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Updating Quickbooks Forces Online Membership?

Posted by Cliff on from the limiting-the-previous-feature-set dept.

garyebickford asks: "I've been using Quickbooks 2001 for a long time, sending out invoices via email. A couple of months ago it asked if I wanted to do an online update - these occurred occasionally and I agreed. There was no information regarding what the update would do, although IIRC there was some mention of 'new features' and 'improvements'. Since that time, it is now impossible to either fax or email an invoice without signing up for Quickbook's 'Online Business Member' program since it appears to use their own mail server. Membership is free for now, but the required click-agreement forces me to agree in advance to any future fees! I have no interest in letting Intuit know about my invoices and other financial information. As a result, this software is essentially useless and I must find a new accounting package. I've looked at various OSS packages but haven't found one that has developed far enough to use in this way. But there are many out there and I haven't kept up to date, so maybe someone else out there can suggest something. I'd prefer using it on Linux, of course. I'd also be interested if this loss of functionality would be sufficient to consider a class action suit to recover costs of conversion." The issue at hand is that commercial software has started to force consumers to fall into such schemes to maintain features that they already had. Today it is Quickbooks, but what about tomorrow?

10 of 441 comments (clear)

  1. In Soviet Russia... by jimius · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    You charge Quickbooks srry, I couldn;t resist, I love the soviet russia jokes :)

    1. Re:In Soviet Russia... by jimius · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      it seems my lay-out and signature are a bit @#$-up srry for any misundersdtandings

    2. Re:In Soviet Russia... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

      In Soviet Russia... Beowulf runs on YOU!

  2. In KGB's Soviet Russia... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    ...Bear or Wulf clusterfucks YOU!. What a coun-try!

  3. Re:Easy... by Thu+Anon+Coward · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    this needs modding down since obviously it's been repudiated

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    I'm good with numbers - .45, 7.62, 9.....
  4. Re:Long live spreadsheets... by scumdamn · · Score: 1, Offtopic

    Just in case any of you moderators get confused, this is both on topic and not a troll. The original poster's nick was "Eric Cartman South P" and in the most recent episode of South Park, Cartman had a business where he really hired some hispanic kids to fling poo onto the walls of parents who fucked with their kids. Just in case you missed it and wanted to banish the above comment to oblivion, please don't. It deserves a +1 funny if anything.

  5. can anyone say itools? :) by ickyfreak · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    just as i thought...

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    100% Australian

  6. Sure... by Eric_Cartman_South_P · · Score: -1, Offtopic
    ...for flaming posters, sit in your car with a hose from the tailpipe looped into the only open crack in one window. Sit for one hour breathing deeply. I sell hoses... well, for you it's FREE.

    For everyone else, I help people use over the counter technology to become more productive. At $1,200 per diem fee and a booked calander, it's a fun way to be a geek. Using things I learn on slashdot is good money making FUN. Or, everyone could be like you, and make stupid racist posts.

    For anyone so inclined, if you know enough to understand every topic on slashdot, you know enough to be able to incorperate (get an S corp in your State) and charge for what you know. It IS almost as simple as that. After 4 years programming Java (God bless netbeans and vi :) and getting let go, desperation + incorperation = self employment.

    And I guess, to be a touch ontopic, use a spreadsheet to track your little S corp. Good luck!

    1. Re:Sure... by Eric_Cartman_South_P · · Score: 1, Offtopic
      Haven't watched the episode yet. So whatever the reference, it is lost on me. All I saw was a lame and racist post. Maybe after watching the latest SP epp, your post will make sence.

      I was busy earning some of that money that gets put in my spreadsheet. When you are out of highschool and mom cuts off your allowance, you'll understand about "work". Until then, catch episodes as they air Wed night at 10:00pm sharp and type up little reviews just for me.

    2. Re:Sure... by Eric_Cartman_South_P · · Score: 1, Offtopic
      Fact is, SOMETHING in your life is so bad, it would, as you said, make me wake up at night screaming.

      Talk with us. Share with us. Did a spam e-mail not deliver on a promise to increase the size of your little "member"? Did the photo of me and your girlfriend, in her locker, tear at a tender heart? Did the fact that you went to school on a short yellow bus confuse your simple mind? Don't fear. Tell me how I, a total stranger - nay - mere words on a chat room page, can "Go away." and you shall triumph over your fears. Everyone marvels at your strength! How brave and brazen of you to scold the great Eric_Cartman_South_P. The girls will scream your name! Your parents will finally love you! All is well in the little bubble of the nexus you call your world! I cowar and hide and pray - oh pray - that my humble firewall protects me from your wrath.

      :)