unofficial microsoft.public.money FAQ and A
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Q) I think open source software is pants! Why won't Microsoft release the Money source code under the GPL?
A) Because they want to make money by developing software and using that software to vector us all to other things that generate revenue for them as well. You might want to check out GnuCash. Note that as of 2Q07, the GnuCash team has an "unstable" port of GnuCash for Windows. Aside from its admitted and readily apparent lack of stability, it's biggest issue seem to be that it looks just like a Linux app ported to Windows. This will surely reduce transfer of training for Windows users. OTOH, it is a start. Please report and additional GnuCash findings/experiences back here.
References:
GnuCash
Q) I think Quicken is pants! (Or, Quicken has some neat feature Money doesn't.) Why don't you all change to Quicken?
A) If you would prefer to use Quicken, by all means, be our guest. Send specific feature feedback to MSWish or via the Money Registration/Feedback pages.
References:
Money Registration/Feedback
MSwish mail
Q) Must I really install version Y of IE for Money? I prefer version X; version Y is evil. This must be a conspiracy…
[Relevant to Money98 (v.6) and up]
A) Money versions since M98 depend on IE functionality for their user interface. When Money says it needs version Y, it means it. If you don't want that version or later of IE, then you will have to do without the version of Money that requires it.
Q) Why do I have to use Passport authentication with Money?
[Relevant to Money2002 (v.10) and up]
A) You don't. Use of Passport/WindowsLive ID authentication with Money is only required for certain features.
Passport/WindowsLive ID (Passport hereafter) can be used as nothing more than a file access authentication scheme. In this role, it is not inherently evil in and of itself and does not, by itself, put Microsoft in some unique position to access your Money data or sell your personal information or anything else. Passport authentication enables password recovery for continued access to your data file via the Passport methods for password maintenance--a much better method for password recovery, if you insist on using file access authentication.
Passport has been required for use of the "Money sync with the web" feature since that feature was first offered in Money 2000 +/- and survived through M06.
Use of Passport was expanded with Money 2002 when they made it a prerequisite to "background banking."
When MSN Bill Pay service was added, Passport was required to authenticate access.
M05 added the requirement for a Passport if you use the Yodlee capability to download transaction data.
If you or Microsoft has connectivity or service problems with Passport authentication, it can complicate access to your data. In the summer of 2004, Microsoft made an administrative mistake on their servers that prevented users from accessing their own data, even off-line, until a special fix was developed that effected users had to execute off a Microsoft web page. The better part of a week expired with effected users locked out of their own data files.
M05 set a new low in its insistence that you should use a Passport to "Help protect your online Privacy and Security."
The suggestion that Passport INCREASES your Privacy and Security is dubious at best. Compared to what? I'm not saying Passport is insecure or that it is poor from a privacy standpoint. But it's NOT BETTER AND AT BEST SURELY SLIGHTLY WORSE than not using it if you do any of the things Passport enables that result in your data stored on their servers. Assuming you trust the people in your house, your data will be most private and secure if you keep it on a machine that never connects to the net and do not use a Passport or file password. Anything else is demonstrably less private and secure.
If you tell M05 to go shove on the Passport thing, then it tells you that you really should have a file password. Even this seems over the top. Telling the target user audience for Money to put a file password on without giving A PROMINENT WARNING that they are likely putting their data at greater risk-- forgetting the password--than it was at with no password at all seems like a profound disservice to the users. It's all just more pseudo-security, just like the xxx1234 account numbers on the Account List page with the real account numbers and everything else just a few clicks away.
It is likely that there are other reasons why Microsoft is trying to encourage Money users to use Passport. Passport may be more important in future versions of Money than it is now.
(See also "What if I don't want to use Money with Passport authentication?")
Q) Why does Money Setup insist on installing Internet Explorer? I despise Internet Explorer…
A) Microsoft has used Internet Explorer (IE) components to implement the user interface for Money versions starting with Money 98. Without IE, Money will not function. This in no way means that you have to abandon your web browser of choice. Browse the web using whatever you want. But install IE if you want Money to work. This newsgroup is not the place for discussions about web browser politics.
Please see this disclaimer if you are using Money 2005 or this comment if you are using Money 2006.
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Last update: 10 December 2006 |
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