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Turbotax and Spyware

Started by pat, February 01, 2003, 22:13 hrs

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pat

I have used TurboTax Home and Business edition for the last several years to do my taxes. I have always fond it to serve my needs quite well, so I went ahead and got it again this year. It wasn?t until I got it home and opened it and was reading over the install directions that I found out that they have put a product activation feature on it for this year. Ok, that in itself I can live with, I don?t like it. I won?t get into the debate of intellectual properties here.
What I do find offensive is the inclusion of spyware in the form of Safe/Cast Cdilla.
I went through the list of known spyware components in the Spybot database and there it was. So as far as I can tell, it is indeed spyware.
Now since I have already opened it I can?t return it, which I certainly would if I had known before hand. I think what I am going to do is go ahead and install it and do my taxes this year on it, but I think I will be looking for a new program for next year.
This just infuriates me, and I am giving you all a heads up so you can have a chance to read some of the articles I will poast at the end of this message. At least if you decide to use it you will be forewarned.

Open Letter to Intuit, Re: TurboTax DRM from Extreme Tech

Review comments from Cnet

Link to Safe Cast uninstaller

DISCUSS HERE
SeaSonic S12 550W, Athlon 64 X2 6000+, Asus M2N SLI-Deluxe, nvidia 9600 GSO, 2x2 gig Crucial Ballistix, LG DVD/RW, 2x Western Digital Black Edition 640gb,  SAMSUNG 226BW Black 22", Canon PIXMA MP600,  Logitech X-230 speakers, Logitech Comfort Duo keyboard & Mouse, Windows 7 64 Home Premium & Vista 64

pat

Ok, just a little update here.
Installation and activation went ok, however shortcuts were installed to the desktop without asking for special offers to the following products.
Quicken Brokerage, INS Direct, SBC Yahoo, Special Offers from Quicken.

The first time you open the program you are asked if you would like to install Quicken for $59.00, you are also asked several times throughout the program if you would like to buy this or that extra service. Professional revue, auditing insurance, file on line, etc. Once you get done you are asked once again if you would like to buy Quicken for $59.00.

The uninstall for the product is less than stellar also. The icons were left on the desktop as well as the entry in the Start Menu. The TurboTax folder was also left in the Programs folder.  There were also numerous registry entries that I had to remove.
The C-dilla uninstaller worked fine though.

Well done is done, my system is clean again and I will never use this program again.
I don?t know what these folks were thinking; they took what was a great product and ruined it in a sea of IN-Your-Face direct marketing and in MHO invasion of privacy. The actual tax software is probably fine.

Anyway, Taxcut is certainly taking advantage of what will turn out to be a marketing nightmare for Intuit. Right on the top of the Taxcut website in big blue letters it says.
No activation required.
SeaSonic S12 550W, Athlon 64 X2 6000+, Asus M2N SLI-Deluxe, nvidia 9600 GSO, 2x2 gig Crucial Ballistix, LG DVD/RW, 2x Western Digital Black Edition 640gb,  SAMSUNG 226BW Black 22", Canon PIXMA MP600,  Logitech X-230 speakers, Logitech Comfort Duo keyboard & Mouse, Windows 7 64 Home Premium & Vista 64