New Avast UI Discussion

[Para-Noid]

RejZoR hit it right on the button. I like his GUI layout. His design is what I have been wanting for years.
Looks nice and very user friendly. I also agree with the others, size is disproportional to its needs.
A smaller GUI with the ability to re-size according to the users preference would be a step in the right direction.

@ Vlk  My main concern with you starting a thread like this is, "does this mean you are finally going to listen to avast! users?"
           I ask because in the past we have made suggestions only to find deaf ears.
           I might sound a tad harsh but people don't like to spend money on something they don't like.
           Please ask yourself one question..."Which would you buy a great looking car that runs fantastic or one less attractive that just gets the job done"

          "You only get one chance to make a first impression."

[bob3160]

Avast had a nice UI unfortunately it was some years in the past. (Avast 2015)
Instead of expanding on it, it was simply dropped.
So were the plans to expand the right click menu.

[Asyn]

Based on what I have seen, yes, the menus are taking up way too much screen space. Yes, the Virus Chest should be more easily findable. Yes, the colors are bland, but this seems to be the trend now (which is going the wrong way - we need some color)

Isn't the virus chest option still available from the avast tray icon (right click) menu, that is quicker to get to the chest not having to go through the UI to get there.

Hi Dave, yes, it's still there.

[noelrojasc]

First of all, I would like to say thanks to Vlk for opening this space to share our thoughts about the new Avast skin. As I said before, I think we all agree that the real important thing is what Avast is on the inside, but it is also important how it looks on the outside, because we want our security software to be effective and visually attractive.

Also, I want to thank RejZor for his great job, giving us excellent ideas on how the new version of Avast must look like. I totally subscribe his suggestions for the new Avast skin.

Finally, I would like to submit some additional ideas. I'm sorry I'm not such a good Photoshop artist as RejZor ! Even so, I hope you can grasp what I mean.

Best regards to you all!!!

[RejZoR]

The thing with the 3rd example is that the given panel is meant to accommodate more icons, that's why it's so big. Personally, I'd get rid of the white and extend it all the way to the right. So it would slide out through entire main interface and not just over part of it. It would look a lot nicer, consistent and also allow more icons.

[REDACTED]

I really like the proposition of RejZoR. It makes the UI really better.
I would suggest the 'boxes' for the choices on the left are smaller.
So in the Options section, the same style is replicated to keep the same consistency.
What do you think?
PS: For the second screenshot, I have kept the same icon/logo but it should be different according to the selected Option.

[noelrojasc]

What do you think about some elements in orange? This has been the distinctive color of Avast for years, and I miss it in the new GUI.

[Lisandro]

1. I love the new icon. No more swirling, now it is amoebing I suggest you make animation enabled by default again.
2. The interface is too big for me. It's almost maximized in height and we can't reduce it. It should definitely be less than 768 pixels height.
3. There are "lost space" in the menu column at left. Depending on which components you  have installed, some menus are flooded (like Protection) and some empty (Privacy). Maybe something like RejZor suggested here: https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=192684.msg1346794#msg1346794
4. Open a white space when clicking the menu items are very very ugly in my opinion. What if it covers "all" the interface and is colored too? Look the behavior of "Notifications". It's perfect. RejZor has already suggested this here: https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=192684.msg1346811#msg1346811. Also, the modules arrangement is weird, without margins, not "centered" because the words (in different languages) uses different space. I will really really took out the white and return to purple. Remove all the white (see picture).
5. Animated icons of the tools will be good (Antivirus, Wi-Fi Inspector, etc.).
6. Why do the definitions open a new window? Why isn't it integrated in the interface. Note that it blocks clicks on the interface and we need to close the window. Maybe integrating and, when necessary, ask for "save changes".
7. Into "Licensing" the "progress bar" was removed (the one which indicates how long the license will be valid). Why?
8. In "About" tab, the grey letters are not well defined over the background.
9. Please, enable "maximation" of the Help popups. There are text to read and I see no reason for blocking the maximization of that particular window.
10. Button "Fix All" should only appear if something is wrong. If only "Silent Mode" is turned on, why is this "Fix All" button there? It's misleading.
11. Remember Bob's suggestion of text here: https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=192684.msg1348843#msg1348843

I would be more innovative in one aspect:
Put an optional space for live content in the bottom of the interface: there could be blog links, security news, etc.
Put some movement in the interface, caught the common user attention, make it feel useful to open the interface.
For the ones who loves "silent", just an option to remove it.
Something like this: http://www.battware.co.uk/desktopticker.htm
Besides Avast news (or blog) (mandatory) it could allow users to add other sources of news or even weather info.

