DavesnothereNo-BHELL-ity DOES have its Advantages
join:2009-06-15
START&Cogeco
kudos:6 | reply to Mele20
Re: Avast 7 installs Chrome said by Mele20:That's a viable solution? With the Ask toolbar? Hmpf.
Better solution is GData 2012. It has the Avast engine and Bit Defender engine without all the mess that surrounds Avast 7. GData has the highest rating of all AV in recent tests at AV-Comparatives.
Seems like EVERYONE's app is a 'Drive-By' installer theses days.  
I thought that those were one type of programs which were to be REMOVED by good security s/w - those which have that sort of 'baggage'.
So what's this GData 2012 hybrid app, anyway ? |
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 SteelyI rise when the sun goes downPremium
join:2000-10-15
Princeton Junction, NJ
kudos:1 | reply to BlitzenZeus
Should I avoid Avast Free for the time being? I used a recovery disc to reset a laptop for one of my kids and am hesitant to reinstall Avast with the newest version after reading threads like this one. |
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bbear2Premium
join:2003-10-06
94045
kudos:3 | said by Steely:Should I avoid Avast Free for the time being? I used a recovery disc to reset a laptop for one of my kids and am hesitant to reinstall Avast with the newest version after reading threads like this one.
I would. But depends on how much you mind Chrome, and other sticky-gum-ware. |
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 DustynPremium
join:2003-02-26
Ontario, CAN
kudos:10 | reply to Davesnothere
Company profile... looks promising I must say.
»www.gdatasoftware.com/profile/co···ile.html |
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DustynPremium
join:2003-02-26
Ontario, CAN
kudos:10 | reply to Mele20
Interesting test reports...
»www.av-test.org/en/tests/test-re···ec-2011/
»www.av-test.org/no_cache/en/test···reports/ |
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 caffeinatorComing soon to a cup near you..Premium
join:2005-01-16
WA, USA
kudos:4
 ·CenturyLink
| reply to BlitzenZeus
If ya don't want to bother with the addition of optional installs like Ask or Chrome that subsidize the free versions of things there is a simple option: Pay for your software.
Me, I'm poor and don't mind watching out for a opt-out dialog box...I expect it.
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 hayc59Im Your HuckleberryPremium
join:2001-02-26
David R.I.P.
kudos:21
 ·Comcast
| reply to Dustyn
330 Megabytes!! thats large
would be cool if they had a free version |
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 BlitzenZeusBurnt Out CynicPremium
join:2000-01-13
kudos:2
 ·Frontier FiOS
| reply to caffeinator
When the installer isn't corrupted I can watch out for them myself, but when it comes to others who need a basic av I can't recommend software that might try to sneak in 3rd party software. I understand other free software already does this, but in many cases you have no choice like you must always make sure you don't get the extra payload from flash updates for example.
Most people won't manually scan their downloads, and you know as well as I do some people will let their trialware av run out, then never replace it/update it with a license, then think it's still protecting them with out dated definitions. Same goes for windows updates for some, as some might never actually install windows updates unless they are on automatic. Some people just don't care to take the time to learn. If it wasn't for other factors I think these people would be better served with tablets, that is if it usually didn't require a computer to update the firmware for security issues.
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I distrust those people who know so well what god wants them to do because I notice it always coincides with their own desires- Susan B. Anthony
Yesterday we obeyed kings, and bent out necks before emperors. But today we kneel only to the truth- Kahlil G. |
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caffeinatorComing soon to a cup near you..Premium
join:2005-01-16
WA, USA
kudos:4 Reviews:
·CenturyLink
| Ya, you can't save people from themselves.
That said, it is better IMHO they have AV protection and perhaps get Chrome or Ask that is pretty benign than not to have any protection and be the next botnet zombie. (ya riiight, they'll find a way to get FUBAR anyways)
The simpler computers have become to use, the dumber the users get. The majority of users don't "know computers" and don't want to. So, there is nothing you can do except to put the info. out there, protect yourself and just let them fail.
