Quicken 2003 Deluxe [OLD VERSION]

Quicken 2003 is a lot easier to use, but it comes at a cost. Tasks/activities now open up in single pop-up windows (the browser type single window/navigation is gone). If you want to keep the pop-up task/activity around while you do something else, you have to first minimize it to get it out of the way (the task/activity is then stored at the bottom of the Quicken screen as a link). This is probably easier for your average user but makes more steps and is more cumbersome to experienced Quicken users. My least favorite change: You can't have Quicken "save" your current/favorite layout and open/launch Quicken to that same layout every time you start Quicken - instead, Quicken always goes back to the default layout on startup. Grrrr.

Probably most disappointing is the way Quicken forces their services down your throat. On-screen advertisements are sure to annoy IMMEDIATELY (They can't be removed from the default home page, but you can make your own custom home page sans advertisement if you spend some time reading the manual). The toolbar is by default cluttered/littered with links to "Quicken Brokerage", "Quicken On the Web" and "Quicken Services". All are removable but it's annoying to even have to shut them off in the first place.

If you want to use Quicken's on-line bill payment (via your own bank), get ready to be forcibly run through Quicken's registration program which basically makes you enroll in Quicken's own on-line services. The registration will hound you if you don't register, and once you do register Quicken insists that you upload your private bank account information (transactions et al) to their web server so you can "manage your accounts on-line" via the web (NO THANKS! I HAVE ENOUGH TROUBLE PROTECTING MY PRIVATE INFORMATION ON-LINE). Trying to figure out how to get through registration without uploading your checking and saving account transaction/history to Quicken's web site is not obvious (but it can be done).

You can work around Quicken's strong arm registration tactics and get rid of most of the in-your-face advertising and up-selling, but it will take up a lot of your time and guarantees to annoy even the most patient.

At the end of the day, with Quicken 2003, I can still do everything I could with Quicken 2002. Is it worth upgrading? I have not noticed anything (at all) that is new and useful.

New users will find Quicken 2003 to be VERY easy to use. Old users will be a little frustrated by the loss of flexibility caused by this tradeoff. Everyone will be unhappy with Quicken's in-your face approach to getting you to use more of their "services". If you can be patient - it's still probably the best personal financial software available.


OK, enough with the yearly versions   August 24, 2002
 30 out of 34 found this review helpful

Getting a little sick of this strategy. The level of advertising associated with you using this product should more than offset treating the yearly upgrades as simple updates instead of having to pay for a whole new version. It's a great product, but hindered by advertising overload and an overly ambitious sales program. You really don't need this version, 2002 works fine. (As does 2001, 2000, etc....). I could see spending [money] if you own the previous year's version, but this is ridiculous.


Pretty - but that's it   August 22, 2002
 100 out of 103 found this review helpful

Intuit did redesgn the interface. Very nice looking and a more comtemporary look which is a nice change from the boring looks of previous versions. They get high marks for that!

Going beyond the GUI, get ready to spend some time learning the new layout! The tabs along the side of the screen now include balances, which is a great idea. Remeber how you could drag and drop the tabs to a new location? Forget it here! You now need to visit 2 screens to do the same thing. Remember adding reports and other often-used tabs? Forget it - functionality has been removed! You now have to get to a report via various menus or secondary screens; the quickest I have found is through 2 menus and no way to add a shortcut someplace else. Remember having a nice home page with nice small neat boxes with account balances, stock balance, etc. that fit on one screen without scrolling and being able to customize it? All boxes are now full-width on the screen so that you need to scroll through most every screen to find what you are looking for. The list continues . . .

I've always been pretty impressed with Quicken and have been a devoted user for many years but Intuit blew it with this redesign. It seems like they've sacrificed user convenience by trying to stuff in more information and functionality - and not retaining some way for the user to customize and re-arrange things for the user's needs.

I keep current on all my software but this is an exception; I'm going back to an old version and plan to try to return my software to Intuit. If your using a pre-2003 version and it's doing what you want it to do, save you money. Chances are you won't be impressed with the upgrade.


pay money for ads!   August 19, 2002
 138 out of 149 found this review helpful

Opt for any Quicken edition (even the expensive Premier) and get inundated with ads. Quicken will clutter your screen with attempts to get you to sign up for their brokerage service, their credit card, their mortgage company partners, and the program will repeatedly try to get you to send your personal financial information to their website (supposedly for more features), where your can be inundated with more "special offers".

If you register this product, consider very carefully whether to give them your email address.