Why chose Avast over others such as Avira?

[gdiloren]

I'm not paying my ISP any "extras" for email and spam scanning. My ISP used to do so but since a year or so it's not anymore. At least, from what I saw with my email with EICAR test as attachment. All ISP should move towards that. Of course, you get never enough protection.

[Lisandro]

A lot of ISP just avoid .exe, .com, .bat, .scr... files as attachment. The files isn't really scanned, but blocked (the majority of times, even changing the extension).

[Sammo]

I run avast! full time and use Avira as an on demand scanner which I update manually before scanning with it. I alternate scanning between avast! and Avira every few days or so and this has worked out well.

[Lisandro]

I run avast! full time and use Avira as an on demand scanner which I update manually before scanning with it. I alternate scanning between avast! and Avira every few days or so and this has worked out well.

Did you tweak Avira installation?
I think if you install avast after Avira you'll have trouble (two antivirus at the same time...).

[Sammo]

I run avast! full time and use Avira as an on demand scanner which I update manually before scanning with it. I alternate scanning between avast! and Avira every few days or so and this has worked out well.

Did you tweak Avira installation?
I think if you install avast after Avira you'll have trouble (two antivirus at the same time...).

Yes, I tweaked the Avira install. I used a-squared HiJackFree to disable all of the Avira services and just manually start Avira when I update and scan with it. No conflicts at all.

[Lisandro]

Yes, I tweaked the Avira install. I used a-squared HiJackFree to disable all of the Avira services and just manually start Avira when I update and scan with it. No conflicts at all.

Did you install avast before Avira, didn't you?
At driver level, you could have trouble...

[Sammo]

Yes, I tweaked the Avira install. I used a-squared HiJackFree to disable all of the Avira services and just manually start Avira when I update and scan with it. No conflicts at all.

Did you install avast before Avira, didn't you?
At driver level, you could have trouble...

Actually, I installed Avira first and then disabled it's services before installing avast!. It works smoothly with no conflicts. Each av sometimes finds stuff the other one didn't, so I've had good luck.

[Lisandro]

I'm quite sure you're with luck... from time to time I suggest you check if all avast providers are running ok.

[gdiloren]

A lot of ISP just avoid .exe, .com, .bat, .scr... files as attachment. The files isn't really scanned, but blocked (the majority of times, even changing the extension).

In fact, I was receiving a reply email from their servers telling me that the email was scanned by Symantec's Norton Antivirus and blocked. I can't say if EICAR is .exe but even so it's not much more trouble for them to set it to scan all files I guess. But nevermind, I'll rely on AVAST. As for having AVIRA and AVAST on the same computer, it's like having to lovers contending the same woman. It's not worth the trouble for that bit of increased detection. But I'm happy to ear somebody has had to test this successfully.

[Sammo]

I'm quite sure you're with luck... from time to time I suggest you check if all avast providers are running ok.

Yes, all avast! provides have been reliably running. With a-squared HiJackFree I have been able to completely stop all Avira drivers and services form automatically loading.

[cimmind]

Reviving an old topic..
Same article that i linked to in a separate post..
http://www.maximumpc.com/article/features/protect_your_pc_from_guys_like_this?page=1%2C2

The article has rated Avira Antivir (8/10) very highly over both Avast and AVG Free (5/10 each)..

The ratings do not seem to be fair at all though as the last paragraph of Avast review says. They admit antivirus role of Avast is very good but only that it is "annoying". The initial statement for Avast: "You won’t find many diamonds in this rough" seems too harsh.

Incidentally, they have rated Symantec NIS 2009 as a superb remake (than being just a update) and given it the highest 9/10 rating. 

A case of vested interests or there is some truth to it?

[Lisandro]

Each head, each sentence... each opinion, each review...

[normishmael]

I guess I have come a long way since my last semi sarcastic review.
lets say this.
Avast! has replaced Avira on both my machines.
Why?
Just download a copy of paid Avira,and try to run the webshield.
The slow down of browsing is profound.
I still thank detection is King,but Avast Webshield is worlds ahead of Avira.
The forums are a big plus for Avast!.
But in the end it is protection from the software that counts.
as of now,Avast! is the best mix of function and protection.(IMO)

[DavidR]

Trying any test whilst having two resident anti-viruses installed is futile they will be fighting for control over which one gets control over file scanning.

[cimmind]

David, the reasoning that you gave regarding test environment is absolutely correct.

However, the fact remains that the original article made the point that browsing the web is faster with Avast than with Avira.. (This despite giving it a 5 compared to 9 for Avira). If this is indeed so then it is factor that should weigh heavily in deciding which package to use. The question of finding best balance of efficiency vs usability.