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Mele20Premium
join:2001-06-05
Hilo, HI
kudos:4 | reply to Dustyn
Besides that, someone most of us old timers here, and at Wilders, know well is there now in management and that is one reason I decided to try GData again.  I can't say who it is though without their permission.
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When governments fear people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny. Thomas Jefferson |
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Mele20Premium
join:2001-06-05
Hilo, HI
kudos:4 | reply to Dustyn
Look at this one and set it to show Jan 2011-Dec 2011 results.
»chart.av-comparatives.org/chart2.php
BitDefender (one of GData's engines), Symantec, GData and FSecure are the winners. Avast doesn't do too well. This is Whole Product Dynamic test for all of 2011.
"In this test all features of the product contribute protection, not only one part (like signatures/ heuristic file scanning). So the ability of detection/protection should be higher than in testing only parts of the product. We would recommend that all parts of a product would provide high protection, not only single components (e.g. URL blocking protects only while browsing the web, but not against malware introduced by other means or already present on the system)."
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When governments fear people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny. Thomas Jefferson |
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 SentinelPremium
join:2001-02-07
Florida
kudos:1 | reply to caffeinator
I would not mind paying for software for any purpose; AV included. But much of the "pay" software includes even more crap that I don't want or need. In general I use freeware not because it is free but because usually freeware has less features and that is what I want.
Really, if I were a software designer, I would make my full feature suite the freeware and you would pay if you wanted the less featured smaller version. I would pay for that.  |
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| reply to Steely
said by Steely:Should I avoid Avast Free for the time being? I used a recovery disc to reset a laptop for one of my kids and am hesitant to reinstall Avast with the newest version after reading threads like this one.
It really depends on your comfort level and your system. You know the Chrome prompt is coming, so you can be on the lookout for it. Otherwise it seems to be running fine for me, and my early problems appear to have been resolved. But I run a fairly vanilla system and never experienced a lot of the stuff people are complaining about on the Avast forums.
If you're happier postponing, by all means do so. |
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 NightfallMy Goal Is To Deny YoursPremium,MVM
join:2001-08-03
Grand Rapids, MI
·Comcast
 ·Callcentric
 ·Site5.com
| reply to Sentinel
said by Sentinel:I would not mind paying for software for any purpose; AV included. But much of the "pay" software includes even more crap that I don't want or need. In general I use freeware not because it is free but because usually freeware has less features and that is what I want.
Really, if I were a software designer, I would make my full feature suite the freeware and you would pay if you wanted the less featured smaller version. I would pay for that.
It really depends on the software. I do agree with you that some out there are like that. At the same time, we have other free versions of software that install other "free trials" or "search engines" that you have to uncheck. Those are the things that upset me, but I understand that people need to make money for their time so they have to offer it.
You know that Google paid Avast to offer this in their install package. That I am ok with. Just as others have said here, you have to be prepared for it. I would have preferred a dialog box at the beginning stating it was going to be installed.
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My domain - Nightfall.net |
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SentinelPremium
join:2001-02-07
Florida
kudos:1 | Yeah, definitely I agree.
Is the paid version of Avast the same? Does it do the same stuff in other words? Or does it not install Chrome?
I totally agree that if someone is giving you something for free then you have no right to complain about how they serve it to you. For free they have every right to change their product as they see fit. Your choice is only to take it or leave it. Free = forfeiting your right to complain. If you pay then you are also paying for your right to complain. |
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 lordpufferComfortably NumbPremium
join:2004-09-19
Rio Rancho, NM
kudos:1
·CableOne
·CenturyLink
·Vonage
 ·T-Mobile US
 ·Dish Network
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·AT&T Wireless Br..
| said by Sentinel:Yeah, definitely I agree.
Is the paid version of Avast the same? Does it do the same stuff in other words? Or does it not install Chrome?
I can tell you that I have Avast Antivirus Pro, the paid version. I already had Chrome installed as my default browser when I updated Avast and experienced no issues.
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PR is back in town |
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DustynPremium
join:2003-02-26
Ontario, CAN
kudos:10 | reply to Mele20
That's a good chart.
I have NIS 2012 myself. The results for Symantec are great! |
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Mele20Premium
join:2001-06-05
Hilo, HI
kudos:4 | reply to Sentinel
said by Sentinel:Yeah, definitely I agree.
