Serious Discussion What would you say to the tech fellas who repudiate Avast/AVG?

[RoboMan]

I participate in several Tech/Cybersec communities. Some in the form of forums (like MWT), some in the form of Facebook groups, and I also have contact with lots of "specialists" on areas that are certainly not cybersecurity but think they know better.

This is the only community where most people will agree Avast/AVG/Norton (Gen Digital) is a decent, solid solution, rather than a bunch of crap.

We'll see comparisons, detailed tests, and conduct our own tests, and hardly anything is missed by one of these products. Of course they're not the BEST solutions, but for what it's worth, they work.

Still, out there, amongst technicians, Avast/AVG are mostly repudiated. I just saw a comment someone threw that stated "I wouldn't wish even to my worst enemy someone installs Avast on their PC".

What would you say to those who clearly haven't tested the product in years, or behave according to one or two scandals that took place years ago? Is their hate justified?

 

[Jonny Quest]

Maybe they're just generically throwing it, them under the bus for being associated with Gen Digital, and it's always fun the bash the big gorilla on the block? Or, maybe for the upsells, the nag screen, add-ons if you're not using the Ultimate, End of the World, Super Premium editions and will see and get those?

I general, I had no problems when I was using Avast free, and yes, it does have a reputable track history as far as protection, from what I've seen.

 

[nickstar1]

If only Gendigital would ease up on the upsells and make the product less chatty, people might change their opinions. The problem is they keep cramming advertisements into Norton at every opportunity. AVG Ultimate isn’t as bad, but it still gets a bit too talkative about driver updates. I'd say the cleanest experience of all av's is TrendMicro.

 

[Halp2001]

I tend to agree that a big part of the criticism comes from the overall user experience rather than the protection itself. Frequent prompts, upselling, and the way Gen Digital promotes additional features can certainly leave a negative impression.

That said, when it comes to protection, recent independent tests still show Avast/AVG performing solidly, even if they aren't the lightest or most advanced options available.

In the end, I think it comes down to what each user values most. Some prioritize a quieter, less intrusive experience, while others are mainly looking for reliable protection. Those priorities don't always point to the same product.

 

[Dave Russo]

I haven't used Avast in years but for me very solid and affordable,from third parties( Ultimate)all the bells and whistles

 

[lokamoka820]

In general, and not just for Avast/AVG, once a product is sold, users often begin criticizing it, abandoning it, and seeking better alternatives. This happens because experience has shown that in 99% of software acquisitions, the goal is to exploit the product's name, reputation, and large user base rather than to develop and improve its quality. Consequently, a gradual decline begins until the product deteriorates. There are many examples of this pattern, such as LastPass, CCleaner, Wunderlist, and Skype. So far, reviews of CCleaner frequently state it was the best until it was acquired by Avast, a narrative that applies to nearly every product that has been sold.

 

[Zero Knowledge]

People are people, it's like football and barracking for your own team or country. When they win you feel good, when your AV tests well you feelgood.

Also the competition is seen as the enemy, you don't want them to do well even though they may be better. My 2

 

[rashmi]

I would say... Cheers to the brave tech fellas repudiating Avast/AVG; now welcome Malwarebytes to the club—but roll out the red carpet for COMODO; they actually deserve love!

 

[Zero Knowledge]

but roll out the red carpet for COMODO; they actually deserve love!

No, please just say no to Comodo.

 

[Divine_Barakah]

I participate in several Tech/Cybersec communities. Some in the form of forums (like MWT), some in the form of Facebook groups, and I also have contact with lots of "specialists" on areas that are certainly not cybersecurity but think they know better.

This is the only community where most people will agree Avast/AVG/Norton (Gen Digital) is a decent, solid solution, rather than a bunch of crap.

We'll see comparisons, detailed tests, and conduct our own tests, and hardly anything is missed by one of these products. Of course they're not the BEST solutions, but for what it's worth, they work.

Still, out there, amongst technicians, Avast/AVG are mostly repudiated. I just saw a comment someone threw that stated "I wouldn't wish even to my worst enemy someone installs Avast on their PC".

What would you say to those who clearly haven't tested the product in years, or behave according to one or two scandals that took place years ago? Is their hate justified?

Maybe that is based not on their performance but rather about their reputation? Avast was great but it eventually became worse and then there was the Jumpshot incident and it was caught sending personal data.

I also remember that ForgottenSeer 58943 shared that even when you uninstall Avast, one process remained active in the system and kept sending data to Avast.