Recently my system applied an update from BitDefender that required a reboot. Then BitDefender began to nag me constantly about the need to reboot. While it is all well and good that BitDefender applies updates, and it is understood that at times those updates will require a reboot, it is unacceptable for it to pester me frequently.
In this case I had important work open that I needed to complete before a reboot, so rebooting was not a good option at the time. Unfortunately, the BitDefender nags became increasingly frequent until the point that I dismissed one and went back to typing an email, when approximately 45 seconds later, another popped up and because I was typing at the time and apparently hit a hot-key, my system immediately rebooted without further prompt mid sentence, no prompt to save from any of the open applications, they were all immediately terminated. This was completely unacceptable on many levels.
First, it has become common practice that when such nags are necessary that the user is given an option to delay such nag for some predetermined time, that is clear to the user and often selectable. I.E. remind me again tonight/tomorrow, or remind me again in X hours.
Second, any such dialog that will immediately reboot your machine should not have hotkeys in it as it should not be made easy to reboot your system inadvertently but rather the process should take some thought and effort.
Third, any such dialog that is about to reboot my system should contain a further prompt for my confirmation, including an explanation that the shutdown process will begin immediately, all applications will be forcibly closed and that any unsaved data will be lost (as it was in my case). While I did not need this information, and am well aware as a software developer of these consequences, this additional confirmation would have likely stopped the inadvertent shutdown of my machine and prevented the loss of data that occurred.
Fourth, any such shutdown should use the typical windows shutdown procedure, which will allow any application with unsaved data, to stop the process from continuing, possibly with a countdown, but also with an opportunity cancel the process if someone realizes that there is something they have forgotten about that needs to be taken care of before completing the reboot. That was not the case here, this was the fastest reboot I have ever seen. All applications were forcibly closed instantly, and the reboot process occurred. I had several applications that would have blocked for prompt a typical windows system reboot. Your process is too aggressive and is harmful to your users.
Fifth your reboot dialog should not steal focus when it pops up. If I am in the middle of typing your popup should not pull me out of the application that I am in the middle of using and start accepting keyboard input that was not meant for it.
- Sixth, any such update that requires a reboot, should not be performed until that reboot is requested or approved. I understand that such updates are necessary, and that their application may leave the system vulnerable until the time of the reboot, making the reboot of some urgency. Delaying the application of the patch until the reboot is approved will allow the system to continue to be protected, at the existing level, until the point that the user is safe to reboot without data loss.
And now the process has restarted, BitDefender is once again telling me I have to reboot to complete the update process. Apparently shutting my computer down yesterday was not enough.
I hope that this situation can be addressed, for the last several years I have enjoyed switching to Bitdefender after McAfee caused me to many system issues and they were unable to fix the software in a timely manner. Bitdefender until now has worked well and not impacted my computer use greatly. The "Hey Im Here" popups are annoying and I would prefer they be gone when I am paying for the software, but having my CPU and Memory resources available is more important. However, computer resets mid work cannot be tolerated.
