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TurboTax Customers Strike a Blow Against Intuit
Extremetech.com ^ | January 10th 2003 | Jim Lynch

Posted on 01/11/2003 10:35:39 PM PST by ledzep75

Edited on 04/13/2004 3:04:58 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]

When Microsoft released Office XP and Windows XP with product activation embedded in both products, consumers and pundits alike responded with a gigantic hue and cry. Many Windows users were angry and felt betrayed by Microsoft. Others were uneasy and wondered whether product activation in Microsoft's products was a grim harbinger of things to come in the software industry.


(Excerpt) Read more at extremetech.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Editorial; Technical
KEYWORDS: intuit; spyware; techindex; turbotax
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To: ledzep75
I have been using TurboTax for seven years, but I will not accept this. I am switching to TaxCut, and I am writing to Intuit to let them know.
41 posted on 01/12/2003 6:49:33 AM PST by Petronski (I'm not always cranky.)
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To: gcraig
TaxCut is made by MSFT, right?

TaxCut is produced by H&R Block, in collaboration with Kiplinger.

42 posted on 01/12/2003 6:50:43 AM PST by jackbill
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To: ledzep75
Man, no wonder that program gave me fits.

Yeah, I was one the unlucky SOBs who bought it. I had no idea it had activation until I installed it. I hadn't seen it before so I didn't know what to look for. I uninstalled it but I may reformat my drive and completely reload my system if it continues to cause havok.

Damned program wouldn't work for me anyway. Because I had unemployment and a 1099-MISC it wouldn't file my return electronically. Anyone know if Taxcut has the same hang up?

43 posted on 01/12/2003 6:55:40 AM PST by mrb1960
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To: JoeGar
I'm missing something. Why does one need to copy the Turbo Tax CD?

You actually are allowed, legally, to make a backup copy of any program you buy. You are not allowed to distribute it, obviously, but you are allowed a backup copy. I don't think the DMCA changed that, but I could be wrong.

While it doesn't happen often, CD-ROMs do occasionally become unreadable and it's nice to have a backup for peace of mind, especially since you ususally only find out the CD is bad at the worst time -- like when you are doing a compete reinstall of your system and you need mission-critical software back up and running yesterday.

The problem people have with C-Dilla is not the concept of a vendor trying to prevent theft, it's with the notion that, unknown to the user, invasive, intrusive, and potentially desctructive software is being installed on their machines without their knowledge.

It's a bit like finding out that because you purchased a book at Barnes and Noble, you unknowingly gave the major publishing houses consent to enter your home while you are at work and rummage through your stuff to make sure you aren't Xeroxing their copyrighted materials. Some might say, "Well, if you aren't doing anything wrong, you have nothing to hide." Others will just say, "Get the hell out of my house before you eat the end of a .45."

44 posted on 01/12/2003 6:58:08 AM PST by RogueIsland
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To: ledzep75
Bump
45 posted on 01/12/2003 6:59:09 AM PST by Fiddlstix (Wanted: Used "Tag Lines" in good condition. Top prices paid for Quality. Inquire Within.)
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To: ledzep75
My "suggestion" to Intuit:

Sneaky. Too Sneaky. I couldn't recall ordering TT 2002. I usually just buy it at Comp USA. Then I read about Cdilla - a program I understand you include for free. A glance at my directory structure reveals that I've BOUGHT and used TT since 1997. There will not be a "Tax02" directory. Guaranteed. C (dilla) ya.


My TT mailing was for the "Premier" Home and Business edition. $79.95 plus tax. Hope Intuit folds on opening night April 15, 2003.

Add your "suggestion" to Intuit

46 posted on 01/12/2003 7:01:40 AM PST by Tunehead54
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To: ledzep75
Thanks for the info. Freepers are such a big help with everyday living!
47 posted on 01/12/2003 7:09:42 AM PST by sunshine state
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To: RogueIsland
Well put. VERY well put!
48 posted on 01/12/2003 7:10:13 AM PST by SW6906
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To: Tunehead54
Here's mine...
I have read about the anti-pirating efforts you have made on your CD's. I do not know if they would cause me a problem or not, and I will never know. After using Turbotax for 5 years, I am switching to another company simply because of the fears that have arisen from programs (cdilla) that are installed but never can be uninstalled. Some have reported this causes problems on their machines, I can not, and will not take that chance. Whoever made this corporate decision has killed TurboTax.
Thanks, but no thanks.
49 posted on 01/12/2003 7:15:25 AM PST by error99
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To: Petronski
Petro my friend before you go to Tax Cut have a look at TaxAct! It's what I use, never had a problem, and $9.95 includes e-fileing of one return.
50 posted on 01/12/2003 7:20:48 AM PST by Bigun
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To: ledzep75
Bump for reference
51 posted on 01/12/2003 7:23:36 AM PST by Alex Murphy
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To: jwh_Denver
I got their CD too and immediately smelled a 4 day old fish because normally there are rebates that bring the cost down to about $20.

