On turning on my computer today, I saw that I was no longer the only ‘User’ shown on the front page.
There are now TWO users, me and ‘Avast Software Updater’!!
I tried to log in, to my own computer, as Avast, but it needs a password that I do not have! I tried my normal ones, but nothing.
I am still able to log in to my normal user account, but I am wondering what this new user account is for, and why ?
I assume this happened when the update to Avast 8 was done.
Curiosity about how long I have been happily using Avast made me look to see how old Avast is…
1988
Pavel Baudiš, then a researcher at Prague’s Mathematical Machines Research Institute, encounters a sample of the Vienna Virus and, intrigued by it, writes a program able to remove it. He then shows it to colleague Eduard Kučera and, together, they start ALWIL Software cooperative, which releases the first avast! antivirus. Due to the oppressive regime, they are unable to form a ‘company’ at this time.
1995
A young Ondrej Vlček (current AVAST CTO) joins ALWIL while completing his university studies. He writes the first antivirus program for Windows 95.
1996
avast! antivirus is one of the first three antivirus programs globally to win Virus Bulletin’s VB100 awards in all testing categories
1997
ALWIL Software provides the avast! antivirus engine to McAfee, which licenses it for use in its own line of McAfee antivirus products – proving the effectiveness of avast! antivirus technologies with the “Powered by avast! engine” logo on the McAfee VirusScan boxes.
2001
ALWIL Software launches a free antivirus solution for home (non-commercial) use.
2002
A new registration system sees the very first user registration of free avast! antivirus Home Edition.
2004
Only 30 months after its first user registration, the free version of avast! reaches one million users.
2006
The avast! user base doubles twice, first to 10 million and then to 20 million by year’s end
2007
The company reaches 40 million registered avast! users with only 38 employees
2009
The avast! registered-user base is now 100 million, with 100 employees.
2010
Summit Partners invests $100 million for a minority share of the company. ALWIL Software changes its name to AVAST Software, and reaches 130 million registered users.
2011
By midyear, avast! has more than 135 million active users and over 165 million user registrations – all with just over 150 employees.
2012
avast! finishes the year actively protecting over 170 million PCs, Macs, and Android devices, with just over 200 employees.
avast! Free Mobile Security reaches best-rated security app in Google Play, and avast! Free Antivirus achieves the top-downloaded software spot on Download.com.
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