Just checked in “About Avast” and it says: Registration Key, Updates expiration 01 June 2009. Does one have to wait until the expiration date before re-registering and receiving new key?
Cheers
I don’t know actually. I would wait until it expires, then click this link “I’m a registered user and my registration key has expired, I need a new one” on this page: http://www.avast.com/eng/home-registration.php#register-form
That’s what I thought. Thanks for the swift reply scythe944
Sure. You might be able to do it now though, I just haven’t tried yet. You could let us know…
No, you don’t need to wait.
You don’t have to wait, but the new registration key would be valid for 14 months from when it is issued, you are normally alerted (pop-up) nearer the time 21 or 14 days before.
Is there a difference between “I’m a new user and I need a registration key for avast! Home Edition” and “I’m a registered user and my registration key has expired, I need a new one”? I don’t think so. lol
The preference is the third, last option “I’m a registered user and my registration key has expired, I need a new one.”
There is a difference, one has never previously registered and the other has, it may effect how stats are gathered on total downloads, total registered users and help ensure that there are sufficient update servers for the number of users.
I can understand what those options mean. lol But both of those options direct the user to the same place, only scroll down the page. Nothing is different. How can a difference arise between them? I can scroll down the page without clicking them also. 
The number generated by the robot machine will be different, depending on your answer 
As would the stats gathered or there would be no point in giving the different options.
DavidR: “You don’t have to wait, but the new registration key would be valid for 14 months from when it is issued, you are normally alerted (pop-up) nearer the time 21 or 14 days before.”
Thank you DavidR, I shall wait until I am alerted to the fact.
Much Obliged,
Actually, I think that in the current implementation, it is indeed unimportant what you choose (you get the same key in all cases).
Vlk
Thanks for the correction, Vlk.
Very subtle (current implementation), does that mean there is a new implementation pending ;D
Though surely if you just said you had lost your key (option1 and you were using the same email address), if the original was still valid wouldn’t you get a copy of that ?
When talking about possible new implementations, best solution would be to completely get rid of manual registration and implement an automatic system. Like, generating some unique but constant ID (constant = it will be always the same on the particular PC, no matter how many times you reinstall Avast or the OS; HW specific?) and automatically registering during first update. This will be better for users (there is not one week I don’t have to re-register Avast on someones home computer, people are just so stupid they can’t make it themselves) and for you too, as the statistics would be more accurate.
The only reason why the registration process works as it works is to verify the email addresses. I.e. the only reliable way to verify the email address is to actually send something to it (the license key).
Now, of course, we’re discussing whether such a verification is really necessary and outweighs all the hassles associated with the registration process; if we concluded that it isn’t then we’d probably switch to an in-program registration (activation).
Thanks
Vlk
Please, do that and you can collect all statistic info that you want…
The email address verification is pretty useless, from my experience many people use disposable email addresses to avoid spam, so the address is never the same even if they are just re-registering.
And computer technicians don’t bother with registering each computer separately, they just get one key and use it for like 3-4 months before getting another one. In my neighborhood there is some 30 machines using one key, so there goes your statistic accuracy.
So I would say that the inconveniences associated with registration outweigh its usefulness by far.
In my neighborhood there is some 30 machines using one key, so there goes your statistic accuracy.
Just out of curiosity, you wouldn’t be the reason for that, would you? ;D
Anyway, what happens when their license expires? Do they call you, and you have to make 30 house calls to plug in a new key for them?
Wouldn’t it be easier for each of them to get their own key with their own email address, so they can get it later if needed, and do their own re-registration?