bit-tech Shopping: Intuit Quicken 2009 Premier

Rating: 6

Time with product: 1 Week

Strengths: Easy to upgrade and convert from the previous version. Very customizable user interface and reports.

Weaknesses: Too many tabs on main page and I don't need 3rd party marketing trying to sell me something I don't need. Only says Vista compatible, so not sure how much has been rewritten specific for Vista.

Summary: I have been using Quicken since 1990. However, the last few versions have been very buggy and unstable initially. I was very cautious about upgrading to 2009 given all the horror stories on their website. I waited until the first patch was released and this version seems to be pretty stable now. Quicken Premier 2009 is very customizable and is the most graphical with lots of tabs on the main page. Personally, I prefer the simplier UI of 2008. Intuit also seems to keep pushing their "extras" and they now have Quicken Picks, which are just a way for them to market 3rd party services to their customers. Quicken is easy to install, convert previous version's files, and set up the way you like to work and see exactly what you spent, when you spent it, and who you spent it with. I pay bills through Quicken, download banking, brokerage, credit card, and stock transactions in Quicken and I have not had any problems so far.

Rating: 10

Time with product: 4 Days

Strengths: Excellent Portfolio Tracking, Dividend/Interest Entry and Capital Gain/Loss Reporting, Estimate Federal Taxes Due

Weaknesses: Difficult to adjust rounding errors in total shares held for securities

Summary: This program offers excellent Portfolio Tracking. It is very easy to enter Dividend and Interest Received, Accrued or Reinvested. It, also, offers a Tax Planner to estimate Federal Taxes Due. It is difficult to adjust rounding errors in total shares held for securities.