Prevent Pop-up Ads in free version?

[bob3160]

Why does everyone getting so worked up about this pop-up ads?
You're using Avast Free.
Avast offer you Google Chrome upon installation (not some annoying toolbar).
Avast shows ad in it's UI (which most normal user rarely see).
Avast shows ad in it's small pop-up once or twice (at least the pop-up is relevant and not filling up your screen or stealing your window focus)

I've tried other free antivirus from other big name vendor (Avira, Panda, AVG, and MSE) and end up choosing Avast free over others. Other antivirus offering and ads are worse than what Avast does. MSE free from offers and ads? Sure it does, however I'd still choose Avast over MSE anytime (as long as Avast keep improving it's performance and stay light)

Being an antivirus company is a business, and it's need to generate profit to stay healthy, expanding the company, and improving it's service quality.

Be thankful of what you've been given and remember that nothing it's truly free in this kind of world.

I guess we've now come full circle.

I'm a little confused and bewildered by all the complaints.
You get top notch protection and it's free. You get zero garbage
shoved down the throat when you install it and you're complaining about
an infrequent sales pitch about getting the Pro or Internet Suit at a reduced price
Maybe it's time we all realized that you can't get something for nothing.
It's a fact we should all be aware of. 

[bob3160]

I use Trillian free and their adds are really annoying since they pop up right in the conversation window:



This is just to emphasize that what Avast is doing is extremely mild to some of the other free applications.

[msgreyberry]

I use Trillian free and their adds are really annoying since they pop up right in the conversation window:



This is just to emphasize that what Avast is doing is extremely mild to some of the other free applications.

I must agree with you on that one

[DarkMasters]

I guess we've now come full circle.

Ahh... Now I read all the comments before me. You're right. I guess we're on the same page then.

[CharmCityCrab]

I use Trillian free and their adds are really annoying since they pop up right in the conversation window:

Have you considered Pidgin?

http://www.pidgin.im

No ads.

Sort of a dated user interface, but to me that's a feature.  I actually like the old style instant message interfaces.

[The Kitchen Sink]

Well I for another do NOT like this at all.

Every company doing this think nothing of it to plaster more onto the users that hate it already. Small amounts at first and Billboards in the future. It doesn't stop here. Nor will it.

The free version as many have stated is used in MANY tech shops. Servicing thousands of people.
Those people are already aware of the pay products of Avast. Many of those technicians will offer the free version and give free marketing to those very customers to buy the pay version. My shop does this.

Now take all the people that hate adverts. This is going to put off more potential customers for a small gain at first and no gain in the long term for losing as many customers and users. Most of whom will not comment on Avast forum ever, to voice they hate it.

Now take those that are voicing complaints and being sniped at for "making mountains out of mole hills". Our concerns are equally valid. I do not say to those who do not mind are to be ignored.

My impression when I see the company Public Relations people saying everythings fine and we're doing whatever the hell we want. Ignoring the complaints. This won't get better for ALL users.

I say no ads at all. The ad in the main window is annoying but its obvious of pay product offers. That is enough. Anyone not knowing this feel duped because they were not tech savvy enough to know it was an advertisement. That is terribly wrong. To hell with what color it is.

Technician people know well enough, and still are getting spooked like its a virus warning. That is unacceptable. Full well knowing all your users do not know anything about the program.
The revenue from the adverts of late would say to me. The non-technicians are spooked into thinking they have to upgrade and pay for it now. There is no color or anything that would make me think that this is not the case. Its a terrible practice that needs to stop before it gets over blown.

With regards to businesses and average users(non technicians). I can no longer say Avast should be used if this activity continues. Avast may not care at first. But this would affect just from 1 technician several hundred potential paying customers.

Do not let shareholders make these decisions. Those are not the people to trust nor give a care about its user base loyal for years. Its already started to upset people enough to make this thread rather extensive.

Regards,
Avast user of 5 years.

[allenergy]

Be thankful of what you've been given and remember that nothing it's truly free in this kind of world.

Dear DarkMasters, That is a very sad attitude.  Yes there are things that are free and unconditionally given.  We would be a sad race if there were not.  Even plants and animals give unconditionally.   The more we move towards freely giving, the more we will be given.  Conditional giving creates push back (as evidenced in this thread) ...

Compassion, caring, time, love.. all are things that need to be given freely without conditions.  Are they?  Too infrequently.

As for Avast free.  I agree that invasive pop ups on someone's PC monitor is pushing it.  Pop ups inside the UI or ads in the UI are fine.  Yes they have to advertise, but they should do so without disrupting someone's computer usage.  To advertise in a disruptive manner is no better than the disruptive "fake AV viruses and their pop ups".  

Avast can also EMAIL it's database of registered users when there is a big special they are running - to do so only for big specials would not be considered spamming.  

[bob3160]

Avast can also EMAIL it's database of registered users when there is a big special they are running - to do so only for big specials would not be considered spamming

Sorry but your totally wrong. Sending you an unsolicited email is considered spam.
 

