Customer Reviews

TurboTax Basic 2002

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(99)

 

 

I have used, enjoyed and positively reviewed TurboTax for the past several years. This will be the last year I use it. Negative changes and how they affected me include:

- the installation of lots of extra marketing slime-ware on my computer. Hey, I've paid for the product...why is Intuit now trying to sell me on it's various marketing partners? I'd expect this from some fly-by-night company (like Real Audio), but Intuit? How far they've fallen.

- New "improved" installation policy. Normally, I installed a copy of this software on my main home PC and a copy on my laptop. I'd do all my financial calculations and entries in advance of my yearly visit to the accountant's office - just so I'd have an idea of what I owed, what documents I'd need, and what questions to ask. Typically, I took my laptop with me and was able to show where numbers came from and what I was thinking. Not any more. You can only install this baby on one computer. So much for flexibility. So much for trust. Intuit doesn't trust you, their customer. Additionally, the C-dilla spyware is installed on your system...and can't be un-installed even if you remove Turbo Tax. This is a total invasion of privacy!

- They've disabled the prior year import feature from the basic edition! In another slimy (there's that word again) effort to extract more revenue from its' customer base, Intuit has disabled the prior year import feature from the basic version!!! You have to buy the "Deluxe" version to get this expected feature. I purchased this version without noticing this and now am forced to re-enter all my depreciation information, social security and address information, etc. What a pain! (Later edit: my prior years' file was corrupt. You can import uncorrupted Ttax files from past years.)

Congratulations Intuit! You've gone from a reputable company with a good product, to just another group of smarmy weasles selling an inferior product. To the potential cusotmer: if you're thinking about buying this product, look for alternatives. There are several that I intend to explore in the future. As a matter of fact, I'll be taking a long, hard look at replacing my Quicken 2002 with the competing product originating out of Redmond, WA. I never thought I'd be this disappointed by Intuit, but the day has finally come.

Review summary: Avoid this software like the plague!

Intuit, in its (rightful) decision to protect its product from casual copying made a very very wrong decision by installing a service called C-Dilla on the user's machine. This service, which runs all the time and won't uninstall even after you've uninstalled Turbotax is often considered as "spyware" by various source on the internet. It installed without the user's permission, and is not even refered to in the license agreement.

I would strongly suggest staying away from Turbotax products this year. Hopefully Intuit will have learned its lessons next year and removed this.

Stay away from this years Turbo Tax because:
1) The new activation scheme limits you to use it effectively on only one machine. The company says you can install it on different machines but you can only print and see the forms on the one machine that has been activated. The only thing you can do on any other machine is go through the interview process. You can not see the resulting forms or print without activating. How totally useless!
2) If you upgrade your hard drive (easy to do with prices falling for hard drives) or get a new machine you must buy another copy of Turbo Tax, even if you removed the first install. Its like selling a wrench to a mechanic that can only be used on one car only.

I have used turbo tax for the last 3 years and have been very happy with it. However this 2002 version is probably that last one I'll ever buy. The new activation feature, which is meant to prevent people from sharing the program, only served in preventing me from loading it onto my computer.
I contacted Intuit trying to resolve the problem and so far have recieved what basically amounts to a "run around".
I have never used the competitor's software, but this year I'm going to have to give it a try due to turbo tax not working. Save your money and your heartache and buy something else.

I have been a consistent customer of Turbo Tax (& Quicken) for 5 years.

This year, they have come up with a way for you to pay for the privilege of something that should be free. You need to activate your computer in order to print or file electronically, effectively limiting your filing to 1 PC FOREVER!

I when i went online to get support, and asked about things like: getting a virus, upgrading your OS or PC, changing hard drives, and was told that this constitutes a new PC activation (read: new charge) for something I already paid for!!!

I will be returning the product as this violates my right to free use (protected by the US Supreme Court)

I will be buying their competitors from now on & recommend you do so too!

I have been using TurboTax for years - few complaints. This year - I'm boxing it up and sending it back! I cannot comment on the actual program this year - I never got that far!

I bought a few weeks ago and installed - getting ready for taxes in January. The app installed a TON of "buy this, buy that" and CONSTANTLY bugged me for more money. Very annoying - especially considering I paid for this program - it's not shareware.

A week before Xmas my hard drive failed - I bought a new drive and re-installed. The new registration process first forced me to "activate" the software - then told me I had already installed and I had to buy another copy. I thought it was a simple mistake - so I called Tech Support. Oops - tech support is only open 9 to 5 M-F. Who works on their taxes in the middle of the day?? Oh, by the way - if you want to call them - its $14.95 per call - but you still have to call them in the middle of the day!

I searched high and low on their website - there is no info (FAQ or other) to help with this issue! My only option was an Internet Chat. The Tech Support told me - yep, that's right - if you re-install you have to buy another copy. I explained, in detail, my circumstance - no luck! He was more than happy to help me purchase another copy though! Finally - after nearly 45 minutes of arguing about it - he gave me "a one-time exception" and gave me a new key. All I have to do is uninstall, re-install from scratch (again) and type in the new key. Oops - new key doesn't work. I give up.

Goodbye TurboTax!

This will be the last year I use it. Bad vibes and how they affected me include:

- Yes, the installation of lots of extra marketing slime-ware on my computer.

- Could not understand why turbotax said my IRA contribution was not allowed. Here is the rub the TURBOTAX DOES CALCULATION INCORRECTLY. Turbo worksheet does the calculation incorrectly when you have all your earned income reported from sources that do not report on W2 forms. Ex. foreign earnings. Wonder how many other errors are built into their code.

- Bought in Nov the deluxe version which includes a state version rebate. However, the state form may not be ordered until February and the rebate not obtained until then. <

Bought TurboTax locally and tried to install it. Intuit's new registration routine thought that I had borrowed the software from someone else during the installation process, and hence wanted me to pay to use it. Contacted Customer Support to work through the issue - unsuccessful. Ended up boxing it up and sending it to them for a refund. I bought TaxCut and have had no problems and I'm likely to never to go back to TurboTax. The new registration scheme and their service icons which they litter on the desktop are just too much for me. Big thumbs down.

Intuit added software to their product called C-Dilla which runs on the user's machine all the time and won't uninstall even after you've uninstalled Turbotax. It is installed without the user's permission, and is not even refered to in the license agreement.

I have went to TaxCut and have found it to work just as well (without the added Spyware software).

Please forgive the single star rating, there wasn't an option for no stars. Intuit has joined the parade of companies that treat their customers as thieves. They've included the C-dilla spyware with the TT program so they can prevent you from using the software on more than one machine. The utterly galling thing is that they don't tell you they've done this. This spyware cannot be removed with the deinstaller they provide. It remains on your system even if you remove TT and it runs all the time.

I've used their products for years now but I will not buy it ever again. I am switching to a competitor and I recommend that you do the same.