updates notifications are gone

[Jack 1000]

While the first issue is certainly a disappointment, specially for users with "automatic" program updates not being applied (partially losing the Avast Free advantage mentioned before), the second issue has NO actual public answer/discussion whatsoever, and most frequent (forum) users are simply taking your easy path, so not enough reports about it are being gathered. While considering those million of simple users (and ultimately, all Avast's users), I only can hope.

Good point,

It really boils down to this. For the users who set "Program Notification" to Automatically Update, (changing the default from "Ask" to "Automatic") who apply a "Set it and Forget it" approach to their security software.  Those who never open up the Avast GUI may naturally think they are automatically protected when they may not be protected with the latest version of the program.

Which brings up another NEW question for this topic, and its a good one:

"When updates for the Avast program are changed from the default setting of "Ask" to "Automatic," are the users SUPPOSED to see any prompt from the system when an update has taken place?"  For example, is there a notice of a reboot after a program update, or does Avast reboot on its own follow an update, with BOTH Virus Definitions and Program Update Settings set on Automatic?"

Jack

[SafeSurf]

<snip> is there a notice of a reboot after a program update, or does Avast reboot on its own follow an update

When the user either manually clicks update program or does a clean install, at the end of the installation process Avast asks the user Avast needs to reboot...would you like to reboot now?  The user has the option of saying "Yes" or "No."  It it recommended to reboot now and what the Evang. been saying.

<snip> does Avast reboot on its own follow an update, with BOTH Virus Definitions and Program Update Settings set on Automatic?"

Virus Definitions need to be done manually after a clean install.  If doing an upgrade, you can either wait for the next virus update from Avast or do a manual update at that point to make sure you have the latest definitions, then go with the Automatic updates.  If you are doing an upgrade, you're best bet is to look at the main GUI screen since it will give you the information you need -- tell you if you are up to date on your Program and Virus Definitions.

It is prudent for users to not rely solely on a toolbar icon, but to also open the GUI once in a while to see what is in it, especially with security software IMO.  Do others ignore their firewall toolbar icons and never open the GUI?  I don't, and I open Avast GUI as well.  If you look at my Signature, I have other security software that I need to open their GUI.  Toolbars are simply toolbars and they do not replace GUI's.

[ady4um]

<snip> is there a notice of a reboot after a program update, or does Avast reboot on its own follow an update

When the user either manually clicks update program or does a clean install, at the end of the installation process Avast asks the user Avast needs to reboot...would you like to reboot now?  The user has the option of saying "Yes" or "No."  It it recommended to reboot now and what the Evang. been saying.

<snip> does Avast reboot on its own follow an update, with BOTH Virus Definitions and Program Update Settings set on Automatic?"

Virus Definitions need to be done manually after a clean install.  If doing an upgrade, you can either wait for the next virus update from Avast or do a manual update at that point to make sure you have the latest definitions, then go with the Automatic updates.  If you are doing an upgrade, you're best bet is to look at the main GUI screen since it will give you the information you need -- tell you if you are up to date on your Program and Virus Definitions.

It is prudent for users to not rely solely on a toolbar icon, but to also open the GUI once in a while to see what is in it, especially with security software IMO.  Do others ignore their firewall toolbar icons and never open the GUI?  I don't, and I open Avast GUI as well.  If you look at my Signature, I have other security software that I need to open their GUI.  Toolbars are simply toolbars and they do not replace GUI's.

Jack (and SafeSurf), I already answered these questions in this same topic.

Avast will request to reboot in case it is needed, independently of the method of installation or program update. There is even a specific setting for this. So, no matter what, the reboot is there (unless the USER decides not to).

Whether there is a manual program update, a program notification being clicked so to perform the program update, an automatic program update, or a clean install, the database is also updated in every of these cases. So there is no need to recheck the database, or perform a new database update, or manually reboot if Avast has not requested to. It "might" be useful for some cases (troubleshooting something) to reboot anyway, but generally speaking Avast makes it clear when the reboot is a "must", and it also updates the database on every program update.

