that discussion doesn't reveal much other than what we know - the free version is gone for new users, also gone for education users, but otherwise avast isn't saying anything.
I'll just keep using the free version until something changes I guess... hopefully since I visit the cloud control panel for one or another of my sites at least once a week, and receive email notifications for several sites routinely, then I won't miss some announcement (if avast bothers to give one) saying I have to start paying or lose functionality.