[Hidden-tech] [Hidden-Tech] Alternatives to Quicken

[Don Lesser]

Jan, I wrote exactly the same reply but deleted it thinking I was being too
hard @ssed. I agree completely. Downloaded transactions sometime require as
much time to correct and categorize as simply entering them, but so what?
Quicken has to take transactions, which have a TX number instead of your
name for the payee and download it to millions of computers. Quicken
attempts to figure out what you want to do with a check, but it is not
perfect. All the extra stuff they add, like tracking investments, is the
business trying to give you a reason to buy a new copy.

Shel, I love Excel, but to say it has a poor interface for writing checks is
like saying a stereo system has a poor interface for running a TV-not
designed for it. I could write you Excel code to provide a check writing
interface and data entry screens for deposits and a reconcile function, but
it would cost in the thousands. And, getting access to your bank account to
download info would require a ton of special code. Quicken, like all mature
software, is bloated with features that have been added so that you have a
reason to upgrade, but the core technology is superb. I have been able to
write checks and print them on everything from an Epson dot matrix to a HP
Color laserjet. Very impressive.

Sorry. Must be all that candy yesterday...

Don Lesser
Pioneer Training, Inc.
139B Damon Road, Ste 8
Northampton, MA 01060
(413) 387-1040
(413) 586-0545 (fax)
dlesser at ptraining.com
www.ptraining.com


-----Original Message-----
From: hidden-discuss-bounces at lists.hidden-tech.net
[mailto:hidden-discuss-bounces at lists.hidden-tech.net] On Behalf Of Jan
Werner
Sent: Monday, April 01, 2013 9:11 AM
To: shel at principledprofit.com; ken at waldenconsultinggroup.com
Cc: Hidden-Tech Discussions
Subject: Re: [Hidden-tech] [Hidden-Tech] Alternatives to Quicken

   ** Be sure to fill out the survey/skills inventory in the member's area.
   ** If you did, we all thank you.


This is the kind of statement that drives me up the wall.

The only way lost data can be unrecoverable is if it was not properly backed
up.  That is the fault of the user, not the software!

For the last 24 years, I have used Quicken Home & Business to handle all of
my personal and business banking records, accounts receivable and investment
accounts. During that period, I have moved from DOS through Windows 95, 98
and XP to my current 64-bit Windows 7.

I only upgrade when there is some compelling reason to do so, but ALL of the
data accumulated over those 24 years has successfully made the transition
through at least 5 different versions of the software.

That does not mean that it has always been smooth sailing, and I have
learned to be wary of the havoc automated online transactions can wreak on a
data file. But Quicken makes it easy to keep daily backups, and given the
critical nature of the content, I am careful to keep copies on a second
computer, as well as on offline media.

I have NEVER had to recover more than a few hours of work during all those
years, and never had any difficulty doing so.

Jan Werner
_______________

shel at principledprofit.com wrote:
>     ** Be sure to fill out the survey/skills inventory in the member's
area.
>     ** If you did, we all thank you.
>
>
> It was probably 15 or 20 years ago that Quicken ate an entire year's 
> worth of checkbook register, unrecoverable. At that point I switched 
> to Excel, which has a far less pleasant interface for managing checks 
> but does the record keeping I need. Obviously you can't use it to run 
> a checkbook, but it tracks your activity if you log it in.
>
>
> __________________________
> Shel Horowitz, mailto:shel at frugalfun.com, 413-586-2388 "I make the 
> world INSIST on learning why YOU'RE special"
> Consultant * Copywriter * Author * Speaker * Meeting Planner
> Expertise: Frugal Marketing <http://www.frugalmarketing.com> Frugal 
> Fun <http://www.frugalfun.com> Writing, Editing, & Publishing 
> <http://www.accuratewriting.com> _____________________________
>
> On 2013-03-29 18:35, Ken Russell wrote:
>> ** Be sure to fill out the survey/skills inventory in the member's 
>> area.
>>     ** If you did, we all thank you.
>>
>>
>>
>> Greets Friends,
>>
>> So infuriated with Quicken!
>>
>> Have had a nice long look  at gnuCash, but I find it difficult to 
>> sync with various banks and credit cards.
>>
>> I'd love  to get any thoughts on good alternatives to Quicken. Don't 
>> mind double-ledger,  but the *must-have* feature is seamless sync.
>>
>> Thoughts? perspectives?
>>
>> Thanks as ever,
>>
>> Ken
>>
>> _________________________________________
>>   Ken Russell
>> WALDEN CONSULTING GROUP
>> Business Consulting & Coaching
>> Narrative & Marketing
>>   Applications & Process Design
>> c: 617.460.3837 [1]
>> li: http://www.linkedin.com/in/waldenconsulting [2]
>> g+: http://bit.ly/Sjyl7Z [3]
>>
>>
>>
>> Links:
>> ------
>> [1] tel:617.460.3837
>> [2] http://www.linkedin.com/in/waldenconsulting
>> [3] http://bit.ly/Sjyl7Z
>>
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