<p>I thought I would try to tap the collective wisdom of this group. I need to purchase a new iMac (my old one is outdated–operating on Tiger). I have been using my trusty Quicken 2004 for Windows using Parallels and Windows XP. I don’t think it is going to work on the new computer. I hear terrible things about Quicken for Mac (hence why I never upgraded from my Windows version before). I am a little tired of having to use Parallels every time I want to work on my finances. Do you have any suggestions? Anyone use iBank? Have good experiences with Quicken for Mac? Any others? When answering, could you let me know if I will be able to import my data from my old Quicken? I don’t want to spend hours re-inputting years of data.</p>
<p>I mainly use the software to track personal finances. I don’t care about downloading from banks or doing any really sophisticated analysis. I just keep a record of my accounts and balance checkbooks. I do use the features that generate spending, net worth reports etc.</p>
<p>I use iBank…converted from Quicken when it wouldn’t work with the new OS. I am very happy with it. It will do what you need. You can import from your quicken file, but may have to do some clean up. It didn’t bring the reconciled check information in (at least in the version I started with). There is good documentation.</p>
<p>I tried MoneyDance. It works on PC, MAC and Linex. It did import both my old PC quicken files (mom’s finances) and my 2007 MAC Quicken files, although the investment stuff was a bit difficult.</p>
<p>I really miss quicken’s reports as I had been so used to them. And MoneyDance doesn’t have many similar built in reports, but I am gradually finding them and getting used to them.</p>
<p>I have some issues with MoneyDance, but it is probably more my fault than theirs.</p>
<p>It was very tough to find MAC sw not too expensive that handles investment income. I did look at iBank, but don’t know why I didn’t get it.</p>
<p>I now hate Intuit and Quicken, because they just did an update which rendered the download facility of the 2009 PC version useless. I do not think that is legal, to disable something that used to work to force you to buy a newer version.
Quicken for MAC was pretty useless by most reviews I read and I am glad I didn’t go there since they might disable it at their whim!</p>
<p>What is the problem with using Parallels? VMs run pretty fast on modern machines. I’d suggest getting an SSD if performance is an issue. You should be able to just copy the VM file over to the new system if you can get the same version of Parallels installed on the new machine.</p>
<p>I use VMs all the time on my Mac and Windows systems.</p>
<p>OK, I am somewhat computer illiterate so I am not sure I totally understand:</p>
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<p>What is an SSD? I can’t get the same version of Parallels installed on the new machine because I was told it wouldn’t work for the newer Macs (It is Parallels 7) At least that is what the Apple people told me when I called. I am not even sure I can get my version of Quicken to work on a new Parallels because I will probably have to update to a newer Windows (I am running an old XP and don’t have a copy of the disc to reinstall). I am not even sure how I keep all my info when I install the new computer. Do I just move it to a flash drive?</p>
<p>If I have to, I could get a new Quicken for Windows for my new computer, but I found it slow on my old computer to open up Parallels and start Windows every time I wanted to open Quicken. Maybe the newer machines are faster.</p>
<p>Thanks for the info about IBank and Money Dance. Of course, I am so used to Quicken, I hate to change. Ugh. Sometimes life was easier in the paper days.</p>
<p>A Solid State Drive. Normal hard disk drives are mechanical devices
and are generally a lot slower than SSDs.</p>
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<p>The version on your current machine is Parallels 7? That’s the currently
shipping version.</p>
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<p>On my system, VMs are stored in container files. These container files
hold your entire operating system and software so you can just move
the whole virtual machine to another physical machine and run it.</p>
<p>This may or may not work but if it does, then you don’t need anything
new.</p>
<p>On moving your files over, I would use network file transfer or a
flash drive or portable hard drive.</p>
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<p>The newer machines are faster. If you get one with an SSD, booting
the VM and running Quicken should be a lot faster.</p>
<p>Was your old imac a PowerPC-based G3/G4/G5 CPU based mac? </p>
<p>If it is an intel-based mac, you should have no problems running Snow Leopard. Recently upgraded mom’s 2006 Macbook Pro to Snow Leopard…runs well…including PowerPC based applications.</p>