To be clear, all the above mentioned is indeed performed, but NOT ALWAYS NOTIFIED (this *IS* part of the current discrepancies). For some users, they receive all the notifications. For others, only one. For others, the other one only. For some, NO notification and no program update. ALL these users have the almost the same settings and are in the same "period" of the updating cycle. I already explained the details of each case, several times. Hence: discrepancies.

As I mentioned, all these was already answered, as an OFF-TOPIC. And now we are talking about this again, just because this issue was somehow "skipped" by the readers of my long explanations.

All this is NOT part of this particular topic. Not only users keep posting off-topics (that may be still useful), but also others keep complaining about this long topic without any real contribution (even after I gathered the relevant posts and opened a new "clean" topic so to solve their complaints).

The bottom line: the 2 REAL issues of this topic are not resolved, and it is on the hands of AVAST TEAM now. I don't really know if this is actually going to be solved, because they haven't actually comment in relation to any of the reports.

[snarky]

It is prudent for users to not rely solely on a toolbar icon, but to also open the GUI once in a while to see what is in it, especially with security software IMO.  Do others ignore their firewall toolbar icons and never open the GUI?  I don't, and I open Avast GUI as well.  If you look at my Signature, I have other security software that I need to open their GUI.  Toolbars are simply toolbars and they do not replace GUI's.

Sorry, but that is the worst defense of this issue with avast! that I can imagine.  If a feature is not working properly (i.e. update notifications), the burden for a workaround does not magically shift to users.

I used to be big into security software; I used HIPS software (and configured it to death), I was on Wilders all the time, I tried every bit of software under the sun...  That was a few years ago.  Today I have better things to do.

When I configure avast! to "Ask when an update is available", oddly enough I expect avast! to ask when an update is available!  Not only am I too busy to check the GUI constantly, I ... should ... not ... HAVE ... to!

[bob3160]

Not only am I too busy to check the GUI constantly,

How often do you think the program itself is updated
There are many things I do on a scheduled basis why is it so hard to also
include looking at the avast! UI on a regular (weekly) basis

[Jack 1000]

Not only am I too busy to check the GUI constantly,

How often do you think the program itself is updated
There are many things I do on a scheduled basis why is it so hard to also
include looking at the avast! UI on a regular (weekly) basis

It's not hard,

But we have to keep in mind that there are computer people out there who can barely check their e-mail.  In fact, several years ago there was a study put out by some computer magazine that said 75% of computer users don't even know the difference between an Anti-Virus and a Firewall!

There are people that are so misinformed about computer use, it's not even funny.  I have had people, although a very small minority, who are put off by Avast, because the yearly or every install requiring a new license key confuses them. 

When Joe and Jane Six-Pack have their computer and software set up by a half-assed to good knowledgeable computer person, there is a certain amount of responsibility for any computer company to assume that general computer populations a lot of times, may not be the sharpest knives in the drawer.  This means that if a setting is set to "Ask" when an update is available or to Auto-Update when an update is available, you have to assume that Joe and Jane six-pack are going to rely on that feature to work in a timely manner.  Remember, Joe and Jane six-pack may barely be able to get their e-mail.

Therefore, you can't put conditions into a program that are unexpected, because while 25% of us know what to do, come to the forum, open the GUI, know that you can check for updates.  Joe and Jane may have been told by their computer person who set up their system: "When you see the little pop-up box on the right-hand side of the screen that pops up above the clock, that says, "A new version of the program is available, you can than open the little Free Avast Anti-Virus icon, and than click on Update Program.  Than follow the instructions that show up on the screen."  If Joe and Jane Six-Pack, have been conditioned to do that with no prior computer knowledge or training, should they be forced to learn that there might be conditions in which the update process that they are looking for may never come? (Without opening the GUI, which Jane and Joe, and potentially millions of other Avast users don't know how to do.)

I have to agree with the above poster.  Responsibility should not have to automatically shift to the user, especially an uneducated computer user, if they have "Ask for updates" or "automatic updates" configured to show and they don't come.  I think that is why this topic is important.

Jack