Safe Price is a separate item. If you want it, it’s available for Chrome at:
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/avast-safeprice/eofcbnmajmjmplflapaojjnihcjkigck?hl=en
What is being referred to as “survival” in industry is actually an evil, and underhanded practice. Everyone here talks about business being the all important thing, and that we simply have to learn to cope with it… this is very wrong. We don’t have to learn to cope with anything. If we make enough of a stink, or make certain critical choices, we can change the flow of things in the right direction.
For example… SafePrice… When I first saw it, I went to great lengths to completely remove it by using another malware scanner that flagged it. Unfortunately, i can’t remember now which scanner it was, but the addition of SafePrice into the browser, without giving the user the option to disable it, or remove it during a program update is also evil, and underhanded. An antivirus is just that… antivirus. It’s not supposed to be used as a tool for shopping around.
SafePrice, and anything even remotely like it is malware/adware in my eyes, and will always be removed from my system, whether I do it manually, or using a myriad of malware scanners. Never rely on one product to secure your system… I have something like 8 or 9 different security solutions, but only one antivirus.
As has been mentioned here on the forum many times, you DO have the options to avoid installing it and to remove it, even if those options are not shown in obvious ways.
I do agree with you that legitimate, professional security software probably should not aggressively try to further its own agenda by duping users into loading their systems up with unneeded extraware, but we don’t have the luxury of choosing the business model that the software maker follows. Apparently this one works. It gets the software’s foot in an awful lot of doors, and apparently then a lot of folks actually choose to pay for what they can get for free. That’s fascinating if you think about it.
Of course we DO have the ability to not use Avast, and to choose another product… It’s not like anti-malware software is essential; if you’re doing the right things it’s no more than an unused safety net. Trouble is, a better product doesn’t actually exist. But it’s a dangerous game for Avast to continue to play… Imagine if a truly better product were to become available, providing a professional experience and not acting like borderline malware itself. It would take a little time, but I am imagining folks jumping ship. Why would customers stay with a company that treats them more like prey than a partner?
Bottom line: It is what it is, and it’s the way it is on purpose, not by accident, and they quite likely know more about doing this than we do.
Look at it this way: It makes us more suspicious of our technology, that’s healthy.
-Noel
Safe Price is not included as part of AOS in avast! 2015 which is currently in beta.
So what other “foot in the door” software modules are going to be included in that package? Or are you saying there’s a shift away from the “opt out if you’re savvy” model Avast has been following?
-Noel
Simply look at the beta section and read for yourself. 
Oh wow, thanks for the advice, Bob. I didn’t know I could read things online by myself.
So even though you posted a leading response you don’t really want to discuss this conceptually after all?
-Noel
You want concept? I deal in facts and that’s what I posted. Don’t have time to write a novel.
If you want to talk concepts, then you will have to talk to avast and not to avast users.
Are you really saying Avast users can’t intelligently discuss such design concepts as the way the product interacts with users?
I believe I’ll communicate at whatever level suits me with whomever I choose, thank you. If it’s above your preferred level, you always have the option of moving on to the next thread.
People like Jason above make excellent, honestly-presented points, and encouraging expression of them might actually help the Avast folks realize where the barriers to acceptance are. It’s a plain and simple fact that Avast overtly acts in some ways like the very software it’s supposed to protect us against. No amount of “shh, don’t talk about that, that’s unpopular” are likely make the poor parts of Avast’s design better.
I’m left to wonder… Why would anyone want to discourage a discussion of what could be better about the product?
-Noel
What is the point in users discussing concepts that outside of our control, avast decide what will be offered up in installations.
What you choose to waste you time on is entirely up to you - but concepts are wide of the mark or possibly off topic for the OPs original question about safe price.
David, it’s been a long time since I’ve read a response that’s so overtly… Wrong.
The original post in this thread is a complaint that Avast is including, among others, a piece of fluffware called “SafePrice” that conceptually just doesn’t belong in an antivirus product. I went back and read it again to make sure I didn’t miss anything, even though the “Are You Kidding Me?” part in the subject pretty much says it all. The post to which I was responding by Jason was even more on the point.
And yes, this product still says “ANTIVIRUS” right at the top of its UI last I looked.
If a high level conversation is beyond your desire, that doesn’t mean it’s so for everyone. Discussion is healthy.
Acknowledging reality is also healthy.
-Noel
If you want to discus concepts there is nothing stopping you creating a new topic for it, rather than drive this particular topic away from the original specific question.
If avast want to join your concepts topic we can only wait and see.
I think everyone is missing the point here.
I have been in the IT industry for over 25 yrs. I only mention this to let you know that I have a lot of experience and that my response to this topic is not based upon emotion, but on solid business experience and logic.
I use and recommend many “free” products over the years. I even purchase and recommend purchases based upon my experiences on the free product. BUT, like I tell my clients, “Just because a product doesn’t cost you any money, it does not come without a price.” It is up to us as consumers to determine what that cost is and whether or not you can live with it. This can be in the form of spamming emails, browser extensions, additional software that may or may not be desired. This means that as consumers we need to educate ourselves and make rational informed decisions that are not based upon emotion, but factual events. Different topic that can be quite lengthy and not the point I want to make here.
