New Feature Idea for the Software Updater tool

Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security
1

Avast engineering:

Of all your tools, I find the Software Updater useful. It watches for changes to a number of programs I have installed without me having to go look for the updates. Thanks for that!

However, I have some programs that are not included in your Software Updater, and which are probably not used by enough folks worldwide to warrant your taking the time to include in your list.

An example is the OnOne Software package, “Perfect Resize” plug-in. Downloads are presented on this page, for example: http://www.ononesoftware.com/support/360/

The feature I’m requesting is this:

Could you add a user-accessible interface to the database you use to check for online updates so that individuals could add entries?

Even if it would just lead to just a message that pops up and states, “This web page has changed, click here to see the updated page.” it would be nice. I’d know about the update as soon as it was made available, then I wouldn’t have to go check.

Thanks for your consideration.

-Noel

2

this may be of interest http://www.7tutorials.com/best-tools-check-software-updates

found using google, there is more out there

3

Thank you, Pondus.

I probably won’t seek a 3rd party update manager, but since Avast already has the Software Updater tool I figured I’d let them know a way they could improve it and add value to the package. There’s no reason Avast can’t provide a best-in-show tool for the task. The infrastructure is all there.

-Noel

4

It’s a good idea but I think avasts main purpose for the software updater is to update the most vulnerable programs which lead to infections rather than be a product updater.

5

That is I believe what they, avast said when it was introduced - software most targeted, internet facing applications, browsers, etc. etc.

6

Would be nice (to be able to add new stuff manually), but I’m not sure if this is gonna happen…
The thing is that it’s not just checking a web page (which is not done at all currently) - the Software Updater needs to find&check the existing version of the tool, which may include nontrivial scripts looking for the installed location, version, edition, language version etc. - and matching all that to its internal database to see if a new version is available and applicable. I don’t know if there’s any reasonably simple (but simultaneously generic enough) way to give users the ability to interfere with this process.