TurboTax Customers Strike a Blow Against Intuit

Extremetech.com ^ | January 10th 2003 | Jim Lynch

[ledzep75]

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.

[SC Swamp Fox]

I loved Parson's PTE. About two years after Intuit took them over, I switched to Kiplinger's, which worked well.
Last year, I was in a hurry and couldn't find the version I wanted in stock, so I used H&R Block's Tax Cut. I found it less friendly to navigate around "out of order", testing differant scenarios, but it was okay.

I am going to check out the free download of TaxAct before I buy anything this year.

[Publius6961]

Yep. I bought TurboTax (8th or 9th year I've been using it), and was pretty irritated to discover the new "feature". I'm going to finish my taxes on it this year since I already paid for it, but this is the last year I'll be a TurboTax customer. I hope this blows up badly in their faces. <

Well, I have two questions for you.

Will it "uninstall" completely?
And if it doesn't, are you ready for a low-level format?

This smells like a perfect class action issue: vandalism intruding into your computer under the guise of software.

Incidentally, does anyone know who now owns Intuit?
I have a feeling their problems are just beginning!

[Afronaut]

FreeRepublic.com ~ The Premier Conservative News Forum

[mrb1960]

Sounds like Intuit is giving you the run-around. I'm going to try the TaxAct program people are advocating here and see if it lets me e-file.

I talked to a tax preparer in the local Walmart store and he tells me as long as I can provide Employer Identification Numbers (EIN) then any sofware I purchase should work. Thing is, when I input 1099-MISC data TurboTax never asks for one! I'm tired of the run around and I definitely don't want the CDILLA software on my computer. I'm uninstalling TurboTax and probably reprogramming my system after this whole fiasco is finished.

[Publius6961]

Get a life.
Millions of software buyers have a firmer grasp of the issues.
If you read carefully, no one has suggested "stealing".

[ExSES]

Will TaxCut handle such items as a home business and reporting stock option items ????

YES

[Fishrrman]

After reading previous postings, one more reason why I'm glad that I'm a Macintosh user. I can't imagine software that refuses to "uninstall". If you don't want something around on your Mac, you just throw it in the trash. If it's something so uncooperative as to make itself invisible (thus to prevent deletion), I just use my file management utility to make it visible, then throw it away!

I guess tax-time is a lot more hair-raising for the wealthy folks on here than it is for working-class guys like me. Years ago, as soon as I got the Mac working, I just used Microsoft Works spreadsheets that I created _myself_ to do [admittedly basic] tax forms. Granted, I still have to fill out paper forms "by hand" and mail them, but most of the preparatory calculations are done automatically, on spreadsheets _I_ designed.

A few years' back, when I thought "investing" in mutual funds might be a good idea (HAH! sure got bamboozled on that one), I even did a "Schedule D". Now _that_ was a job. But I only have to enter a few numbers, and the rest of my form calculates automatically.

But with the way the stock market has gone, I don't need that Schedule D anymore! (laughs)

- John

[There's millions of'em]

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

TaxCut is made by HR Block. In collaboration with the Anti Gun Libs

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/fr/645388/posts H&R Block Caves to Hysterical Left Gun Industry Watch . Org ^ | March 12, 2002

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/fr/645941/posts Victory! H & R Block Has Severed Ties with the National Rifle Association (Brady Barf Alert) Brady E-Action Response Network | 3/13/02 | Brady Campaign Email

If you choose to buy TaxCut or use HR Block, at least be aware of what they did last year.

[RogueIsland]

After reading previous postings, one more reason why I'm glad that I'm a Macintosh user.

Well, you're in a drier boat, to be sure, but there may still be some leaks you'll want to caulk. I did come across a site that has a spyware scanner for the Mac. I don't vouch for it, and really I have no idea what spyware is out there for the Mac (far less than there is for Windows, for sure). It's just what a search pulled up:

http://macscan.securemac.com/explore.html

[FreePaul]

I've used Quicken for many years and still do. I no longer call or contact them for help because it is a waste of time. I had the same problem you had with language and the people I talked with didn't know as much about the program as I did. Those kinds of problems are not limited to Intuit but seem to be all too common in the industry.

[PushinTin]

What if you set up a 'Restore Point' prior to installing TTax?

1. Set Restore Point

2. Install TTax and do returns.

3. Restore computer to the 'Restore Point'.

No? Yes?? Maybe??

Punt!!

[Publius6961]

BUMP!

[SW6906]

BTTT

[Kev-Head]

This is what I wrote Intuit.

I bought Turbo Tax Premier. I am disappointed to hear that you have added C-Dilla to your program. When the Tax program is removed C-Dilla remains on the hard drive. I have used TurboTax for years. I am not pleased that you would not trust your customers, especially those of us who have been loyal customers for years.

I also do not like programs being loaded to my hard drive whithout me knowing it. Nowhere in the documentation I recieved says anything about C-Dilla being part of TurboTax.

I spent $59.00 to buy TurboTax, I will now have to spend more to purchase another companies program so that I can protect my computer from unwanted software installs.

THANKS INTUIT you have made my day and robbed me from using the software I purchased.

Good Bye Intuit I will not purchase any product you produce from now on and I know many who feel the same way.

A lesson learned. Don't trust software companies. Read the the reviews before buying.

Glad I read this post.

[TechJunkYard]

I've already installed Turbo-Tax. Any tips on how to scour out the junk?

First, see if "Add/Delete Programs" in the Settings folder will let you un-install C-Dilla. Then follow the link in this post and make sure the binaries and registry keys are gone (but be aware that the example is from Windows 98, so YMMV).

I don't use Windows precisely because the platform is so hard to get and keep clean.

[JoeGar]

If you read carefully, no one has suggested "stealing".

Nobody in the history of the world has ever burned a copy of Turbo Tax to be used as a backup. The only folks upset with Intuit are the same ones who feel they have a right to free music, movies, and software.

[Unknown Freeper]

Anybody else have an update on this or more recent information/experiences?

[doosee]

Anybody else have an update on this or more recent information/experiences?


I had emailed Intuit back in early January and they never had even replied - great customer service to go along with the software mess they have created.

[southernbychoice]

bump for reference

[jammer]

I totally agree with you about QuickBooks. I've been disgusted with IT for a long time also. The last time was when the program had a bug, the support didn't speak English, and we paid an exorbitant amount to be told, more or less, how to work around THEIR bug. Makes me pine for the old DAC-Easy for DOS.