Rating: 
Summary: Slow-Entry not Quick-Entry
Review: The Quicken 2004 user interface is the worst I have ever seen in a "modern" Windows program. It will not allow more than report (or other) document window to be opened at one time. It creates strange task bar buttons during some things (like the pop up calendar for entering dates). The worst part of the program is the investment account data entry. You can't copy and paste investment transactions, and when trying to change a transaction you often get a message saying "You have to delete and reenter this transaction to make this change".
Investment accounts are handled like they are some kind of unusual feature grafted onto the rest of the program, and they lack many of the still basic features of the normal accounts.
The one thing I loved about Quicken for DOS, and Quicken 98 was the friendly user interface. You could move data around with cut and paste, look at multiple reports and graphs, and work on multiple accounts easily. This version of Quicken makes even the most basic attempt at multi-tasking impossible. This is a one thing at a time brain-dead user interface. I can only conclude that Intuit wasted no effort on the user interface, and ripped out all of the features from earlier versions.
Rating: 
Summary: No new features, plenty of new problems
Review: I have used Quicken for over 10 years. This version is probably the worst yet. It reserves huge amounts of screen real estate for Quicken advertisements and messages. Two examples of the steps backwards: (1) you can no longer work while downloading information and (2) you cannot suspend your computer while Quicken is running. It says "Quicken does not support standby mode." They've changed to user interface for the worst. For example, reconciled items are now grayed out, with no way to change it back to normal. Also, the investment transaction register now doesn't show the comment lines. I have found no substantial improvement. I think Quicken has decided they're a monopology and don't have to try anymore.
Rating:
Summary: An Insult
Review: This buggy, terrible software is an insult to customers who have been loyal to Quicken all these years (beginning, in my case, in 1988). Once received, nag messages cannot be eliminated (there is a check-box titled "Do Not Ask This Question Again" on several features...this does not work, ever), Shortcuts return incorrect responses (e.g.: Ctrl/M - which is supposed to Memorize a Transaction, returns a Search screen), "Cannot Open Account" messages appear suddenly and without cause and data can be corrupted. The only improvement over the prior version is the ability to print Reports in color, which was inexplicably eliminated from several versions and which is now back. Tech Support is a bad (and expensive) joke. I used to recommend Quicken to friends...no more. They have failed to maintain any standards. This software is an insult, as I have said, to all of us who paid for it in good faith and tried to stay loyal to the product. The sad things is, they obviously do not care.
Rating:
Summary: Piece of Junk!!!
Review: I just wanted to add my additional comments that this software is absolutely lousy. I've used Quicken since 2000 and the old version crashed occasionally and got used to working aroud it with lots of backups. But this is a new LOW in quality control. Not only does it crash regularly! But it also trashes my data file. I too have spent countless hours trying to resolve the issue constantly restoring my data file and re-entering my data! I actually read that it was full of bugs but Intuit decided to no longer support my older version and I was forced to upgrade. What a piece of junk and what a lousy vendor!
Rating: 
Summary: Would like to change to money
Review: I am still using 2003 Deluxe and am not upgrading based on these review.s Have also been extremely unhappy with Quicken's support. I've never been able to get my 401 K's in the system appropriately. The only reason I don't change to Microsoft Money is the Quicken Credit Card download. That interface is so seamless and I don't have to re enter my credit card transactions. I don't think that Microsoft Money has anything like this for their product. It's the only reason I stay with Quicken but have been tempted many times to move to another program.
Rating:
Summary: Works fine for me
Review: After seeing the other reviews, I was hesitant to buy. But the forced upgrade gave me no choice. I would have been happy to keep my Quicken Basic 1999. I use Quicken only for investment tracking. I had no installation problems, as others reported. It found and converted my old data. I was real happy that it asked if it wanted to uninstall Quicken 1999 for me, because I was afraid I would screw it up if I did it myself. Installation and conversion went flawless. It backs up to my CD-RW with fewer problems. Had to re-register to get on-line quotes. Don't like to give my address away. But on-line features work. Although a major investment firm I use does not participate in their downloads.
Seen no bugs so far, but we'll see.
Only giving 3 stars, due to forced upgrade. I assume they'll do that to us again someday.
