GnuCash Features Survey

[David G Hamblen]

Hi,

I've been following this thread for a little while, and the survey doesn't
quite fit my profile.  I've been using linux since 0.9x days, and Quicken
for a similar time.  My desire is to replace Quicken (and the Windows
partition on my drive).  OTOH, I also have been doing the accounting (and
wrote the full double-entry cost-accounting system using a DOS-based
program) for the company I work for.  It works fine, however, so I'm not
particularly interested in the business aspects of GnuCash (Invoicing,
A/P, A/R, etc.).  So in response to the question "where are the ordinary
users"; at home, I'm one of the techno-geek users who's looking to
replace Quicken, while at work I would be an "ordinary user" except I'm
not looking to switch.

At home, I've been using GnuCash for about 3 weeks and really like what I
see (starting with the 1.4 that came on my Debian CD, and upgrading to 1.6
about a week ago).  Features I need in order to get rid of Quicken are:

- more check printing capabilities (should probably be in modules
(Scheme?) so users can create ones to fit their needs without
recompiling).  I like to be able to print whole batches of checks at a
time.  Unless I missed something, GC only prints one at a time, with lots
of mouse clicks to do it.

- Perhaps I could start using CheckFree or equivalent (when my bank makes
it available next September, and then the check printing requirement
would disappear

- OFX stuff so I can download my Credit Card transactions.

- memorized transactions (especially the loans with the split into
principal and interest, and options to make extra principal payments).

- Where did "Adjust Balance" go?  I used that a lot when setting up 1.4
initially, and I would continue to use it for one brokerage account that
has too many individual transactions to bother with.  When I get the
quarterly statement, I just post an adjusting entry to the Asset account
(debit the asset, credit Unrealized Gains).  At year-end, I reconcile the
Unrealized Gains into Dividends, Interest, etc.

Finally,  I like the patch submitted by Daniel Hagerty on (6/22/01) "Fixes
for balance sheet in 1.6.0".  This ought to be included in 1.6.x.


			Dave