  Philosophically that is not a good match to Avast.

-Noel

[bob3160]

Philosophically that is not a good match to Avast.

Strictly a personal opinion. There are many here who would differ with you on your opinion.
I also use Windows 8.1 and Avast 2015 and have no problems with the protection offered by Avast.
There are some addons that I don't use but, that's called personal preference.

[KevTech]

Question.........since I've note tried it.......do you need config options ?
From what I've read and people have told me it is a fast (light) A/V that does good protection job....the knock on it is a lot of false positives.
Sounds like you have tried......what was your Pro & Cons ?
If not BD, besides Avast....what is your choice ?

I used to use Kaspersky (paid user since around 2000) but the latest version is so buggy I gave up on it. Every year you are a unknowing beta tester for Kaspersky but they call it a final release then start releasing patch after patch trying to fix bugs which to me should have been fixed during beta testing. 2015 version just came out and already there is patch B, MR1 and now MR2 (MR=maintenance release).

I like Panda as it has really good detection and good resource usage. I may go back to Panda after I finish testing Avast.

Comodo antivirus runs lighter then even Avast but does not have any web shield. I like the Comodo sandbox plus it has HIPS which most suites would make you pay for. Web shield may not be an issue as any unknown file will be blocked by Comodo.

Qihoo Internet Security I like as it has three AV engines (one is Bitdefender), behavior blocker and web shield. High detection in testing but there have been some privacy concerns with Qihoo.

I could get Norton 360 for free through my ISP but I do not like AV that automatically take action and delete a file then you sometimes have to fight to get the file back if it was a FP.

[REDACTED]

I think Avast is quite good for me, but I seem to have an issue getting my issues addressed by the Avast team.

Now don't get me wrong, I recommend Avast to many people, but I've had multiple friends have the same issue. That issue being that Webshield is blocking chatango. For the past 2 weeks it has been on the forums but no response. This has been an ongoing issue for the past month now, and i was hoping to at least hear that a fix is being made, or a reason as to why it is being blocked.

[Pondus]

I could get Norton 360 for free through my ISP but I do not like AV that automatically take action and delete a file then you sometimes have to fight to get the file back if it was a FP.

Norton is moving to a new program Norton security .... one program fits all / for PC, Mac, Android.....