Hello everyone,
Sorry in advance if this isn’t the right place for this… its just some feedback aimed at the avast! team that hopefully will be addressed.
Despite one or two furious flameouts on this forum about the Software Updater, I really love that avast 8 includes this function. I would agree that the addition of the updater to the package should be more explicit (updating from avast 7, I had no idea that I was getting the updater in the new install), but as a long-time tech nerd I love having something that keeps an eye on my software and lets me know when it needs updating. This is especially useful for Java and Adobe products, which (along with many others) have automatic updaters built in that are not always up to scratch.
BUT… I do have two big gripes. Since yesterday the updater is telling me that I need to update Internet Explorer, and that my “Software Updater status” is “CRITICAL (40%)” (incidentally, I have no idea what that percentage refers to…). When I click “fix now” beside the IE listing the Windows Update window opens, where I find that there actually is no available IE update (my IE install is already up to date), but instead there is an optional Bing app for the Windows 8 desktop. It may be related to IE, but its an optional app (not even an update) I don’t need or want that does not affect how my current IE install runs (and I don’t want more crapola on my desktop ta very much). I appreciate that this might be unique to Windows 8 users but nevertheless its a total bugger to be told again and again that I have an urgent out of date software issue to resolve, when in fact I don’t.
Also, the updater ignores some often-used programmes that frequently need updating. For example, it lists Adobe Reader, but not Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Contribute, or Adobe Flash Player. It lists Internet Explorer, but not Firefox or Google Chrome. It lists VLC Media Player and Quicktime, but not DivX or Real Player. And it also overlooks CCleaner and other Piriform products, as well as MalwareBytes, Google Earth, Skype… and so on.
I also intensely dislike that there is a nice blue button enticing me to “activate automatic updates”, which when clicked just tells me I can only have that function for a cost. I have no problem with extra features like that only being available via a subscription option, but please don’t wave it under our noses only to tell us we can’t have it unless we pay to upgrade! That seems kind of sneaky 
A minor gripe perhaps, but still… its a fairness thing.
So, hopefully these issues can be resolved in an update:
(1) Software Updater should be able to list all added programmes, or at least users should be able to select or nominate the programmes that they want the Updater to monitor, or add to the list.
(2) Software Updater should be better able to distinguish a critical IE update from an optional add-on (if it happens with IE now, it could perhaps happen again or with another programme in the future). If a real update becomes available, how will I know? I don’t want to have to keep clicking on that pop-up to see if IE really needs an update, or if its just that Bing gadget again.
(3) No more of the “u can has cheezburger… oe noes you cant! gimmeh teh monehs!!” thing. Either remove the button, or change “activate automatic updates” to “upgrade now for automatic updates”. Just to be nice!
Otherwise I really like the new UI and everything else about avast 8. For the first time I am interested in moving from the free version to a subscription option, but would like to see these kinks ironed out.
MP