Is there a new avast company in Japan?

[ManyQs]

Not meaning to cause trouble here, but is there any chance this will be fixed for those that use the IE browser? I saw no change just a few moments ago.

Thank you.

[ManyQs]

I am studying this thread and I see that I really didn't get a clear response to the original question and now my daughter was asking about avast and I now am finding a web address like this:

http://www.avast.co.jp/

So I am asking again if that means there is a company that is strictly a Japanese company?

By the way, I went ahead and had her try to download avast free from that page above with the .../free-antivirus-downlaod and it gave her all sorts of popups that indicate the software is a hazard.

I will assume that even though she has a Japanese IP address she will be able to download the software from an English-language page, yes?

Thank you for any answers that may be forthcoming.

[Asyn]

So I am asking again if that means there is a company that is strictly a Japanese company?

Main partners: http://www.avast.com/locate-dealer#7_131_tab2
Resellers: http://www.avast.com/locate-dealer#7_131_tab3

[ManyQs]

I appreciate the quick response, Asyn, but I'm afraid the two links don't answer the question. 

Quite frankly, as that domain name is listed as a <co.jp> and not as simply <.com> I am thinking there is an element here which I have not been informed of that would answer the question.

I am able to answer one question about my daughter using an English-language page to do the avast product download -- she was able to do that.  BUT she informs me that the UI automatically switched the language to Japanese.  That concerns me.  I know that hasn't happened to me in the 7 something years I've been using this product.

The bottom line is what control would an Avast Japanese entity/company have over my software because I have a Japanese IP address?  For example, why was my daughter's UI automatically changed to Japanese even though she started from an English-language page?  And when did that become the default for us here in Japan?

[Asyn]

BUT she informs me that the UI automatically switched the language to Japanese.  That concerns me.  I know that hasn't happened to me in the 7 something years I've been using this product.

Why, that's the official Japanese avast! Homepage..!!
There's nothing to worry about..!

[ManyQs]

I'm sorry, but I don't understand -- exactly.  Is there a new Japanese company for Avast?  Let me put it this way.  Citibank is in this country, but it is a Japanese company.  Microsoft here is a Japanese company.  So -- is this thing I am seeing as "avast.co.jp" -- is that a Japanese company?

And I want to know why my daughter's UI automatically changed to Japanese?

Thank you for your patience and any other person that can answer me.

 

[spg SCOTT]

Hi ManyQs,

avast.co.jp is the localised site for avast. It is an avast site.

I can get to the same site, by changing location settings on the avast website.

As for the UI changing language, it should be set to whatever setting that you chose when installing. There is some web content that will show in a language that is dependent on your location so that could explain a difference in language.

Scott

[DavidR]

It isn't a new company as such but an avast Japanese language site for avast. The server/s is/are actually in the USA, see image and there are a number of different IPs assigned to this domain name.

The UI shouldn't automatically change to Japanese, usually it is based on the Localised language used in Windows when you install avast. So it should really remain that way unless changed by the user, I haven't seen anything in the forums that Scott mentions.

[ManyQs]

Thank you, spg Scott, but I am informed by my daughter that she was not prompted for a language setting during the installation.  I was on the phone with her during most of the steps for the installation and she also didn't make mention of any request about a language during that time. 

Unfortunately, she didn't inform me right away that the language was suddenly in Japanese.  And I can't seem to raise her on the phone as of a moment ago, so I'll ask tomorrow if she can remember when she first saw the Japanese language showing.  But like I have noted, she started from an English-language page and didn't select Japanese from any menu.

DavidR, thank you for your input, but I have twice installed avast on computers that have Japanese-language Operating Systems and in neither case did the installation process include an auto change to Japanese from the English of the page I started from for downloading. 

I can't be sure about the most recent installation on the Epson.  I can look into my logs and see if the language pack installation for the Vista Ultimate switch to English was before or after I installed Avast.  But I already know about the two previous installations on computers with the Japanese OS.  This is the first experience I have of an auto language change.

And I wish to be sure I understand that the domain name "avast.co.jp" is owned and run by the avast folks there in Europe, right?  I know it seems I am harping a lot on what may seem like a trivial detail, but if you were familiar with the difference between Japan Microsoft and USA Microsoft/Australia Microsoft/etc. then you'd understand my concern.  The Japan Microsoft is a whole different animal.  A very, very mean one.  A very, very not nice one. 

[DavidR]

If you look at the image I attached you will see the reference to ALWIL Software as the organisation. So it must have had control/ownership of this domain for some considerable time as it is a couple of years since the name changed to Avast Software.

Avast has servers located in the USA and other locations, the the company is based in Europe and all operations, etc. are controlled from there as far as I'm aware.

I know about large corporate companies have sort of independent companies in other countries/regions, no doubt for tax reasons, etc. But I rather suspect they still answer to the parent company/group.

[spg SCOTT]

Thank you, spg Scott, but I am informed by my daughter that she was not prompted for a language setting during the installation.  I was on the phone with her during most of the steps for the installation and she also didn't make mention of any request about a language during that time. 

Unfortunately, she didn't inform me right away that the language was suddenly in Japanese.  And I can't seem to raise her on the phone as of a moment ago, so I'll ask tomorrow if she can remember when she first saw the Japanese language showing.  But like I have noted, she started from an English-language page and didn't select Japanese from any menu.

I am not too sure why it would have installed in Japanese. You can however try installing English. (By the Settings -> Language tab)

... I haven't seen anything in the forums that Scott mentions.

Did you mean this?

As for the UI changing language, it should be set to whatever setting that you chose when installing. There is some web content that will show in a language that is dependent on your location so that could explain a difference in language.

It was about the sections like the support tab that are drawn from the web, and were based on IP, not windows language, so could show different languages depending. Thinking about it now however, I remember reading that this may have changed, and is not relevant anymore.
Aside from that, it seems unrelated to the issue mentioned here, so can be disregarded. Sorry for any confusion.

[DavidR]

Yes, things that are drawn from the web may well be effected by any geo-locaction stuff in much the same way if you visit some of the avast.com pages/content.

[Asyn]

And I wish to be sure I understand that the domain name "avast.co.jp" is owned and run by the avast folks there in Europe, right?

That's right.