Author Topic: "Win A Free Macbook"?  (Read 36807 times)

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Offline bob3160

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Re: "Win A Free Macbook"?
« Reply #60 on: May 11, 2012, 03:29:38 AM »

Quote
There's a difference between answering questions and being a know-it-all. You're right. I don't know you well enough to know which one best describes you...
Once you get to know David better you'll finds out that both of those statements describe him well. And it's mean as a compliment. :)
He does an excellent job at answering questions and certainly almost knows it all. ;D


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charonn0

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Re: "Win A Free Macbook"?
« Reply #61 on: May 11, 2012, 06:48:41 PM »
Honestly, for the majority of users, there will be no suspicion.  Because Joe/Jane User does not get suspicious online, they are like (no offense intended to average user) a Pavlov dog.  Which is why social engineering attacks work so well (and will continue to work), because unlike driving a car, the Web does not require you get a operators license.

Aside from that, it is an typical Avast! pop-up.  If you have Avast! installed, (and are the type or user smart enough to be suspicious) I would think that you would recognize it, and that would go quite a way to alleviating any suspicions.   

If you are just flat against an AV marketing itself via pop-ups like this, or do not like facebook cross-marketing, just say so.  But if the pop-up aroused "deep suspicions" in you, it goes without saying that you are not the type it was aimed at in the first place....never assume Marketing does not know exactly what they are doing.  Just because you are in the savvy minority, there are millions of the naive out there waiting to have something sold (or given) to them. ;)

When an action requires an apologist, there's usually something to apologize for. And when one needs to start insulting the intelligence of customers in order to justify how you treat them, this is also a bad sign.

Offline bob3160

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Re: "Win A Free Macbook"?
« Reply #62 on: May 11, 2012, 06:57:13 PM »
Honestly, for the majority of users, there will be no suspicion.  Because Joe/Jane User does not get suspicious online, they are like (no offense intended to average user) a Pavlov dog.  Which is why social engineering attacks work so well (and will continue to work), because unlike driving a car, the Web does not require you get a operators license.

Aside from that, it is an typical Avast! pop-up.  If you have Avast! installed, (and are the type or user smart enough to be suspicious) I would think that you would recognize it, and that would go quite a way to alleviating any suspicions.   

If you are just flat against an AV marketing itself via pop-ups like this, or do not like facebook cross-marketing, just say so.  But if the pop-up aroused "deep suspicions" in you, it goes without saying that you are not the type it was aimed at in the first place....never assume Marketing does not know exactly what they are doing.  Just because you are in the savvy minority, there are millions of the naive out there waiting to have something sold (or given) to them. ;)

When an action requires an apologist, there's usually something to apologize for. And when one needs to start insulting the intelligence of customers in order to justify how you treat them, this is also a bad sign.
Just a little clarification.
All the responses in here from what I've been able to follow have come directly from avast! users.
I also haven't see any apologies but have seen a lot of explanations.
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Offline mchain

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Re: "Win A Free Macbook"?
« Reply #63 on: May 11, 2012, 07:21:07 PM »
Posted by: bmgent
« on: Yesterday at 05:02:01 AM

Quote
HOW TO FIX THIS:
1. Open the Avast interface by double clicking on the orange "A" in the lower right part of your screen.
2. Click on "Settings" at the top of the window.
3. Click on "Community on the lower left.
4. Uncheck both items in the section titled "Community Features"
5. Click "OK" and then close Avast's main window.  You shouldn't see these messages anymore!
=On how to prevent another popup like this in the future.

Fixes, not opinions, are relevant here.  Some users do not want to see this sort of pop-up, ever.  So there should be a readily available option to set this that way in every version of Avast!, as an opt-in feature, including the free one, when installing the program for the first time.  Might wish to bookmark this for the future!  Me, I just ignore it, so...
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Offline AntiVirusASeT

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Re: "Win A Free Macbook"?
« Reply #64 on: May 11, 2012, 07:28:50 PM »
I don't care what justification lies behind it, how could this idea possibly have gotten approval from someone with an IQ above 40? Look at this:


Tell me just how this isn't extremely suspicious? How could a legitimate software house in modern times expect "win a free Macbook" popups not to arouse deep suspicion? Especially when they appear without warning or apparent cause and claim to be from a reputable company.

