Getting money for Gnucash development [was Re: Newbie migration issues]

[TC]

Robert Uhl wrote:

> Rod Engelsman <rodengelsman at ruraltel.net> writes:
>>What exactly can you do with gnucash that you can't do with Quicken?

> The same things that the Italians were suddenly able to do when they
> invented double-entry accounting which they weren't previously able to
> do.  Their discovery fuelled the Renascence--mine has lifted me out of a
> hole.  Being able to watch how money dances is an illuminating
> experience.

Don't wave Italian pedigree and unusually spelled historical periods at 
us and think we're bamboozled :-)

Answer the question.  What "exactly" can you do with gnucash that you 
can't do with Quicken?

Answer:
1. Run on Linux
2. Freely share the code and modify it
3. Download and use it for free

Non-answer:
1. Double Entry

 > The situation is very similar with accounting:
> once one groks double-entry accounting, suddenly the scales fall from
> one's eyes and one has a 'eureka!' moment.

Can we knock please this on its head once and for all.
Quicken *does* double-entry book-keeping.  It appears to give you the 
possibility of making a Single Entry transaction, but in reality even 
such entries have a destination account.  It's called "Uncategorized".

Besides, here is the bottom line.

<rant>
Despite what accountants have drummed into them in their college days, 
Double Entry is *not* some basic law of nature.  It wasn't some 
fundamental truth that was established by some Italian merchants half a 
millenium ago.  It is simple a Means To An End.

And The End is:

a. Clean arithmetic
b. A base for financial analysis

Now certainly in Ye Olden Days of Parchment and Feather Pens, writing 
down a transaction twice, in two different places, was a Good Thing.
But for goodness sake, let's not treat that system like an ancient 
immovable religion.  It as *one* possible system for achieving The End.

After all, what would you rather have: some old Italian bloke with a 6lb 
leather bound ledger, and a bottle of ink, or a reasonably intelligent 
modern human, with a PC and a copy of Quicken?

tc