Any business that intends to stay in business has to make a profit. That is a given. Even though marketing departments would have you believe that their company is in the business of making you happy, keep you safe, that they have the best product or service in the world and that they exist just to fufil your expectations and desires, (that is always marketing’s job) this is not the case. It is always about the money.
So now we know what AVast or any other businesses motive actually is, we can examine this in a new light. We can understand the free product a little better. Generally you push a free product with reduced functionality to help with marketing of the paid version with additional features and functionality. Other times you get a free product that you really want with the understanding that you will be marketed. -We really want to see that TV show, so we put up with the commercials-do we get a choice of commercials?-no, the sponsers with the biggest pockets do. Did Avast spend the time and money and resources to develop this extension not to make a profit? Absolutely not. They have to at the very least recoup these expenses or they will not stay in business. This is basic business 101. You have to at least get your expenses back or you are dead. Are they recouping these expenses from free users?? I dont think so. That means there is another source. Members of safeprice must be subsidizing this expense.
Now there is nothing inheritly wrong with this practice. It is done millions of times in business. The problem with avast doing this is that it is a conflict of interest from then end user point of view.
As an investor in the company, I would want them to maximize profits. If you tell me as company management that you are looking out for the best interest of the free users as opposed to the advertiser that wants to give me money to push their products, I am not going to be too happy and I am going to call you to task on that. this is actually a shortsighted view, but that is the way business works. it is about todays bottom line not whether it will hurt the company in the future-again another topic, but this is the way it is. The guys with the big pockets maximize todays profits, then get the hell out and let everyone else suffer the consequences.
So now we can logically say that free users cannot expect the support and loyalty that Avast will give paying advertisers and that is understandable. Again I can live with that for many products. TV programs are one thing, but as an end user, I can’t accept that from my security software. The fact that it is not relayed to the end user in a open manner makes me even more suspicious. Now if on the very first installation screen, it was communicated to me that the free version was sponsored by safe price members, it would not be such an egregious act and I might be able to accept that if I have an opt out even before I installed it. If this is being included in the paid version in the same way, then Avast has made it quite clear the direction they are going and cannot be trusted with my security.
That being said, I dont blame avast for any of their actions. Management made some short sighted decisions that is going to hurt them. I was the one that made the mistake here. I preach to my clients to read user agreements, know what they are installing, do custom installs just to hopefully see what’s going on, research the product they are choosing to install, etc, in other words due diligence. I did not do that in this case. I based my particular installation on avast reputation and did not do what i tell others to do and what I normally do. I have been in this business long enough to know that companies and products change good to bad and vise versa. I will not make that mistake again
@ frogcityrd,
You’re a little late with your reply.
In avast 2015, SafePrice isn’t a part of Avast anymore. If you want it, you’ll need a separate install for it.
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/avast-safeprice/eofcbnmajmjmplflapaojjnihcjkigck?hl=en
I do realize that I am late to the party. As part of what I do in this industry is to educate my clients. When I saw this topic, I realized that I could post a reply here and show my clients many of the points that I lecture them on. It is one thing for me to tell them something and another to see a real life example. We saw everything in this post from emotional response, brand loyalty, personal attacks, etc. I am going to use this topic discussion to illustrate many of the points I bring to my clients. Normally I dont participate in these types of forums. But this had so many levels for me to teach, I could not pass on the opportunity. While this particular topic was on this issue of Avast, I will actually be teaching my clients on how to make good sound business decisions and that even I can make mistakes. While this is an old topic, the principles and lessons contained within are timeless. I do apologize for taking this thread over for my own purposes. While this is a dead issue for most people, I will be explaining to my clients why this is not a dead issue for them or Avast in an offline discussion.
What you can also point out to your clients from this thread is that even Companies learn. Hence the change in way SafePrice is now available. I don’t know what or to whom you lecture but, nothing in here any any way diminishes the protection Avast offers their customers. Even those of us that use the Free version of Avast.
Perhaps you just need to educate them to know that with the Free product all the extraneous “tools” can actually be turned off. The reward is state of the art protection if you take just a few minutes to get smarter about your security software, and don’t just click the biggest, shiniest buttons.
-Noel
While some of us are aware that these features can be turned off, it is unforgivable that a company which we trust to secure our system sneaks this sort of crap/spyware into a update >:(
I don’t believe anyone is seeking your forgiveness.
I believe Avast is in business to make money. They’ve chosen a business model that isn’t what you expected, that’s all. But thankfully, even though the extraware (that presumably makes them money when distributed en masse) is included by default, it can actually be turned off, even in the free version.
You can of course choose to use Avast - or not to use it, based on the answers to the questions, “Does this software provide value?” and “Am I smart enough to derive that value?”
-Noel