[Fwd: Comments on Gnucash]

[Chris Lyttle]

-----Forwarded Message-----

> From: Jeff Waugh <jdub@perkypants.org>
> To: Chris Lyttle <chris@wilddev.net>
> Subject: Comments on Gnucash
> Date: 04 Mar 2002 09:40:03 +1100
> 
> You work on Gnucash, right?
> 
> Just forwarding on some comments from my local list.
> 
> - Jeff
> 
> ----- Forwarded message from Jamie Honan <jhonan@optushome.com.au> -----
> 
> Date: Mon, 4 Mar 2002 09:31:42 +1100
> From: Jamie Honan <jhonan@optushome.com.au>
> To: slug@slug.org.au
> Cc: graemer@graenet.com, lemans4@dingoblue.net.au,
> 	skrepak@yahoo.com.au
> Subject: Re: [SLUG] Wine: success at last! (not so good)
> User-Agent: Mutt/1.2.5i
> 
> 
> > When are we getting an Aussie accounting Package (with GST support)
> 
> Well I've just successfully completed a BAS using gnucash.
> 
> Following a previous tip on the slug list about setting up
> GST liability and asset accounts, this worked very well for me.
> 
> gnucash is double entry, and requires you to understand
> that plus to certain accounts is a debit, others is a credit.
> 
> I must say though, gnucash is the only tool I've used that I understood 
> exactly what was going on. It is very simple, really only a general ledger
> system.
> 
> I have used quicken, quickbooks, MYOB. I will never ever use MYOB again.
> Those bastards took my money (well, yours and mine, the $200 the government
> pissed down the drain for us all at the introduction of GST) and
> gave me back a complete piece of crap.
> 
> This was a complete national scandal, and not one word in the papers.
> 
> Gnucash has some weaknesses : the reports could be better (but this
> should be relatively easy, just some DSSSL), some things are quirky
> (AUD for $). Other things are nice : data / date entry is very
> smooth, polished.
> 
> There are web based general ledgers, but the setup is a little steep.
> SQL-Ledger. Requires web server and PostgreSQL. I get the feeling
> the authors make a living tailoring and installing it. The doco
> is sparse. I don't think it would be quite as convenient doing
> books this way. However, if you were big enough and you had a
> book-keeper / accountant tuned in and willing to work this way it could
> be really good. In fact, for an accounting firm this could be a great
> business tool.
> 
> Gnucash works very well for me. There are some anomalies. My GST
> accounting is on a cash basis, but normal books are accrual. I don't
> know how this works with Quick or MYOB.
> 
> My opinion is that the GST environment and reporting requirements
> in Australia are such that any GST reporting business has to have
> someone who understands the basics of accounting. Either that
> is a book-keeper/accountant, or yourself. No software can truly
> hide this, in fact hiding it makes the potential
> for mistakes leading to tax liabilities worse.
> 
> I've had a very experienced book keeper go completely astray with MYOB.
> In the end, it is you signing the tax forms, and you that will pay
> the penalties.
> 
> Jamie
> -- 
> SLUG - Sydney Linux User Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/
> More Info: http://lists.slug.org.au/listinfo/slug
> 
> ----- End forwarded message -----
> 
> -- 
>    "Everyone says they like Free Software - not everyone is ready to make   
>          the tough choices to make it happen." - Maciej Stachowiak