Is the paid version of Avast the same? Does it do the same stuff in other words? Or does it not install Chrome?
I totally agree that if someone is giving you something for free then you have no right to complain about how they serve it to you. For free they have every right to change their product as they see fit. Your choice is only to take it or leave it. Free = forfeiting your right to complain. If you pay then you are also paying for your right to complain.
I don't agree at all. You are stating that it is perfectly fine for an AV vendor (the vendor you place absolute, total trust in more than any other vendor whose product you may choose to use) to detect Ask toolbar as MALWARE for many, many years, and which had removal instructions for it on its website, to suddenly decide that Ask toolbar was no longer malware, but a WONDERFUL product that Avira was giving to users of Avira personal antivirus.
Plus, you are saying that the same AV vendor did nothing wrong in suddenly partnering with Uniblue to install their crap registry cleaner that has a LONG history of BREAKING many computers. Uniblue products had also been detected as malware by Avira until suddenly Uniblue was a great vendor. This kind of absolute hypocrisy is acceptable to you coming from your antimalware vendor? The ONE vendor you need to be able to FULLY TRUST as far as integrity and honesty goes?
If a vendor of a free antivirus product cannot continue to make that product free then the ONLY PROFESSIONAL AND HONORABLE choice they have is to no longer offer a free product or begin charging a small amount for it. Less preferably, but marginally acceptable, would be for the vendor to lay it out CLEARLY AND HONESTLY as to why they have suddenly crossed to the dark side. (In Avira's case it was to help pay for their fancy new office building and fund their move into world wide markets in a big way and they felt losing their ethics in the process was a small price to pay).
Avast's situation is somewhat different. Avast's problem is that they rush new versions (since 4.5) and have the philosophy that the chips should fall where they may. They shrug their shoulders at the carnage, apologize (which over time becomes hypocritical to all except newbies to Avast) and then proceed to slowly fix all the problems. Their installer has a major bug in that many don't get a window where they can remove the check mark for installing Chrome. Then Chrome installs and removes all personal settings if the user already had Chrome. That's a Google bug but Avast had the responsibility to know about this bug and warn users who already had Chrome to be sure and uncheck the install Chrome box which many of them didn't even see because of Avast's installer bug. The burden is on Avast shoulders here even if one bug is a Chrome bug.
Anyone can see that an installer of something as critical as an AV, that affects the computer at a deep and profound level, should be free of ALL BUT THE MOST MINOR BUGS when released. Further, Avast, if ethics matter to them, should have made it clear at the beginning of the installation that Chrome would also be installed unless the user removed the checkmark. That choice should not have been left until late in the installation process. I don't like Chrome but I have not put it in the same category as Uniblue and Ask toolbar but since Google's announcement of their privacy changes, I now consider Chrome to be malware and, consequently, I am putting Avast in the same category of Avira in betraying the trust of their users. Avast has bundled Chrome before this version and I did not consider that to be in the category of Avira's betrayal, but I do now because of Google's privacy changes, Avast's sloppy release of a very buggy installer, and their refusal to place the choice to install Chrome at the VERY BEGINNING.
Like I said to Avira many times, if it is becoming too much of a burden to offer free AV then offer a LITE version at a small price. Avast has a bunch of unneeded modules and they could offer Avast Lite for $10-15 without most of the superfluous modules.
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When governments fear people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny. Thomas Jefferson |
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| On an upgraded machine (Avast 6 to 7), I've noticed that if I launch Chrome on my own, it looks normal. However, any links from within Avast to a URL spawn a Chrome window that appears to be a different instance of Chrome. That is, no bookmarks, customization, or history of the normal Chrome instance is available in that one.
Any idea what's going on here? Is the instance of Chrome that Avast spawned sandboxed? I was wondering if perhaps Avast installed a 2nd instance of Chrome. However, I searched and don't see a 2nd instance of Chrome.exe on the machine. I certainly was never prompted to install Chrome during the upgrade, nor would I have chosen to (I'm already running it!). |
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| See »forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=94348.0 |
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