[dpwiener]

I sent the following email to the executives listed on Intuit's web site:

-----Original Message-----
From: Wiener, Daniel
Sent: Thursday, January 30, 2003 1:37 PM
To: Steve_Bennett@intuit.com; Scott_Cook@intuit.com; Bill_Campbell@intuit.com
Cc: Dennis_Adsit@intuit.com Sonita_Ahmed@intuit.com; Tom_Allanson@intuit.com; David_Belle-Isle@intuit.com; Mark_Bercow@intuit.com; Steve_Blundell@intuit.com; Craig_Carlson@intuit.com; Elliot_Cooperstone@intuit.com; Caroline_Donahue@intuit.com; Linda_Fellows@intuit.com; Brooks_Fisher@intuit.com; Jim_Grenier@intuit.com; Jennifer_Hall@intuit.com; Brad_Henske@intuit.com; Bill_Hensler@intuit.com; Kozo_Hiramatsu@intuit.com; Russ_Hobbs@intuit.com; Bill_Ihrie@intuit.com; Bruce_Johnson@intuit.com; Larry_King@intuit.com; Lisa_Lang@intuit.com; Jeff_Langston@intuit.com; Bob_Lasser@intuit.com; Bob_Lawson@intuit.com; Ginny_Lee@intuit.com; Dan_Levin@intuit.com; Miles_Lewitt@intuit.com; Dan_Manack@intuit.com; Bernie_McKay@intuit.com; Bob_Meighan@intuit.com; Bill_Mirbach@intuit.com; Ken_Mudge@intuit.com; Lorrie_Norrington@intuit.com; Carol_Novello@intuit.com; Michael_Potts@intuit.com; Enrico_Roderick@intuit.com; Pankaj_Shukla@intuit.com; Melanie_Singer@intuit.com; Fran_Smallson@intuit.com; Tom_Spencer@intuit.com; Raymond_Stern@intuit.com; Jill_Ward@intuit.com; Donna_Wells@intuit.com; Sherry_Whiteley@intuit.com; David_Windley@intuit.com
Subject: Insulting software

I just finished reading Walter Mossberg's column in today's Wall Street Journal. I am appalled.

For many years now I've been a loyal Intuit customer, as a quick check of your computer records will reveal. I've regularly purchased the federal and state Turbo Tax packages for individuals, as well as the Corporate Business packages. They all worked very well at very reasonable prices, and I had no reason to even look at your competitors. I was just about to again purchase your products to prepare our 2002 returns.

Now you've lost me, just as I'm sure you have lost many, many others. I shall instead buy from one of your competitors who demonstrates more respect for its customers.

I shall not use Turbo Tax again.

Sincerely yours,

Daniel Wiener

[George W. Bush]

Nice work, Daniel! A real one-man FReeping.

[Petronski]

Dan, I used your mailing list for my own missive:

I've been using TurboTax for seven years (check your records for [name redacted]) but this year you can forget it. I will not load up my computer with your spyware C-dilla software. I have read press accounts of your assurances that it's harmless and it only watches out for your copyright concerns, but frankly, what you have done is attempted to fill my computer with YOUR files designed to spy on ME, presumably because you think I'm going to steal your software or sell it to someone else.

I read about this in the Wall Street Journal this morning, but I already knew about it from internet forums (where I met dozens or scores of other people dropping your software like a pox-infected blanket). I don't care if doesn't harm me as long as I don't copy your software, that is totalitarian thinking. And I don't care if it can be removed after I am done with the program, because given the sneaky way you have gone about this, I frankly can't trust you anymore.

I shall not purchase Intuit software anymore (I am also a Quicken user), and I will do my best to spread the word about this underhanded spyware tactic.

You cannot insult your customer and expect his return business. Please remove me from your mailing list, though your e-mail reply to this letter is anticipated.

[real name and address in original]