The CD-in-the-mail version is actually a better deal, cost-wise.

Last year, with the all the rebates included, on the retail shelves TurboTax Federal AND State cost a cumulative $20. This year, TurboTax Federal is $30 with rebate, but there's no price break for TurboTax State ($30). Total cost = $60.

However, if you use the mailed-to-you CD, TurboTax Federal costs $30, but they give you TurboTax State for free (one state only). Cumulative cost = $40.

52 posted on 01/12/2003 7:30:08 AM PST by Alex Murphy
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To: error99
My "Dear John" letter to Intuit will be similar to yours. I have used Turbo-Tax since 1993 or 1994 (whenever Intuit swallowed up Parsons Tech and their excellent "Personal Tax Edge" program).

Last year was my last using Turbo Tax. Their loss.

53 posted on 01/12/2003 7:36:58 AM PST by Skooz
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To: ledzep75
 
 
About Macrovision SAFECAST® Technology and C-Dilla

54 posted on 01/12/2003 7:40:06 AM PST by Wolverine
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To: TechJunkYard
I just installed TaxCut yesterday and it lets you opt out of the info sharing during install. I declined to answer all the marketing questions, no biggie, just skip past them.
55 posted on 01/12/2003 7:50:17 AM PST by Marie Antoinette (Liberalism=kindergarden communism)
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To: mrb1960
QuickBooks ruined my day last Friday. I wanted to print labels for my 1099 MISC vendors. Instead QuickBooks kept printing labels for all my vendors. I spent an hour trying to get help from Intuit. I know how to print labels and have done so with my previous version on a Mac.

First I got someone who could barely speak English, which is fine, except I spent twice as much time on the phone trying to understand him. Then he would not refer me to a tech unless I gave him my credit card number. I know there is a bug in my program so there is no way I'm going to pay to tell Intuit they have a problem.

This is only one problem I have had with QuickBooks. All I need is a simple basic accounting program, but every time I hit a key in QB I seem to get some ad for additional bells and whistles. The first message I get when I open QB is "I need to change my security level" when I cancel it they bug me with "are you sure." I'm sure they want more access to my computer to send me more crap.

QB is harder to get rid of than Real Player. that's another story.

56 posted on 01/12/2003 7:54:48 AM PST by PolishProud
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To: Ez2BRepub
If you want a good spyware eliminator try www.lavasoft.nu.(ad-aware).

The only caveat I would ad to that recommendation is that ad-aware is currently still at version 5, which is considered out of date by the security community. Version 6 has been somewhat delayed. Version 5 will get most spyware, but not the most recent.

An excellent, free spyware killer to go along with ad-aware is SpyBot Search and Destroy. It's a lot more complex than ad-aware however, so potential users might want to read the following review before getting immersed in it:

http://www.net-integration.net/reviews/spybot1.html

57 posted on 01/12/2003 8:03:22 AM PST by RogueIsland
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To: Marie Antoinette
Will TaxCut handle such items as a home business and reporting stock option items ????
58 posted on 01/12/2003 8:06:05 AM PST by clamper1797
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To: ledzep75
Microsoft got away with it to a certain extent because it pretty much has a monopoly (at least for the time being).

I picked up on the MS move early on, when Windows 2000 was literally pulled off the shelves and replaced with Windows2000XP.
Since then, I have not met a single person who voluntarily bought XP and many who uninstalled it from new machines and replaced it.

The reporting of this development has been underwhelming.
The creative "use" of the business edition (which lacks the spy feature) is quite creative, and in my opinion, so long as the user has paid for the damned software, he is doing nothing illegal.

59 posted on 01/12/2003 8:07:09 AM PST by Publius6961
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To: Jim Noble
I have saved way more than I've paid. The software (and I'm sure the others, also) forces you to organize properly and identifies strategies for you that you may be unaware of.

My taxes are fairly simple. Hopefully they will stay that way. I see your point about tax strategies. When one starts accumulating wealth, you want to try and hold on to as much of it as you can.

60 posted on 01/12/2003 8:10:30 AM PST by EVO X
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