Avast Registration?

[SkyRider]

I installed the Avast 3 weeks ago. It has been asking me to register if I want to continue to receive the free protection. Do you guys use your real name when you register?

 

[larry]

never. and i use avg antivirus. free.

 

[WoodPeckr]

Never used my real name either and it never mattered to Avast since 2006 using their free version....

 

[SkyRider]

Never used my real name either and it never mattered to Avast since 2006 using their free version....

Do they bother you at all? I notice that they also ask for your email address. Why do they want you to register?

 

[spraggamuffin]

I believe I used my real name.

Your email is to send you the serial number required to register.

They want you to register possibly as a committment to their product. Statistical data to gauge market share.

Even if you choose the free one you've potentially committed to their product for a maximum of 1 year before you are required to re-register.

It means you have one foot in the door using their product and I'm sure statistically a certain percentage of free users do upgrade to the paid version.

So the information gathered by them could be used to gauge their success in terms of repeat users(re-registers for free or paid), committed and satisfied users etc.

FYI: Microsoft Essentials is also a very good anti virus and it's free.Make sure you have a legal copy of Microsoft though.

 

[WoodPeckr]

Do they bother you at all? I notice that they also ask for your email address. Why do they want you to register?

They never bothered me other than the usual trying to get you to upgrade to their pay versions when your free version is about to expire. I always declined and stuck with the free version.

They need an email address to send you your registration key # to activate you for the year.....no big deal and nothing to worry about.

 

[Cobster]

Do they bother you at all? I notice that they also ask for your email address. Why do they want you to register?

Same reason SpyBook wants more people to sign up and use their real names, emails and phone numbers, data mining.
Plain and simple.

Knowledge is power (heard that once or twice before) and money, they can sell your info to other people for targeted advertising and who else knows what. Oh and also mail you crap about specials they're having.

 

[SkyRider]

Thanks guys, I guess to continue to receive the Avast freebie version, I'll have to register.

Speaking of data mining, I made some purchases at a couple of online stores in the recent past and now I get emails from them almost weekly on their "specials".

 

[Cobster]

That's why I have more than 1 email account. 1 for personal (family, friends, the very close kind), 2nd for casual contacts, friends, 3rd for junk mail "register to join the site, bla, bla, bla".
ie - Terb has my junk email one.

 

[WoodPeckr]

Speaking of data mining, I made some purchases at a couple of online stores in the recent past and now I get emails from them almost weekly on their "specials".

A lot of online stores are doing this lately, along with legitimate businesses. They want your email, then they spam you. Avast does not do this.

I never give these places my main email anymore to avoid this happening. You need to create extra emails so this spam doesn't clutter up your main email account.

 

[larry]

A lot of online stores are doing this lately, along with legitimate businesses. They want your email, then they spam you. Avast does not do this.

I never give these places my main email anymore to avoid this happening. You need to create extra emails so this spam doesn't clutter up your main email account.

it only takes a couple minutes to add a filter and send unwanted regular emails to a special folder. i don't advise delete immediately as there could be a genuine one there. so once in a while, review and clean up.