Why has avast since version 5 become a bloated crap.

[Pondus]

He's getting close to the end of his rope on this forum.

Arnold seems to hate avast but is unable to find a new AV and move on, se he may need help getting out of this forum 

[REDACTED]

I must re-iterate that i dont hate avast at all and i apologise if that is the incorrect impression given.
If members had read my initial post carefully they would realise i was just trying to get to the "nitty gritty! of the current avast situation.

As for trolling....well.
i see all subsequent replies after mine were neither informative or intelligent but were mere insults.I did request intelligent replies as to why the bloat has been offered or indeed incorporated into avast and not one of you answered that inquiry with any form of intellect but instead threw back schoolyard bantering.

Now please may i ask you to reply with some informative replies.

Thanks.

[CraigB]

@Arnold72, I believe MartinZ and others answered your question way back early on the first page, your opinion of bloatware is different to what some others may think or want and the option to remove any component not wanted is available to those that wish to strip it right back to bare bones.



 

[DavidR]

@  Arnold72
Your posting style is aggressive and as I said bordering on trolling, with these kind of aggressive posts, what do you expect.

Your 5 causes, really can't be serious, how can others consider them to be serious and not trolling.

You have had a response from a member of the avast team and moderator, there is your answer to how to deal with what you consider bloat, but what others may call additional protection.

It is your system and your choice as to what AV you install on it. I'm done wasting my time any further on this and I suggest others do the same as you don't like the answers that you got.

[Asyn]

Now please may i ask you to reply with some informative replies.

The answer is 42.

[RejZoR]

The thing is, people REALLY don't know what bloatware is. Bloatware are things entirely unrelated to the core program functionality.

What is the core functionality of avast! Antivirus? it's user protection. So, lets list thins up...

- File, Mail, Web and Behavior Shields (very much related to security, core protection features)
- Software Defender (keeps an eye on critical commonly exploitable apps so they are always up to date)
- Browser Cleanup (checks reputation of browser addons and removes those with low reputation that may be harmful)
- Rescue Disk (when things really go south and you need to fix system)
- WiFi Inspector (checks networked devices on your network if they are easily exploitable locally or remotely and warns you about that)
- SafeZone Browser (Stripped down, secure browser also used in new Banking Mode)
- Secure browser extenson (checks pages for phishing, reputation and blocks trackers)
- SafePrice (this could technically be counted as "bloatware" because it's there "just because" and probably brings some revenue to avast! company)
- SecureLine VPN (encrypts connection, making unencrypted traffic protected on unknown open WiFi networks)
- Passwords (secure passwords storage and syncing as well as automatic duplication checking and monitoring if stored passwords were leaked by hack of 3rd party services)
- Cleanup (removes tem files and other crap that remains on the system)
- Game Mode (gives user ability to give certain apps or games higher priority for potentially better performance)

Ok, this is the list of all features found in avast! Free BETA 17.1.2283. 3 marked in bold could technically be considered bloatware. As stated before several times, everything I just listed can be simply unchecked and it's gone if you don't like any of the listed things. So, I really don't see the problem here. Someone liked the features, you don't. But you can both be satisfied because avast! is very modular.

[REDACTED]

Let me add my voice to this tread, too, in that Avast is slowly becoming more of an ad-intrusive piece of garbage. I just upgraded to the latest version, and now Avast is pushing Google Chrome with a big boxy ad that gets in my way.

What privacy-secure person would even want Chrome installed to begin with?? Can someone recommend a less-intrusive anti-virus program besides avast? I am leaning towards bit defender at the moment.

[davexnet]

For Windows 10?  Stick with Defender

[Eddy]

Rusty, as has been told many times...
You can disable the ads in the paid versions.

[REDACTED]

So I can disable the ads in the paid versions? Big deal. For *any* product to advertise Chrome a viable browser is hitting the low notes. No sane person would ever use that data-mining backwash of a browser. I hate Chrome and I hate Google as well.

[REDACTED]

MY only grip with avast is that i want him to use even less memory  Now for all other stuff ppl keep reporting. There is many way to install an antivirus. If you just go and install avast with all other useless apps in it your doing it wrong.

This anti-virus is fine with only 2 security component installed: files agent and web agent. Thats about it, all other option are kinda useless for an experimented user (and even for other).
Wi-fi inspector, safezone, browser extension, safeprice, browser cleaner, etc... I mean WTF, you guys actually install this crap? You don't need them and if you do (like wi-fi inpector) a 100%free lightweight program will do it way better.

Be smart about avast, install only the anti-virus...

[REDACTED]

Agreed, nunu52, but some of these features get installed by default, but that isn't my gripe as I know how to remove them.

My gripe is the large, intrusive, ads that are being shoved in my face on a daily basis. I understand the need for revenue, but if Avast is going to revert to this kind of behavior, they need to require a paid subscription like Kaspersky and Norton does. And teaming up with Google sounds like desperation on my part.

Avast is shooting themselves in the foot, and I fear a larger backlash is coming from what I am seeing.

[rafaelfs.rj]

I just want Avast to work properly under a Microsoft Account. Is it difficult??? May I have to be an advanced user to use a software I have bought?? Security center reports that everything is under control, but I can control nothing! Is it acceptable??

[stibi]

Hi, I don't need  a Microsoft Account to run Avast or any other malware program.
It just works (the free version, never found a reason to buy ist).

[REDACTED]

Good to see fresh input on this stage of the inquiry.
Not really seeing any "in depth" responses as such but at least there has been admissions that the ads do exist and are intrusive.
Hopefully we as a collective community will get to the bottom of the issue at hand and that avasts motives can become more transparent as we move forward.