[ale] Quickbooks?

[Irv Mullins]

On Friday 08 February 2002 02:14 pm, Ken Kennedy wrote:
> On Fri, Feb 08, 2002 at 01:40:29PM -0500, Irv Mullins wrote:
> > On Friday 08 February 2002 01:21 pm, Lance Smith wrote:
> > > Hi all,
> > >
> > > Is there an application out there that I can use that gives me similar
> > > accounting functions for small business like Quickbooks?  I am
> > > currently useing QB for Windoze but would like to practice what I am
> > > soon to be preaching and need a Linux based Small Business accounting
> > > system.
> > >
> > > Any suggestions?
> >
> > http://www.appgen.com --  supposed to be like QB
> > http://www.linuxcanada.com/quasar.html -- i've looked at this, seems
> > pretty complete
> > http://www.conetic.com/acc/solutions.html  -- console mode system
>
> Be aware that (it looks like to me; I could be wrong) all these are
> non-Free Software solutions. If all you're interested in is "runs on
> Linux", they work. If you're interested in promoting the Free Software
> and Open Source community, GnuCash is such a solution.
>
> Depends on what you're planning on preaching! *grin*

You are correct, these are non-free. However, GnuCash is not yet 
a "small business" accounting solution.  I quote from their website:

Small Business Version 
This is probably the #1 most requested 'enhancement' to GnuCash. The use of 
GNU/Linux is sky-rocketing in small businesses; yet there are no 
easy-to-install, easy-to-administer small-business accounting programs, at 
least not of the 'open' kind. The list of desired features dates back to the 
dawn of computing half a century ago: payroll, accounts-payable & receivable, 
invoicing, billing. 

There are some real problems with moving in this direction. Not the least of 
these is alienating GnuCash's core constituency: the casual/home user. 

<end quote>

As far as I can tell, GnuCash lacks the ability to do statements, account 
ageing, and other such necessary stuff that busineses need.  Whether they 
intend to move it in that direction in the future seems to be still up in the 
air. Whether there is any mature accounting package available as open source,
I can't say.

In the meanwhile, I believe Quasar is $99, which seems reasonable, or I can 
write one if anyone is interested ;)  Actual everyday business apps seem to 
be the weakest link when it comes to moving businesses to Linux.  The reason, 
of course, is that they're not much fun. I should know, I've been writing 
them since the early '80s.  

Regards,
Irv

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