Whose idea was this and why weren't they laughed out of the company?

</rant>

i wonder who started insulting others... ::)
and when others are trying to give an explanation, u accuse them of insulting others... >:(

ur free to state that u do not like ads...but to claim that it is 'malware-like' is spreading misinformation.
moreover, to start insulting ppl over such stuff really shows how civilised u are.

count this as a warning to u...any more insults i will recommend a ban from the moderators.

Offline bob3160

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Re: "Win A Free Macbook"?
« Reply #65 on: May 11, 2012, 08:47:08 PM »
<snip>

Fixes, not opinions, are relevant here.  Some users do not want to see this sort of pop-up, ever.  So there should be a readily available option to set this that way in every version of Avast!, as an opt-in feature, including the free one, when installing the program for the first time.  Might wish to bookmark this for the future!  Me, I just ignore it, so...
Not seeing an occasional pop up (especially in the free version) probably will never happen.
One could always try a competitors product and find out what real annoying pop ups are like.  ;D
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Offline Lisandro

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Re: "Win A Free Macbook"?
« Reply #66 on: May 11, 2012, 08:59:53 PM »
One could always try a competitors product and find out what real annoying pop ups are like.  ;D
Try Avira ;D
The best things in life are free.

Offline Asyn

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Re: "Win A Free Macbook"?
« Reply #67 on: May 11, 2012, 09:17:08 PM »
One could always try a competitors product and find out what real annoying pop ups are like.  ;D
Try Avira ;D

ROFL ;D
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charonn0

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Re: "Win A Free Macbook"?
« Reply #68 on: May 11, 2012, 10:54:08 PM »
Just a little clarification.
All the responses in here from what I've been able to follow have come directly from avast! users.
Perhaps, but when someone is referred to by Avast itself as an Avast Evangelist, your distinction becomes moot to my way of thinking. One cannot declare himself a partisan and then not expect to be grouped with his patron in contexts both good and bad.

Quote
I also haven't see any apologies but have seen a lot of explanations.

This thread is rife with apologies (to clarify, I mean like unto Socrates' apology.) An apology doesn't imply contrition, merely the acknowledgement that an act requires that the actor either defend himself or show remorse. There has been no remorse displayed here, only thin defenses. And the apologies proffered are hollow as a result.

i wonder who started insulting others... ::)
and when others are trying to give an explanation, u accuse them of insulting others... >:(

I accuse them because they are guilty. I merely called the person whose idea this was stupid; another, in response, compared the majority of Avast users to Pavlov's dog, hardly a more flattering depiction than mine. Nevertheless, I was perhaps out of line to so injure whoever it is I injured, and they have my apologies and remorse.

Quote
ur free to state that u do not like ads...but to claim that it is 'malware-like' is spreading misinformation.
moreover, to start insulting ppl over such stuff really shows how civilised u are.

I do not like ads. Neither do I like Facebook. Neither do I like malware and I am hardly the only Avast user to make that leap with regard to this popup:
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and my favorite:
Quote
dear Avast, if you're going to do pop-up notifications to 'win a macbook air' i might as well have viruses.
From here.


It speaks volumes that Avast itself had to assure its own users that the popup was not malware:
Quote
Did you receive pop-up in your avast! saying: win MacBook Air? Do not worry, this is NOT A SPAM. Feel free to participate in our contest!
from here.


So, even Avast has had to take steps to fix their own blunder. If that's not a ringing condemnation of this popup and the corporate culture that approved it, I don't know what is.

Avast is a security company. As a security company they require trust in order to survive. Avast has squandered a huge portion of this trust. I have, for many years, used and trusted Avast; purchased Avast for several computers; recommended Avast to friends and family and strangers. I am now faced with reassessing whether I can any longer trust Avast.


Quote
count this as a warning to u...any more insults i will recommend a ban from the moderators.