[DavidR]

@ allenergy
You have got to be joking email over 100million users there are over 160million users and the greatest majority are avast free users.

Emailing these kind of number is absolutely crazy and most would consider that spamming, much worse than this relatively innocuous pop-up. Which if you look in the settings you can restrict how long it even appears, avastUI, Settings, Pop-ups..

[ady4um]

@ allenergy
You have got to be joking email over 100million users there are over 160million users and the greatest majority are avast free users.

Emailing these kind of number is absolutely crazy and most would consider that spamming, much worse than this relatively innocuous pop-up. Which if you look in the settings you can restrict how long it even appears, avastUI, Settings, Pop-ups..

... which means that any present user would invest less than 20 seconds to pay attention to the ad / offer, and anyone really interested would follow through.

Unsolicited emails would be stopped by antispam or some other similar services, and they would by sent to all, past and present, free or paying users, with Avast email servers being overloaded with sending "ads". On the side of the users, each and every user actually receiving this email, interested or not, would have to open and read about the "special offer", taking more than an unobtrusive 20 seconds pop up. After that email, even more users will stop using and/or promoting Avast.

I REALLY wish we could close the issue in "no more than 4 times a year", specially complying to the promises. (Of course the "real" wish would be to close it in "no ads" for the sake of Avast good name, but that ship seems to be gone)

[DarkMasters]

Be thankful of what you've been given and remember that nothing it's truly free in this kind of world.

Dear DarkMasters, That is a very sad attitude.  Yes there are things that are free and unconditionally given.  We would be a sad race if there were not.  Even plants and animals give unconditionally.   The more we move towards freely giving, the more we will be given.  Conditional giving creates push back (as evidenced in this thread) ...

Compassion, caring, time, love.. all are things that need to be given freely without conditions.  Are they?  Too infrequently.

Have you really read my statement which you quoted up there?

remember that nothing it's truly free in this kind of world

this kind of world = business world or the world of software business

Honestly, there's always conditions in everything (even in things like compassion, caring, time, love, animal, plant, etc). You wouldn't give your compassion, caring, time or love to someone who didn't deserve it, would you? See? There's conditions in everything...

[CraigB]

Why does everyone getting so worked up about this pop-up ads?
You're using Avast Free.
Avast offer you Google Chrome upon installation (not some annoying toolbar).
Avast shows ad in it's UI (which most normal user rarely see).
Avast shows ad in it's small pop-up once or twice (at least the pop-up is relevant and not filling up your screen or stealing your window focus)

I've tried other free antivirus from other big name vendor (Avira, Panda, AVG, and MSE) and end up choosing Avast free over others. Other antivirus offering and ads are worse than what Avast does. MSE free from offers and ads? Sure it does, however I'd still choose Avast over MSE anytime (as long as Avast keep improving it's performance and stay light)

Being an antivirus company is a business, and it's need to generate profit to stay healthy, expanding the company, and improving it's service quality.

Be thankful of what you've been given and remember that nothing it's truly free in this kind of world.

+1 

[elzar]

I just got this popup - my reaction was - WHAT THE HELL IS THIS $*$&  IT IS INTRUSIVE AND HIGHLY ANNOYING.   I feared that Avast may be going the way of AVG with multiple nagging hijacking webpage etc ads now.  I came up to this forum to see what is going on.

I am relieved to read part of this thread & see that Avast is receptive and understanding of people's complaints of this - and that this should be either one time ONLY thing or extremely infrequent (provided that works - with AVG I had to junk it because their supposed "one time" ad campaign kept hijacking my desktop and opening a browser window at random intervals).

Popup nag ads are annoying, intrusive, and unacceptable, of ANY frequency.  I expect to now be bugged by about 10 of friends/family who over the years I have helped convince & setup their PCs to use Avast, telling them how great, unobtrusive, and totally nagfree the free version is.  Sigh...

If you are going to push ads, then they need to be IN THE INTERFACE of the application - not popping up on the desktop like some kind of spam or malware.

I feel that email notification of product sales is more acceptable than these popups and hope Avast will discontinue this type of popup spam approach.

[bob3160]

@elzar
If you had read this thread, you would have realized that emailing 150 000 000 emails is considered SPAM.
An occasional notice making you aware of a bargain isn't a big deal even if some people consider this
a major problem.
Time for a reality check. 

[elzar]

@elzar
If you had read this thread, you would have realized that emailing 150 000 000 emails is considered SPAM.
An occasional notice making you aware of a bargain isn't a big deal even if some people consider this
a major problem.
Time for a reality check. 

 

Unexpected popups interrupting what I'm doing on the PC is far more intrusive than me getting an advertising email.

I'll repeat what I already said:

"I feel that email notification of product sales is more acceptable than these popups and hope Avast will discontinue this type of popup spam approach."

I'd rather get spam in email than spam on my desktop.

Time for a reality check yourself.