Windows 7: Microsoft Rebuts Antivirus Test Failure

Can I use this?

Ditto. Former long time Avast (Free) user. The final nail was this:

Aghast at Avast’s iYogi Support — Krebs on Security

MSE definition updates aren't working right now.
MSE not updating beyond definition version 1.143.376.0

Also, I've installed Avast free and never had any crapware installed. You do have to uncheck the default option to install Chrome. It might make a difference where the installer is downloaded from. The default location is download dot com. I prefer somewhere else such as filehippo. I've never been prompted to register, pay, or upgrade after the product is registered.

Crapware is not always 3rd party. Mail shield, network shield P2P shield, windshield,etc, rootkit scans, sandbox, gadgets and all the other crud...
Attachment 251336

last time I installed it I recall having to start some kind of account with Avast in order to get and/or disable some such useless (to me) functionality (I can't recall which). Even after selecting only file shield web shield & behavior shield the newest version I had increased my average boot/reboot time by 25-30 seconds. Avast is a wonderful AV & I would never tell anyone to uninstall or replace it, I just no longer recommend it.

The sneak-designed gadget annoyed me enough to stop installing it, along with the calls from friends wondering why they had to suddenly pay for it.

What is the sneak-designed gadget?

I don't doubt you or your friends, but i wonder why they would suddenly have to pay, and I've never been prompted to pay.
Maybe they downloaded the wrong version (not the free version) ?

It is during annual re-registration when users are steered toward the paid version. This upset my sister as well as others who would call me periodically. Why bother with registration at all when you get comparable protection with MSE without any bother.

The gadget might have been taken out since but it could only be deselected in a Custom install and was designed to slip by (i.e. sneak). Gadget wouldn't go away even if you X it out on Desktop but started with Windows 7 every time anyway, requiring Repair Uninstall in Control Panel where I dug through Custom choices to find and uncheck it. Doing this a half dozen times for annoyed users was itself annoying.

I have always thought Avast protection was equal to MSE, only reporting the bother it brought that was resolved by installing MSE. I notice others started dropping Avast's near co-equal mention here with MSE about that same time a year or more ago. Maybe I'm too much into 7F groupthink but tend to trust the recommendation trends here.

OK, i understand about the prompt at registration time.
It's once a year, and doesn't bother me.

MS has made money from selling the OS, so I see MSE as an optional freebie.
Avast has not got any money from me, so i can see where they would try and get me to upgrade to a paid version.
I can understand that, a business has to make money to survive.

I recommend and install MSE for people I help.
It's much simpler than Avast, and I believe that's a good thing for most people.
I also use it on some of my systems, and on others I use Avast.

Part of me prefers Avast because I believe it offers more protection than MSE.

I wanted an Icon editor the other day, found a free one, downloaded it, scanned it...
I then ran it and Avast auto put it in a Sandbox...
MSE wouldn't do that.

Is that good or bad?
To each his own, I don't mind that type of added security...