Intuit Disables Feature With Dot Release

For years I’ve been chronicling Intuit’s crippleware tactics of turning program features into paid services, particularly in its QuickBooks accounting software. But one reader recently discovered Intuit is no longer just disabling features in the next major release, but even with minor updates.

“Not only with versions does Intuit remove features, but they also make changes to functionality with updates,” the reader wrote. “This is in QuickBooks 2006, which is not even a sunsetted version — yet. Recently, payroll for my company was processed doing a manual payroll — we do not subscribe to the Intuit payroll service. The next day, my accountant installed the latest update to QuickBooks Pro 2006. When going to run the forms 940 and 941, she was cordially invited to subscribe to the payroll service. Without the service, the program will not allow printing of these forms, or the data needed for them. Prior to this update, the interview process would run, and the data was generated.

A manual payroll entry had always been available without subscription.”

“We called the QuickBooks support line, whose suggestion was to re-install the program, and not to perform any updates,” the reader wrote. “The call was then escalated to a supervisor named Elvin. Elvin stated that Intuit was aware of this, and we were directed to the website. The only information found on the site is in the description of Release 9, which states:”

“The IRS changed Form 940 for tax year 2006. This update to QuickBooks was required to fully support the new Form 940, in addition to changes that will be a part of a Payroll update for Payroll Service subscribers. In order to accurately create your 2006 Form 940 you will need this latest release and the Payroll Update that contains the new Form 940 for 2006. (R9)”

The reader can only guess what Intuit’s website is actually saying. “This quote indicates to me that the update is required prior to updating for Payroll service subscribers. It does not in any way that I see indicate that non-subscribers would lose functionality that had been available prior. Perhaps R10 will require a subscription to reconcile a checking account, or perhaps accounts payable will become an option.”

The reader can try reinstalling the older version of QuickBooks 2006 and then eschewing all updates, but that’s hardly a good solution. “The issue with a reinstall is that patches are not individually available. I’m not all that thrilled with being stuck at a revision level with no chance to update in the future. In addition, as I just found out today, if you do not install an update, every time you open the program, it will prompt for

Installation with a dialog box that gives you the choice of ‘install now’ or ‘install later’ – it reminds me of the old Fram ‘you can pay me now or you can pay me later’ commercial. There doesn’t seem to be a ‘go away and don’t bother me’ button.”

Have you run into any crippleware chicanery? Post your comments on my website or write me at Foster@gripe2ed.com.

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