Yes, I'm running Avast, having given up on AVG. I certainly attempted to not have ANY automatic / times functions at all, but CCleaner shows quite a lot of stuff loaded in the Start menu etc.. Other than that, seems to be quite pleasant to use.
Back to AVG. Well, I'm always surprised when software houses give so much for so little. Nowt, in my case. Obviously if a promotional product is so good that no one buys the real thing, they're on a hiding to nothing, financially. However, I wish they'd been more open about it. If for instance they'd suggested a $10 donation...on a "If you are please with our product." basis, I for one would have paid that for the reduced package. Possibly even upgraded, but having said that, my pal did buy the full soft with his new laptop, and I never really got it running as well as the old Freebie! Quite a statement, that, when you wonder why AVG is losing credibility.