My suggestion: IF avast wants to offer me an occasional special deal, it should do so by e-mail. That would not cause any sense of "alarm" (like a warning does)... avast can make its solicitation... and I can calmly react to it (read it or dump it) as I see fit.
I
DISagree with the "emails" idea. Absolutely, completely 100%
NOT.
The discount notification is not a "nag". It does not appear every time you update your database or for every boot. It is a "summer" discount. If Avast wants to publish a discount (which might mean a potential gain for the users too) 4 times a year, in a form of a 20 (configurable) seconds tray harmless notification, I would think that it is far better suited than an email.
Non requested emails will have far more negative impact in PR, and it will eventually be automatically stopped by antispam methods.
If you might be interested in the details, you don't need an email. Clicking the notification will give you more details and time to think about it.
About the "I already know about Avast's paid versions/releases/options", (almost) all frequent users of this forum already know about them. So what? Millions of potential clients might be interested in a discount so to use a paid version of Avast.
People, it is still a business. Four (or say, eighth) times a year, for 20 (configurable) seconds, for a discount offer (not only pure advertising) is not close to "nagging" every day/week/boot/update.
If 4 times a year a user (customer) is "too bothered", maybe we should get rid of businesses at all. Everything free (not necessary "libre"). No advertising, no marketing, no money, no gain. For everyone. For ever.
For those technicians and alike recommending and installing Avast, a very simple explanation that, once in awhile (not every day/boot/update, but 4 times a year) the customer
may receive a tray notification offering a discount to get a more complete security option of Avast, should be enough.
If that customer doesn't want "any" offers, the notification goes by itself after 20 (configurable) seconds. Or, better yet, offer the customer to install a paid version of Avast, so not only the technician earns some money, but Avast too.
"Proportion" and balance are important. That goes for users, and for Avast. Four times a year is not nagging. Let's keep *that* proportion.
Having say that, I indeed recognize that some users might (over)react and immediately uninstall Avast for some other (competitor's) tool. This is something Avast should think through.
MSE has Windows 7 Firewall integration. If the pop-up is shown again, I'll switch to MSE. I've never tought that avast! will advertise itself... I trusted it.
Avast is still trustworthy. Users might think, as already mentioned in this topic, "let's use MSE" (or other competitor). No one could stop them, of course. It's their choice. The (wrong IMHO) conclusion could be, "let's use ALL software from MS, only from MS". That would be a mistake IMO, and that's out of the control of Avast. Some other competitors are even more "aggressive" in the "nagging" field. And "all-MS" software is also a form of advertising (with far more unwanted consequences).
So, even if *I* personally think it is "balanced", even four-times-a-year discount tray notifications might be something Avast should think through (test feedback from non-forum users).