Prevent Pop-up Ads in free version?

Is there a way to prevent pop-up ads in the free version? I just received a pop-up ad about upgrading to the paid version. I never saw these before. It looked just like a virus definition update but it was an ad for the paid version.

I also noticed this just moment ago.

See screenshot.

I don’t believe there is I just got it today also, but it was also an offer (Summertime Savings) as well a general ad.

Personally I don’t feel it is that much hassle, but the Orange grabs your attention when used in the same pop-up style as updates and alerts and automatically I though an update had failed, etc.

I see the £ has reached parity with the Euro, so not as good an offer as first suggested then and certainly not the lowest price ever ;D

Indeed. ;D ;D ;D

+1 >:(

I see your +1 >:( and raise +2 >:( >:(

I can deal with it…but I don’t like it.

@Gargamel360

+2 ;D :wink:

Hi, I’ve yet to see this pop up. I do block avastui.exe with my firewall though.
Not sure if this is the reason or not.

That is probably why, but I really don’t want to do that, which is why I didn’t mention it as an option.

I saw this pop up a couple of hours ago.

About the price, it is only a concern to Avast Software and for the users really interested in the offer, and the offer can change from time to time. For this topic, that is OT.

The really important thing (in the context of this specific forum’s topic) is if this type of “warning” is going to be “too frequent”, or “annoying”.

After years of using Avast, this is the first time I’ve ever seen such a “warning”, so it doesn’t bother me. I think it is a legitimate way of offering discounts to potential buyers. As I said, it depends on the frequency.

Although I don’t think there is a GUI method to avoid it, I guess that a complete silent mode would block it. I personally don’t use silent mode, and I won’t use it for the only purpose of blocking this notification.

In addition, as with other pop ups, it is still possible to change the time it is going to be displayed. I personally won’t change the displayed time, unless it turns to be “too frequent”. I think that, during the years, Avast has been both respectful and useful to the user, so I don’t believe it is going to be “too frequent”.

This is going to be something of a problem for me. Not me personally but for my business.

Before any one jumps on me for violating the licensing agreement for the free version: I run a computer repair business. I don’t use the free version myself (except on my home computers). I do often suggest it to my clients. I also install it for them if they request I do so and I charge for the labor. As far as I know this is well within the “for personal use only” requirements of the Avast! free license. I also read the license (though I’ll admit it’s been a while) and found nothing that would lead me to believe suggesting it to my clients or even charging to installing it for them is a violation.

So… with the disclaimer out of the way…

My problem with this whole thing is that this makes me wonder if I should still suggest Avast! free edition to my clients. Many of my clients would view this as an intrusion into their privacy. Those that do will likely end up calling me to “fix it” so that doesn’t pop up, and when I tell them I can’t… well… the end result in many cases will be installing another product at no labor charge to appease the client.

I love Avast. And, as odd as this might sound coming from some one who makes a living removing virus’, of the things I love most is how effectively it protects my clients from virus’ without much interaction on their part or interfering with their work. It stays out of their way, minds its own business, and does its job. This is exactly what an antivirus should be.

Before I would tell my clients Avast! was not just the best, it was the only reasonable choice. Free and as good or better than any paid AV? Can you say no brainer? But now, at best, I have to throw in a caveat when I suggest it.

Obviously I’ll deal with it. I’ll still suggest Avast! first and foremost… I’m just going to feel a lot less confident about it and I’ll have to tag a “the only bad thing about it” to my “sales pitch.” I’m also going to have to find another product I feel as confident about as a backup suggestion for the clients that outright baulk.

I had my first avast! ad pop up this morning – I do not like this development either. There are already ads in the main program box; surely that’s enough if it’s really necessary. Popping up in the same place as update notifications is a bad idea.

I also don’t want to be nagged about a paid version I’m already aware of. And as someone else mentioned, some users might think their free version is only trialware or something.

Either remove it from GUI or from the pop up…

I was a little startled by this too, but I’d much rather have that pop-up than an Ask toolbar or registry cleaner pushed on me coughAviracough.

I got it for the first time today as well and it startled me at first, then it annoyed me when I saw what it was. I know all about the Pro version. I hope they only do this for special offers or discounts, then it won’t be so bad.

I dont see what the bid deal is. They very rarely have a screen for specials and when they do, you simply just click to close. Its not like those annoying companies that have a pop up every time you start the PC. for the PC tech, considering it is free, if they have to close 1 or 2 or even 4 pop ups a year, then why are they complaining… especially considering they are not paying anything for it. Just explain to them that there may occasionally may be a special that may pop up and just simply click close if you dont want it. If they dont like it, then tell them to pay for a paid one but you can not recommend any. this way, you keep yourself clean from any pop ups that any company has. If you do have a customer that complains about a pop up every few months, then they are way to picky… especially considering that they are getting free software because (most of the time) they are too cheap to pay for it… and if they are not too cheap, then they would purchase the other versions that are paid for (pro, IS, etc). Like they say, you can please all of the people some of the time or some of the people all of the time, but you cant please all of the people all of the time…

Blocked here, too. Doesn’t prevent the pop-up.

It’s where these sorts of things can end up: pop ups visible all the time, software pushed to you, possibly installed unwittingly. Ends up as annoyance for regular, experienced users; confusion for others.

Not saying this will happen to avast!, but the red flags go up at these sort of things.

That would be ok!
We don’t need a second Avira and I really think, that we won’t get one!

avast definitely needs to reconsider this “warning” form of “advertising”.
If you read product reviews/comparisons at various websites, it seems to me that one of the main objections they have against avira is its “nagging update screen advertising its paid version”. Granted, avira nags with EVERY update, and for avast, this is a one-time thing (at least so far for me). Bit its gonna generate “bad will” and objections “on principle”… so I think it has to be stopped… especially in the form of what appears to be a “warning”.

My suggestion: IF avast wants to offer me an occasional special deal, it should do so by e-mail. That would not cause any sense of “alarm” (like a warning does)… avast can make its solicitation… and I can calmly react to it (read it or dump it) as I see fit.