By all means do so, if your conscience demands it. You will, I hope, forgive me if I don't wail and beg clemency.
« Last Edit: May 11, 2012, 11:00:07 PM by charonn0 »

Offline bob3160

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Re: "Win A Free Macbook"?
« Reply #69 on: May 12, 2012, 12:03:14 AM »

The title isn't something given to me by Avast. It's a title earned from the number of posts I've made on this forum.
Stick around long enough and you might wind up with the same title.
All the negative posts you've made so far about something as insignificant as an announcement about a new product and a contest
related to that announcement, are actually more offensive to me that all the pop ups I've seen in avast! over the many years that I've used this
product.
Please, don't write another book to let me know that you still don't like pop ups. I've gotten the message! :o
« Last Edit: May 12, 2012, 12:05:53 AM by bob3160 »
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charonn0

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Re: "Win A Free Macbook"?
« Reply #70 on: May 12, 2012, 12:47:49 AM »
All the negative posts you've made so far about something as insignificant as an announcement about a new product and a contest
related to that announcement, are actually more offensive to me that all the pop ups I've seen in avast! over the many years that I've used this
product.
Please, don't write another book to let me know that you still don't like pop ups. I've gotten the message! :o

Whether or not you are personally offended more by my words than by Avast's actions isn't honestly all that important to me. I have presented legitimate concerns, serious misgivings, and justified indignation about the conduct of Avast. You may put what stock in them you may but, as I have demonstrated, I am not alone here. Avast expends its customer's goodwill, or a part of it, at its own peril.

Those paid licenses held by me now will be allowed to lapse, and those free versions currently installed will be removed. I can't trust Avast anymore.

Offline bob3160

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Re: "Win A Free Macbook"?
« Reply #71 on: May 12, 2012, 12:54:37 AM »
Quote
Those paid licenses held by me now will be allowed to lapse, and those free versions currently installed will be removed. I can't trust Avast anymore.
Please tell me how this announcement has lessened avast! ability to protect your system ???
I chose avast for it's ability in keeping my system safe. As long as it continues to do it's job, avast! will remain my AV of choice.


Removing excellent protection from my computer because I don't like a pop up is pure stupidity. IMHO


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charonn0

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Re: "Win A Free Macbook"?
« Reply #72 on: May 12, 2012, 01:25:08 AM »
Removing excellent protection from my computer because I don't like a pop up is pure stupidity. IMHO
Keeping a protection suite which has demonstrated its untrustworthiness is stupider. If I can't trust them, I don't want them reading my e-mail or what URLs I visit (to clarify: I'm only pointing out that they have this access and use it to scan; I don't mean to say that they've ever abused that particular trust.)

I don't expect Avast to go insolvent from the loss of my licenses; they stand to lose from me personally, and through my influence, a grand or less per year. I merely want them to know why they won't get my money anymore. Call it constructive criticism.
« Last Edit: May 12, 2012, 01:28:49 AM by charonn0 »

Offline AntiVirusASeT

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Re: "Win A Free Macbook"?
« Reply #73 on: May 12, 2012, 04:20:13 AM »
i agree with charonn0, if u cannot trust an antivirus, remove it from ur system.

however, i must say that these popup practices are a norm in the free av market and while i am not fine at all with some products like Avira, Avast has done a very good job in the amount of ads it has and how they are displayed.

@charonn0: if u cannot tolerate these kind of ads in that the very fact of its existence makes it lose ur trust over Avast, and not that u cannot disable these ads (there is a method to disable ads, but it is opt-out), u have a few choices (free: panda cloud, MSE. at the cost of lower protection) (paid: bitdefender, kaspersky, norton. these have good protection which could rival Avast)

note that norton was very pushy about its products though. it liked to use its 'freebie' tools to push u to buy their products - almost like rogueware...

big_brother_svart

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Re: "Win A Free Macbook"?
« Reply #74 on: May 12, 2012, 02:06:21 PM »
Hello everyone! step by step i follow instructions but it still happens something wrong at the same step: when i submit my data in the facebook app and click "continue" it begin to load something for infinitely long! so it opens little window and there is... nothing for an infinite time. The page of submission of an app shows loading bar, but it goes to load for eternity... how can i enter the contest?
Thanx for exciting contest, avast, but let me to participate also)))