Quickbooks Lifespan

I think they're only talking about Quicken ONLINE being discontinued. Elaine

Yes, but further down, they say they also have plans to combine code with mint.com in 2 years and discontinue desktop Quicken in about 5 years, as per this quote from the article:

"In the on-air discussion, Patzer said Intuit plans to keep selling desktop versions of Quicken for Windows PCs and Apple (AAPL) Macs for perhaps five years further. That's mainly to appeal to "older" users who "feel more comfortable" with their finances on a personal computer, he said. Within about two years, the company plans to combine the software code of Mint.com and Quicken into a product that would let users readily switch between desktop and online modes."

If one can keep one's file on the desktop machine only, I have no issues, but...

Mikel

when Intuit introduced the Online version they released a very simple version. It was very limited in features plus many did not work. they just did not put much money into the project. (Intuit did the same thing with their QB online version.) They may have also has sights on scoping Mint up at the time.

In the not to distant future desktop software will be the rarity, applications as well as the data will all be up in the clouds. . The amount of computer literacy the genral public will need will contine to decline.

For the last 20 years Haskel has been a keen observer of the volume of computer related books displayed by the major book retailers. With each passing year the space allocated to these types of books has decreased. Where in the past entire sections of the store were dedicated to IT, today only a few shelves hold this subject matter.

This also reflects society's decline...leaving more and more of our lives in the hands of a few. I suppose one can only drag one's feet for so long. Perhaps our only hope is that 'cloud security' keeps up with 'cloud assimilation'.

Mikel

Haskel is more concerned with what country the cloud is maintained in then security issues.

Haskel LaPort wrote: ...

If Haskel isn't concerned w/ security issues then what difference can it possibly make?

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Haskel is not concerned with security issues because I believe the data is and will be quite secure. Jobs are my major concern.

I'm wondering about the third person thing, but that's another matter ;). As for what country, that concern will be resolved when the One World Order system rises, which, of course, will require the Cloud to operate. This may alleviate your concerns. It will inflame mine. :). The Cloud will make it possible to exert complete control over the masses. Sounds paranoid, I know, but think of the potential. It may boggle Haskel's mind ;).

Mikel

Me too. They know that younger folk are quite clueless about privacy (knowledge is power) and are willing to give their information to anyone. At some point more of those people will be making the decisions and those "stupid" "older" users will be trumped by them.

Unfortunately for users the term "cloud computing" has to be the greatest term to come along for marketing droids in a long time. Users get the warm and fuzzies that their data is in "the cloud" perhaps protected by the angels instead of the reality that you have given your information to someone else to store on their systems.

One of the basic golden rules about securing your data is that you maintain physical control over it. You have absolutely no way of knowing how secure your data might be once you give up control to someone else.

No paranoia required. One of the most basic ideas is that knowledge is power.

Alan Haskel is idiot. Data will be assimilated by the host country just because it might reveal someone that they want politically. There will be no security at all. It will be mined for trade secrets and state secrets.

One can hope that two or three of these clouds will be laid open before the trend progresses so far it can't be undone.

Lets hope your self fulfilling prophecies never come true.

Knowing that my data is stored safely by SmartVault and Carbonite up in the clouds does give Haskel a warm and fuzzy feeling. Haskel does not have any sleepless nights worring about security issues.

Thanks for the compliment but I could never fill the man's shoes.

Honest question and something to think about.

You know your data is safely stored by carbonite or whomever how? Because they told you?

Just as safe and effective as the medicines sold by spam e-mail I'm sure.

Wondering if they are rated by the credit card issuers as being safe to store customer credit card information?

We live in a modern society. With out trust we may as well move in to a log cabin in the woods and live alone. I have to trust that the mechanic installed the new brakes on my car correctly. I have to trust that the doctor knows what they are doing.

A simple act like going to the barber shop requires trust. I have to trust that he/she does not go bizarre on my ass and slits my throat with a razor.