Quicken for Mac
 

A desperate plea for help ... I've been using Quicken to track my finances since I got a copy bundled with a new PC in 1996. Since moving to a Mac I've tried unsuccessfully to acquire the Mac version of the program and have instead to run the Windows version on Virtual PC ... a frustrating option as my G3 iMac isn't the fastest machine in the world these days and VPC with Win XP on board goes like a dog.

Despite Apple and Intuit bundling Quicken with iMacs in the USA, a UK-localised version of the program doesn't even exist. Not only is there no UK version, no website selling the US/Canada version will ship to the UK. I've tried Amazon.com, Intuit's own US website, the lot. No joy.

Periodically I phone Intuit UK to hassle them over this. Believe it or not their standard advice is to run it on VPC ... yesterday I asked the sales rep if he had any idea how much VPC costs, seeing as he is recommending it to everyone. (it's about £100, btw). In a fit of pique I also phoned intuit's corporate head office in the USA and left a lengthy voicemail for the CEO. Unsurprisingly no-one phoned back.

The UK sales rep I talked to yesterday admitted that they get plenty of calls from Mac users wanting the software but can never get a commitment from the Intuit UK development department about if/when they'll actually do something about it.

So, people, over to you ... any advice? I can't believe it's that difficult to get hold of, there must be something obvious I'm missing. And as Quicken is designed to work with multiple currencies, isn't a US version likely to work just as well on my machine? Isn't the only difference between the US/UK likely to be the packaging?

Try searching ebay.com for someone who'll ship it internationally.

surely there is a mac version of kazaa lite ;)

Believe it or not, there ain't ... and altho' I'm generally ambivalent in the extreme about filesharing apps, in this instance I am so disgusted with the corporate arrogance emanating from Intuit that I'd be sorely tempted to acquire a hacked copy just to thumb my nose at them. There is a Mac BitTorrent app.... :D

with reference to Bifta's suggestion, I have found some sellers on ebay willing to ship to the UK ... I've just mailed one of them to try to get an idea what the postage cost on top of my bid will turn out to be.