AV Free for commercial use

[Patsy]

I need a clear answer, I mean YES or NOT. The question is: Is it OK to have licence for AIS but use AV Free in a office?

[Asyn]

I need a clear answer, I mean YES or NOT. The question is: Is it OK to have licence for AIS but use AV Free in a office?

For a clear answer, you should ask here:
http://www.avast.com/contacts
asyn

[Vladimyr]

From the download page: "avast! Free Antivirus is free only for personal and non-commercial use."
But I don't think that's what you're asking.
If you don't want all the AIS features just install it without the Firewall, Sandbox & Antispam.

[RejZoR]

Actually what he's asking is if is it ok to own a license for a paid version, but use free one in the office. Though it makes me wonder why would you pay for a product and then use a limited version instead.

[DavidR]

OK a clear answer NO, the free version of avast is for Home and non-commercial use, that is its license/registration terms and what you are declaring when you get the registration key for the free version. There would be no way it would even be possible to know if you have an AIS license unless it is installed.

So if you don't want the additional functionality of AIS, e.g. the Firewall and Anti-Spam functionality then do a custom install and deselect these options. This would leave you with the avast Pro antivirus version running on your system.

I too, like RejZoR have to wonder why would you pay for a product and then use a limited version instead ?

[Patsy]

To everyone who wonders why: read my posts here: http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=55781.15
DavidR thanks for clarification and believe on not it was other way round - we tested free version, find it good and went for AIS licence for three PC. We had nothing but trouble installing AIS, in one case I had to reinstall Windows from scratch. It may sound as a great idea but actually it is not if your computer and all the data inside

[DavidR]

I would suggest a clean reinstall (custom install for only the elements you want) ensuring all remnants of the free version have been removed this can on occasion cause install problems in the AIS - Download the latest version of avast AIS 5.0.594  and save it to your HDD, somewhere you can find it again (if you didn't save your last download). Use that when you reinstall.

- Download the avast! Uninstall Utility, aswClear5.exe find it here and save it to your HDD (it has uninstall tools for both 4.8 and 5.0).

• 1. Now uninstall (using add remove programs, if you can't do that start from the next step), reboot.
• 2. run the avast! Uninstall Utility from safe mode, first for 4.8 if previously installed and then for 5.0, once complete reboot into normal mode.
• 3. install the latest version, reboot.

[Patsy]

To everyone who wonders why: please read my posts here: http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=55781.15   - we still struggle!
DavidR thanks for clarification and believe me it was other way round - we tested free version first, find it good enough and went for AIS licence for three PCs. We had nothing but trouble installing AIS, in one case I had to reinstall Windows from scratch! It may sound as a great idea for a default user but here we have a commercial use with lots of software and data and lots of configuration (time!). AIS, it terms of getting it to work without issues is a completely different story from the free version. All these commercial extras in Pro or AIS are not so much important for us even if it would work as expected. It wasn't money well spent I am afraid. I will get in touch with Avast sales people and ask what they think. Anyway our licence is not going to be extended. The cost of running is simply to high as we have to call an engineer to often. With free version no such case, but apparently, even if we have paid for "much better" product we can not use it. Sounds great isn't it?
edit: ups! - sorry for double post I press wrong ... button (?)

[Hermite15]

you obviously need another "commercial" solution. Avast free is meant for home use, whatever license you acquired. You're saying yourself that you don't intend to renew your AIS license, so would you instead keep using the "free" version in the office? no, so again, you need another commercial solution.

ps: don't get me wrong, I think you're honest, you wouldn't post about that here otherwise

[Patsy]

Been conservative all my life but the time has change. I look forward to see The Pirate Party in my country. Can we I possibly try harder? As I said, I am going to talk to Avast sales people. Update will follow.

[Patsy]

Sales people responded quickly but out of subject with one line basically (apart of thank you etc and links to how to etc): please reinstall the program completely ("proszę całkowicie przeinstalować program"). I sent them another email with the same question as in the first one and a word of explanation. Interesting thing is that they try to be a tech support rather than sellers. Or maybe they do both? Cost cutting?

[Asyn]

Interesting thing is that they try to be a tech support rather than sellers. Or maybe they do both? Cost cutting?

Did you send the request to sales(at)avast.com...??
asyn

[Patsy]

Hi Asyn.
I use their online form after clicking on the link "Sales question". New windows popsup and you put you details and message.
I got reply from Nonna Arustamyan, Channel Sales, Executive and email address was "sales@avast.com"
I reply to that address (this time in English) just a couple of minutes ago. Now lets wait to see what they say this time.

[igor]

Regarding the original question - even if it were OK from the legal point of view (and I don't want to comment on that, even though personally I wouldn't see a problem about it), I'd suggest not to.
I can imagine that one day, we can start to detect unauthorized use of avast! Free in companies (I can think of some simple heuristics to achieve that, at least for bigger companies) - and you may fall victim to such detection. Sure, you have the license, but it may be an inconvenience (and cost time) to sort that out.

Also, I suppose it won't be possible to manage the Free edition remotely (once the business console is released). Don't know if any other problems may arise... but I'd call the whole thing kinda "risky" - the Free version is simply not supposed to be installed in corporate environment, and one day (unspecified) troubles might appear.