Maximum PC

I purchased and used TurboTax for my 2009 federal and state tax filings.

The software is fantastic if you have a fairly normal filing, but I have a huge gripe. The software only wants to work with Adobe's Acrobat Reader. (I use Foxit Software's free reader.)

When it got to the point where I could preview my federal filings it told me to press "Continue" to download the software. There was no "Continue" button, just "Yes" and "No".

Then when I did click yes the address is invalid! WTF?

Intuit needs to recognize that some people just don't want to use Acrobat Reader from Adobe.

n0b0dykn0ws

Yeah, I don't use tax software anymore.

Especially anything from Intuit.

But I completely understand your frustration. There was an Army program I had to use at home. It used Adobe Acrobat ONLY. And I was required to use it to write my NCOER's. So all I did was save my main files to my spare drive, but used the software in a secondary account with Acrobat installed on it.

I'm anti Apple, anti Adobe and anti Intuit. I don't like any of them being on my computers. Something about those programs just make me feel like I'm feeding the underbelly of a crime syndicate or something.

I don't install Intuit software, period! I just go straight to the TurboTax website where I go as far as giving them my numbers from my statements. I do keep Acrobat handy, and I'm an addict for Photoshop and Flash on Adobe's part. And finally, I would go as far as emulating an Apple computer instead of owning one. The only thing about Apple is the fact that I am an anti-QuickTime and an anti-iTunes type of guy. VLC and Winamp all the way!

Is the problem really Intuit though?

I'm pretty sure there's some requirements of publishing things like tax forms, not to mention a way to secure the product, so one just doesn't use it for the preparation.

I'd be curious what other tax software does in this regard.

PDF is an open standard now, right?

In that case Foxit Reader should be accepted.

It should attempt to open the PDF it has prepared.

Have a button for Adobe Reader if you don't have anything installed.

But science dammit, at least go to the correct URL!

n0b0dykn0ws

My copy of Turbotax Premier works just fine. I also use Adobe reader, so it doesn't matter, but when i clicked the link anyway, it worked just fine. Maybe you need to just update it or something? Idk.

The point is that I don't have or want Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on my laptop.

Unless there was a DNS issue last night the URL was dead.

Adobe needs to learn to patch it's vulnerable software before I will trust them.

n0b0dykn0ws

It's not so much a PDF as a standard, it's the producing to include all the digital signatures, watermarks, etc, and saving with personal information that makes me ask that question, as this isn't exactly downloading a 1040 form from the IRS and then filling in the blanks.

That brings up the technical question of which piece of software, or a subset of said software, produces those digital signatures/watermarks/etc. TurboTax or Acrobat?

I must admit I went back and looked at the packaging. It does mention Acrobat Reader.

For PDF to remain an open standard users should be freed from the shackle of Acrobat though, IMHO.

n0b0dykn0ws

I'm not sure what's producing it. It may be an acrobat engine, it may not. I'm not sure it matters though. It's not only being used to publish the form, it's also securing their product.

I'm sure there's some govt spec that probably describes what should occur.

As stupid as the process may be, you'll probably find your answer somewhere at the US Government Printing Office.

Eek. I just re-read my initial post, and I forgot to point out that this was merely a preview.

I hate to sound like a broken record, but PDF has been an open standard for over a year and a half now. Plenty of time to correct your code to allow for other PDF readers.

n0b0dykn0ws

I can confirm that the Online version allows you to open your documents with Foxit Reader. It's kind of a screwy way to get there though. You have to click on Save, then either save it or select Foxit Reader to open it.

Yeah, that's because Firefox/IE/Opera/Chrome/Safari/etc don't care what you use to open the PDF. They're neutral, like they should be.

n0b0dykn0ws

You really need to quit beating that horse. Since it's a preview, they've tailored the code to meet their needs, thus making it closed...as obviously the restricted functionality will only be exhibited in TT.