Setting program updates to manual and having the latest build of any major version should be safe enough. I cannot promise that you will never get migrated but so far we have been consistent in this regard.
I was hoping this was true but it does not appear to be.......this happens every so often to folks......and frankly not sure why...it did to me months ago on two PCs out of six at home that all six were running "latest build major release (9.0.2021)".
Luckily one machine was OK and now using as "test" machine for 2015.....the other because it installed NG was almost un-usable.....and for some reason hosed my internet connection (on all PCs) across the house/router. Once I uninstalled and put 2014 back on everything was fine.
I don't disagree with the "philosophy" of what folks are saying but the issue/concern is the "state" of the new (call it Fall release) Avast software. Just look at the 2015 and 2014.......both "Fall" releases were
very buggy and some of the impact on users was
not good......yes, many/most were fine but how do the few feel that machines were totally borked. So, the real question becomes "when" & "how".....not if.....that is fine. To this regard, everyone will agree here that a CLEAN un-re-install is always better than and over-the-top. Also, if the user has no idea when this is going to happen there is sometimes no recourse for correction if something goes wrong. So personally I'm looking for some middle ground here........basically I'm asking for
notice. Avast says they "officially" support some of the older versions.....if that is true then they should honor the "Manual" or "Ask" selection and not "force" the upgrade for those. If (when) Avast is going to force then notify us those versions are no longer supported. Bottom line, give us some communication other than waking up one morning and seeing our PCs have rebooted with new program version of Avast and having "hoped" all went OK. I can think of several ways to communicate this to people....popup notification, stopping VBS updates on old versions (yes this can be done since Avast DOES know what version you are running), release notes in the new version.......something/ANYTHING that allows me to manage my conversion. I don't think it is too much to ask to formalize the process to notify the users of a hard cut-over deadline.
Bottom line is there is big difference in bleeding edge versus leading edge....but that definition as we talk about Avast & A/V is in the eye of the beholder.......so we aren't going agree.....which is OK. Like you guys, I applaud Avast for pushing the envelope and especially allow all the Custom Install options.......but just give us users notice on the "forced installs". Whether all of us argue that a user should or shouldn't be on the latest/greatest just provide the information/notice that could allow something that "could" negatively impact a person's PC to be managed...not forced. If I'm given the notice and ignore then shame on me.
Anyway, my two cents.