Rating:
Summary: Just adding to the list
Review: If I weren't so angry about the forced upgrade, I'd really feel sorry for Intuit. They've obviously got a dog of a product (I mean - have you ever seen so many 1 star reviews?), and they're forcing people to upgrade to it. I experienced more crashes in the first day than I had in 17 years of previous Quicken use (this was with the upgrade to R5!). I think the original Quicken was possibly the best piece of PC software ever written - high quality, fast, and easy to use. What did they do - outsource all the SW & QA work? Who knows.
Rating:
Summary: Don't succumb to forced upgrade if you track investments!!!!
Review: I'm another Quicken customer forced to upgrade. Having used Quicken over 10 years, I didn't want to risk transferring all my investment and retirement accounts to Microsoft Money. What a mistake. I've probably spent more time fixing Quicken after the upgrade than I would have spent just switching products. Some specifics:
1. I have some stock that I own as an individual, own as part of a 401K and also have stock options. The old version didn't track stock options. When I created an new stock option account in the new version, it corrupted the stock in the 401K account calling it a stock option. This disabled the ability to make any updates to the 401K. Don't count on any support. The web site did not address any of these issues. Live chat won't support investment questions due to "tax implications". The only option was phone support at $1.95 per minute. I refused to pay them to fix problems caused by their bugs and ended up rebuilding the account manually. 2. 401k balance became out of balance after transferring. If you've invested in the past 4 years, you've probably experienced some "losses" instead of gains in your 401K. Well, all the losses became gains when I did the conversion. There is also no transaction to record a loss other than removing the shares. Looks like I'll have to re-enter over half of the transactions for the past 3 years. 3. Quicken 2004 uses a new format for automated downloads. Unfortunately, none of my six (major) banking and investment financial institutions support it. They all support support the 2003 version and "haven't been trained or set up" for the new one. Quicken can't successfully login to any of these sites. So I'm forced to upgrade to use the online capability but it doesn't work. 4. Intermittent problems with stock price updates. I have received update failures saying "GE" and other major stocks are not valid symbols. These will mysteriously start working again later. Why 2 stars instead of one? Well I still like the fundamental banking capability. The new GUI is an improvement over 1999. At this point, I'm on the verge of requesting a refund and just converting to Money. If you use investment account with any complexity or history, I recommend against using this product. If you stick with Quicken basic, I think you will be satisfied with the upgrade.
Rating:
Summary: Saved by Amazon's Customer Reviews
Review: Have been using Quicken for MANY years. Was tempted to buy Quicken 2004 but after reading the reviews decided to stay with Quicken 2002. It has bugs but at least I know where they are. I recently ordered Quicken checks... What a pain... the on-line software did not work and the first guy that I talked to in India could not speak understandable english. However, the second person was able to help me spend my money. I will never buy another upgrade from Intuit again. I hope that by boycotting them they will get the message. If enough of customers refuse to buy maybe they will do something about their poor quality products and services.
Rating: 
Summary: Unhappy with forced upgrade, but it worked.
Review: I have been a long-time Quicken user since the late 80's. I have always been pleased with the product. It's very efficient and straightforward. I was very unhappy to receive notice that my Quicken 2000 Deluxe edition would no longer be allowed to download transactions from my bank. I don't use Quicken's/Intuit's online services. This was a forced upgrade, and the reasoning given was that Intuit no longer wanted to support the older versions. This upgrade was not necessary for me, and I have never used their support services. Intuit basically used their auto-update code to disable my product. Sure, I could still use the application, but I could not do online banking, could not download transactions, etc. If this review was to rate Intuit's customer service, I'd give them 1 star at best. Since I was forced to upgrade, I came here to check out the reviews. Imagine my shock when I saw all the reviews saying the upgrade didn't work, corrupted data, etc. In my case, I give the upgrade 4 stars. My upgrade to Quicken 2004 Deluxe went almost perfectly. The only glitch was that my bank account on-line checking balance reported $94,289. I wish. ;-) But, after another download of transactions, the balance was updated, and I have experienced no further problems. I do prefer the interface in Quicken 2000 over 2004. I don't like the "black and white" register look of 2004. I prefer the operation of the older product in some other areas, as well. I rarely write reviews, but I felt like I should write this review for other Quicken users forced to upgrade. Hopefully, your upgrade experience will be as painless as my upgrade was. For those of you who have never used Quicken, I'd at least look at the competition. I don't like companies like Intuit that force me to upgrade and shutdown a perfectly working product. JS
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