Author Topic: A seachange in this forum?  (Read 3569 times)

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Offline alanrf

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A seachange in this forum?
« on: June 14, 2006, 10:32:27 AM »
This thread is intended for the long term contributors to the forum.

Am I alone in detecting a noticeable change in the forum content?

Since my arrival here the main content of the forum, it seemed to me, has been avast users or potential users asking about problems encountered since installing avast or the "with avast ... how do I" enquiries?   

Recently , it seems to me, we seem to be having a lot more of the "a question for avast users", "which is the best antivirus?", "why is avast rated so poorly?" which seem, in essence, to be provoking debate rather than seeking help or assistance in the more usual help forum sense. 

I am not suggesting that such questions have never occurred before but I do have the sense of a change of balance and wonder at the reason for that change ...whether it is just a cyclic event ... the state of the av industry or whether there are more subtle forces at work.

Perhaps it is just global warming.     

So, am I alone in this impression?  Oh ... "you are just paranoid" is an ok response.

ardvark

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Re: A seachange in this forum?
« Reply #1 on: June 14, 2006, 10:57:43 AM »
Hi alanrf...

Sounds like we've had this discussion before ;)

I would agree with you that we are seeing more entries like that and I haven't been an active participant on the board as long as you have. However, I do feel that most are legitimate questions. People should be able to question certain aspects about Avast, even ones that are bound to irritate the die hards.

I think a little debate is good for Alwil, just as longs as it doesn't get out of hand and it gives a chance for folks to tell other why they think Avast is better than others.

This is just my opinion and I'm pretty sure I would be in the minority.

By the way, I apologize again for last time's altercation, I believe I misunderstood your tone and language.

Best Regards...

Offline alanrf

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Re: A seachange in this forum?
« Reply #2 on: June 14, 2006, 11:19:15 AM »
ardvark,

First, no apology wanted or needed.  I believe that you (and every other contributor) has the right to respond to me in any way you wish.  If my comments are not understood as I intended them then the problem is mine.

In my time here I have enjoyed most of the debate and I have enjoyed participating in the problem analysis and the few times I have been able to help other users or (the much rarer) times I may have helped to persuade the avast team to make specific changes.   

I am not trying to quash debate.  However, it seems to me recently that more of the "debate" issues seem to be couched in terms that are negative to avast.  It is not overtly avast bashing ... it just seems to me there is a subtle "more in sadness than in anger" ... drip drip drip of criticism that I did not sense before.   That's why I put the question to the long term participants.           
« Last Edit: June 14, 2006, 11:24:19 AM by alanrf »

ardvark

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Re: A seachange in this forum?
« Reply #3 on: June 14, 2006, 11:50:23 AM »

I am not trying to quash debate.  However, it seems to me recently that more of the "debate" issues seem to be couched in terms that are negative to avast.  It is not overtly avast bashing ... it just seems to me there is a subtle "more in sadness than in anger" ... drip drip drip of criticism that I did not sense before.   That's why I put the question to the long term participants.           

Excellent point.

I would be willing to surmise that part of this is due to sheer number of problems associated with the newest version. The vast majority of posts are related to errors and problems with 4.7 and it's because, in my opinion, that it didn't spend near enough time in beta. It was pretty much rushed out the door before many of the bugs could be determined and fixed.

The other issue is the "much ado about heuristics." There has been a lot of discussion about that along with Avast's standing in the comparitives test.

I think there is a general sense among some people that Avast is slipping into mediocrity which has resulted in a something of a general alarm. If this isn't addressed, the perception will begin to rot away Alwil's reputation and standing.

I may be wrong but this is what I'm picking up on.

Best Regards...

Fast

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Re: A seachange in this forum?
« Reply #4 on: June 14, 2006, 04:10:13 PM »
Yes Alan, I notice it too.
I think there are many reasons for changes like this. We've seen it all happen on AntiVir fora as well, when the upgrade to version 7 caused a number of users trouble.
Ususally as the rough edges of an upgrade are polished away, these negative sounds disappear (slowly).
And I believe not having an Off-Topic section any longer (for good reasons this section was closed) makes people who still want to do so, post these unpleasant experiences in the other sections, allthough asked not to.
And last, every forum has to deal with change of users from time to time.
Let's all try to keep things going in a positive manner, respect each other and keep in mind that the population of the forum is a mix of newbies, experienced pc-users and anything in between.

Bye,
Fast

Offline Lisandro

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Re: A seachange in this forum?
« Reply #5 on: June 14, 2006, 04:39:07 PM »
more in sadness than in anger
Of course, Alwil team after all this time here won't misunderstood my comments here.
We want avast better and better. We understood some of our wishes can't be fulfilled (by economic reasons, by schedule, etc.).
Anyway, some discussion in the right way won't harm  ;)

The vast majority of posts are related to errors and problems with 4.7 and it's because, in my opinion, that it didn't spend near enough time in beta. It was pretty much rushed out the door before many of the bugs could be determined and fixed.
Maybe you're right... the beta program is only for forum members and the ones that specific do that. Most of the problems are related to GUI and other minor problems... but for new users, the ones installing for the first time, without previous avast version and so on, the problems appear like difficult things to manage. For us, they could be 'easy' to by-pass, not for the others.
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