[NTLUG:Discuss] [Fwd: Tax filing in Linux? How-to...]

[Greg Edwards]

Kevin Brannen wrote:
> 
> Intuit does the same thing.  In fact, I had QB working just fine, then 
> as of Feb. 15th of last year, they auto turned off tax calculation 

> 
> They put advertisements for their services on every (yes I do mean 


> missing some basic accounting features (and I have the Pro version not 
> the Basic version) such as closing your books at the end of the year, 
> exporting your reports so you can use them with the next version, etc. 
> that my tax accountant insists any decent accounting package should have 

> version which was $200 more than the Basic version.  There's a whole 
> host of other more minor problems I have with the product, but I'll stop 
> there. :-)
> 

> Peachtree instead.  Lobby Peachtree to do a Linux version.  In fact, I 
> think I'll go do that now. :-)
> 
> Kevin


I know that we're way off topic here, but as you say there are several of 
us that run our own shops, and books.  I for one am not interested in 
getting on some M$ or Intuit discussion group.  So if MadHat would allow 
us a little leeway and just give us a nudge if we go too long, I'll cease 
and desist immediately ;)

I've gone from Peachtree, to DacEasy, back to Peachtree, now to QuickBooks 
(Pro) over the last 14 years.  Peachtree probably has the broadest feature 
set, but the price tag gets hefty after awhile.  I do have a few peeves 
about Peachtree.  If you ever get an entry wrong, and close the month 
before fixing it, you're screwed.  I ended up carrying a cleared check for 
almost a year because of that one.  Their SUTA/FUTA limits were wrong in 
2002 and 2003.  Their 940/941 tax forms don't line up right with the IRS 
forms.  Customized reports are cumbersome and more painful than necessary. 
  Doing end of month and end of year reports is tedious, but you do get a 
fully audit able trail.  Like Intuit they advertise ALL of the time with a 
heavy dose of email and snail mail to try and get you to buy their forms 
and 3rd party services.  And their payroll tax table update service is way 
to high of a premium cost (IMHO).  Paying for updates and tax table 
service can easily get you over the $500/yr mark with Peachtree.

I don't understand how Intuit could "turn off" your tax calculations?  Was 
it done via an update?  Or do they actually invade your computer?  Your 
comment kinda makes me nervous.  Also, what features are missing?

What got me over to QB was the connection to 1120 Tax and their invoicing 
process, especially the save invoices as PDF.  More and more of my clients 
want invoices via email and Peachtree didn't have anything.  Those that 
have done more than a couple 1120 tax forms understand the lure of a Tax 
package that can pull the data from your accounting package.  QB has much 
better customized reporting than Peachtree, but I do prefer Peachtree's 
audit trail.

Peachtree isn't interested in a Linux version!  Well at least they weren't 
interested a couple years ago.  I could tell by the tone of the emails 
that someone was laughing in the background really hard about the idea :o

-- 
Greg Edwards

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