Ads in Microsoft Money - Any Comments?
Friday September 8, 2006
I have noticed while working with the two major personal finance software packages, Microsoft Money and Quicken, that Microsoft Money really a lot of Internet content through the software while Quicken does not. Screens change in Microsoft Money to reflect content from the MSN Money website and advertisements when I click on the tab for the Investing, Planning and Taxes modules. Sometimes this content is relevant to the module I selected, and sometimes not. For example, I just clicked on the Taxes tab and when that module opened up I was presented with an ad for a great price on eye glasses. Earlier, I clicked on the Planning tab only to see that Jessica Alba has a new movie coming out.
I have learned to ignore web page advertisements when I use the Internet, and I do not think I should have to learn to ignore ads popping up in the software I have paid for and installed on my computer. What do you think? Do the ads in Microsoft Money bother you or have you learned to live with them? Talk back in the Comment link below.
Comments
I’ve been so annoyed with the recent versions of Money that I refuse to switch from 2004. I also don’t like some of the interface changes but I guess that’s a minor issue. FWIW, I’d be willing to pay five or six times what the S/W costs if they’d impliment some of the suggestions that have been mentioned in the microsoft.public.money newsgroup for years (especially gettings rid of the ads).
I’ve tried to use MS Small Business Accounting for my Personal Finances with some success but there is still a bit of a gap in PF vs. Accounting apps and I do like some of the features and usability that Money offers. The only reason I haven’t seriously considered a laborious switch to Quicken is that I thought it was littered with ads too…based on your post, maybe I should give it a shot.
No, Quicken is not littered with ads. The extent of ‘ads’ in Quicken are only tiny text links that on the bottom right of some screens. They say stuff like, “try Quicken BillPay”. These little links do not flash at you, and they are so small that they are easy to ignore. When I click on something that looks like a tool in Quicken, an actual financial management tool pops up and not a browser displaying a web-page with related reading. Maybe I’m just a very literal thinker, but when I use financial software, I really want to get down to the business of managing finances and not be interrupted by irrelevant ads and web browsers.
I am so relieved to see I’m not the only person that is frustrated by the ads on Microsoft Money! I’ve been using Money 04, which is fine. I just downloaded a free 90 day trial version of 07. I didn’t even get to enter one transaction before I was highly annoyed by the ads. I find it very hard to ignore them and they result in a fragmented thought process. I’m an accountant, so I own and use Quickbooks. But it’s not quite right for personal finances. I will be checking out Quicken now, after I send Microsoft a note to let them know my thoughts.
That issue is simply amazing. I’ve dowloaded trial version of MS Money, and got stunned by that ads b&llsh^t. Well, maybe its drawbacks of trial, I thought. Nay-nay-nay ! Its ads I should buy with commercial soft. Fok ye microsoft, I will never spend my money for that cr$p. Doesnt mean I will not use it, though. there is emule, edonkey, bittorrent and other which can provide ur cr$p for free, at least to try it and puke it out after.
Gosh, customers starts to pay for ads feeded to them… What will be the next ?
I’m glad that I came across this article; I’ve been trying to decide whether to buy Microsoft Money or Quicken, and I was actually leaning toward some of Microsoft Money’s features. The ads, however, are a deal-breaker. Quicken it is.