Success installing Windows v2.2.1; first impressions (and some bugs), online banking

[doug_mail at hotpop.com]

Maf. King wrote:
>> -- My general status of the program's status is that it's "alpha-test"
>> quality.  It might be a good idea to convey this a bit better on the home
>> page, as a reviewer might otherwise expect it to be more polished and
write
>> an (unfairly) negative review as a result.
>>
> 
> I'd have to disagree with you there, as I have been using only GC for
personal 
> and business finances for about 5 years now.  Sure there are some bugs
and 
> niggles, but it isn't alpha quality software by a long way.

I think that GnuCash on UNIX is much farther along than the Windows port at
this point.

I think the Windows port is very impressive but in what I have seen so far
it isn't quite ready to have your average Windows Quicken user switch over
to it. 

I looked mostly at the online banking for North American institutions
(GnuCash 2.2.0 for Windows) and I would say that is definitely not ready
for prime time.

- There are some problems during online banking setup where the windows
asking for input pop up behind other windows.
There are also some "close this windows when done" check boxes that you
don't get a chance to uncheck.

- Determining setting for Banks is too difficult for your average user. The
table on the Wiki also needs to be expanded to include all the online
banking settings. HTTP Version, Server Options (Supports Account List
Download, Supports Statement Download, Supports Investments etc).

- The setup of accounts also needs to have more friendly names, the
settings all show Institute codes and Account numbers, not account names
and Bank names.

- I have only been able to download information for checking accounts so
far, savings and other accounts don't work.

- I can only do one online banking operation at a time then I need to
restart GnuCash. I have been trying to build GnuCash for a few days in
order to diagnose further but so far no luck.

- You can only do one online action at a time, select an account then
choose Actions -> Online Actions -> Get Transactions, choose date range, 
enter password, OK to accept transactions.
This is a 6 step process for each account.
GnuCash needs a password/pin keeper (perhaps based on or interfacing with
Password Safe http://passwordsafe.sourceforge.net/) to store all your
passwords.
It also needs a simple way to update all online accounts. Perhaps:
  Actions -> Online Actions -> Download Transactions for All Accounts,
enter password safe password.
Or better yet a button on the toolbar. Click update button, enter password
safe password.
It should probably be able to kick off stock downloads and check for
updates and you want to get really fancy allow it to run other plug-in
modules and command line tools.

- Perhaps this exists already, I haven't investigated it much yet, but a
dashboard or several windows configured to show at startup would be very 
useful. These items come to mind to be possible to be shown.
  Stocks, current balances for all bank/institution accounts, late,
current, coming periodic transactions etc.

So I hate to say this but my current plan is to buy a new version of
Quicken to get me along for the next 8-12 months and see if I can do some
small part to assist with improving GnuCash during that time.

I would recommend trying to get some more technical Windows people and Devs
trying out GnuCash on windows but I would not advertise it to the general
public yet. First impressions can be very powerful and although I think
GnuCash shows a huge amount of promise on Windows I don't see it ready for
the general public yet.

Thanks,

Doug

P.S. BTW I want to thank all the people who are contributing to GnuCash,
very impressive job and I think it will be ready for prime time on Windows
soon.

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