Be brave! Go for it! Make we open the interface from now on just to now what is happening

[DavidR]

What do you think about some elements in orange? This has been the distinctive color of Avast for years, and I miss it in the new GUI.

It might have been distinctive for avast in the past. But if you look at some colour wheel charts a better match would be green (but some greens are sickly) or yellow.

Orange is quite a bit away from the best contrast match for purple (Red Violet)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_wheel#/media/File:Hsv_color_circle.svg

[REDACTED]

Congratulations on opening this topic, only thing that would change in the new Avast is the color, it would make it all black, it would look lovely, at the most, I'm enjoying it, congratulations for the work. Alias, when does the final version come out?

[RejZoR]

This is a screenshot from a stable version, but still applies to latest avast! 17 BETA. I've come to realize this as I was analyzing what could be changed and improved in avast! GUI.

Read my comment on the image itself. In all honesty, the settings in question are entirely unnecessary and just add unnecessary complexity and confusion to the users. I've literally not seen such ridiculously overcomplicated control over the on-access scanning process in any antivirus. This especially holds true even more when you realize there are still settings that affect "floppy" drives. I haven't had a floppy drive in my system for at least 10 years now if not even more...

When you have this many so complex settings, you really can't change settings panels into a nice form and use pretty animated switches to control basic settings like other antiviruses have. I think this version of avast! is a good time to cut away some unnecessary fat and streamline the settings. Maybe there are few users who for some reason want this, but sorry, no other antivirus I've tested in last decade offers such rigorous control over on-access/real-time scanning. Because there is no need for ANY user to have control over this.

Just leave settings as they come out of the box and simply remove these side panels marked with red entirely from the settings.

[Lisandro]

The reason and the history of the purple: https://blog.avast.com/the-new-avast-brand-the-story-behind-the-amoeba-and-more 

[Lisandro]

Read my comment on the image itself. In all honesty, the settings in question are entirely unnecessary and just add unnecessary complexity and confusion to the users. I've literally not seen such ridiculously overcomplicated control over the on-access scanning process in any antivirus. This especially holds true even more when you realize there are still settings that affect "floppy" drives. I haven't had a floppy drive in my system for at least 10 years now if not even more...

+1

[Charyb-0]

Read my comment on the image itself. In all honesty, the settings in question are entirely unnecessary and just add unnecessary complexity and confusion to the users. I've literally not seen such ridiculously overcomplicated control over the on-access scanning process in any antivirus. This especially holds true even more when you realize there are still settings that affect "floppy" drives. I haven't had a floppy drive in my system for at least 10 years now if not even more...

Great idea. Under the File System Shield the only two areas where I change settings are located under Actions and Sensitivity.

[RejZoR]

In order to streamline and simplify avast! interface and settings, I think "Packers" menu should also be removed. Default configuration is already as good as it can get, there is no point in giving users control over this, especially not in such detail. It's just taking valuable interface space and confusing users.

Or, if someone in avast! team believes it absolutely must exist in avast!, trim it down into just "Scan archives". A single checkbox control that would ONLY control all the classic archives like ZIP, ACE, RAR, 7z etc. I see no real or logical reason to give users ability to disable scanning of EXE packers like UPX or PEcompact (which are enabled by default), because you absolutely have to scan those in order to provide adequate protection. Otherwise even malware protected by simple UPX would just walk past avast!. That just wouldn't make sense on any level of logic and reason for any user, be it beginner or uber advanced power user.