I kinda miss them. Were they really taking up that much space?
:(
Support Staff2 Posted by Ben Spencer on 16 May, 2011 01:40 PM
Hi
I am sorry you don't like the change. They were removed for two
reasons. 1) They were redundant because all items under a
particular heading were all of the same type.2) With the change of
the confirmation panel moving to the right side bar from the bottom
we need all the horizontal real estate we could get. Those extra 10
pixels make all the difference for low resolution displays.
It's not a huge deal, Ben. Just not completely consistent, in my
opinion. For instance, there are still icons for each graph /
report, but none for accounts. There are still icons for the Home
and Reminders.
I get your point about subitems in each category being
redundant. Why not bring back icons for each category (bank
account, credit card, etc), and remove the graph/report sub
icons
Consistency of interface is an issue it seems in MD, as well as
icons there are some places where the mini calendar doesn't pop up
and selection method for criteria differs from one report to the
next.
Cheers Jonty
Just wanted to pitch in here again, as I have been examining
other financial packages as MD is failing to meet my
expectations.
The best way of dealing with icons that I have found so far is
as per the attached screenshot - its beautiful and elegant and
simple -- ALLOW the user to choose what icons they want for each
account IF ANY! Why should the program dictate how much screen real
estate I use - I have a 27" and a 24 " monitor I can spare a
bit!
That way, I could choose the banks logo or a specific credit
card icon - get a march on your competitors by allowing the user to
scan an image of their actual card. Surely it's just a placeholder
for an image and so cannot affect the functionality of the program
nor the integrity of the data???
Whatever you do, I feel you are going to have to do a lot to
make MD look an awful lot prettier!! I first test drove the 'green
topped version' which I quickly dismissed purely because it was too
fugly to work with. Current version are better but have a way to go
IMHO.
As well as functionality, the way it looks is very important
these days. Just look at at rise of the iCulture to see what I
mean.
Personally, I suspect part of the ugliness of MD is due to its
java roots which seems to me to be a decision based on the
convenience of the developers rather than any real gain for the
customer. It reminds me of why I changed from Windows to Mac in
1997 - because the Mac allows me to do things without getting in
the way, whereas Windows (read MD) tries to make me change the way
I do things.
If java's only real benefit is the cross platform ability, then
I have news for you - most Mac users don't want to run a Windows
program -- they would prefer a Mac one because it works the way
they do. I can't see any other benefit for the customer, please
tell me if I am wrong.
If I jump ship away from MD I may go back to QUICKEN 2007 until
I can find a better alternative. YES really!. I really thought MD
2011 was it but it sadly isn't! Quicken had me since 2003 I think
it was, MD has had me for a few months until the cracks started to
show! Right now Quicken 2007 with ALL of its faults is looking a
better option than MD 2011.
Ben, you are not really correct when you say that all accounts
under a particular heading are the same type as MD doesn't even
allow the customer a very wide choice of account types - no CASH
for example - in a program that deals with MONEY and there is no
CASH item! Surely that has to be a fundamental mistake!!!!!!!
So if the user has to decide what sort of kludge to apply to get
a simple cash account in Moneydance (you said earlier some people
use a bank account or an asset account) so they will have to
remember where they put it to access it because you won't / can't
allow the user to change the order accounts appear in. The
alternative - a "$" or "£" sign as the icon (build loads of
them in at the right size and resolution) would obviate that
problem at a stroke.
BTW the attached screenshot (I won't name the program - you can
Google it easy enough if you don't already know it) also allows me
to:-
-- drag and drop reorder the order my accounts appear -- move
transactions to another account by drag n dropping them -- organise
groups of accounts the way I want to see them. -- has 'special
groups' called PEOPLE - who can own part of a transaction - dinner
for two and you pay your own way - simple! --has an iPhone app that
syncs properly and does more than just list the amounts -- allows
attachment of files to a transaction -- and its half the price of
MD
OK it doesn't do property investments but then nor does MD
without a kludge (owning 'one share' in a house is a ridiculous
work around) nor does it do share portfolios but then again MDs
security prices get mussed up by changing other things in the
program so maybe.
OK rant over. Comments welcome.
Off to have a cup of tea and contemplate the financial
future.
Support Staff7 Posted by Ben Spencer on 03 Jun, 2011 03:01 PM
Hi Jonty
I am sorry that the look and feel of Moneydance is not meeting
your needs. I appreciate the feedback and if you would like a
refund please let me know and I will authorise one today.
Hey guys, I've taken the liberty to make a GIMP mockup of what I
think might be a good compromise with the sidebar icons. I
relocated the icons to the main category lines.
There seems to be some inconsistency in the new icon policy,
with regards to the Reports & Graphs section. Each of these
subitems (either a graph or report) has its own icon still. I took
some license here and split the two apart in the sidebar, giving
each their own icon.
Notice, I don't have an icon for the new Budgets section of the
sidebar, as I don't believe the app has one anywhere I could
find.
Support Staff 2 Posted by Ben Spencer on 16 May, 2011 01:40 PM
Hi
I am sorry you don't like the change. They were removed for two reasons. 1) They were redundant because all items under a particular heading were all of the same type.2) With the change of the confirmation panel moving to the right side bar from the bottom we need all the horizontal real estate we could get. Those extra 10 pixels make all the difference for low resolution displays.
Sincerely
Ben Spencer
Moneydance Support
3 Posted by rob on 20 May, 2011 06:21 PM
It's not a huge deal, Ben. Just not completely consistent, in my opinion. For instance, there are still icons for each graph / report, but none for accounts. There are still icons for the Home and Reminders.
I get your point about subitems in each category being redundant. Why not bring back icons for each category (bank account, credit card, etc), and remove the graph/report sub icons
4 Posted by jontyreason on 21 May, 2011 12:42 AM
Consistency of interface is an issue it seems in MD, as well as icons there are some places where the mini calendar doesn't pop up and selection method for criteria differs from one report to the next.
Cheers Jonty
5 Posted by bono on 01 Jun, 2011 08:21 PM
Guys, please put SOME kind of icons back.
What used to be a cursory glance to find an account now takes several seconds and is very hard for the eye.
Best,
Bono
6 Posted by jontyreason on 01 Jun, 2011 11:45 PM
[Apologies in advance for the following RANT :)]
Just wanted to pitch in here again, as I have been examining other financial packages as MD is failing to meet my expectations.
The best way of dealing with icons that I have found so far is as per the attached screenshot - its beautiful and elegant and simple -- ALLOW the user to choose what icons they want for each account IF ANY! Why should the program dictate how much screen real estate I use - I have a 27" and a 24 " monitor I can spare a bit!
That way, I could choose the banks logo or a specific credit card icon - get a march on your competitors by allowing the user to scan an image of their actual card. Surely it's just a placeholder for an image and so cannot affect the functionality of the program nor the integrity of the data???
Whatever you do, I feel you are going to have to do a lot to make MD look an awful lot prettier!! I first test drove the 'green topped version' which I quickly dismissed purely because it was too fugly to work with. Current version are better but have a way to go IMHO.
As well as functionality, the way it looks is very important these days. Just look at at rise of the iCulture to see what I mean.
Personally, I suspect part of the ugliness of MD is due to its java roots which seems to me to be a decision based on the convenience of the developers rather than any real gain for the customer. It reminds me of why I changed from Windows to Mac in 1997 - because the Mac allows me to do things without getting in the way, whereas Windows (read MD) tries to make me change the way I do things.
If java's only real benefit is the cross platform ability, then I have news for you - most Mac users don't want to run a Windows program -- they would prefer a Mac one because it works the way they do. I can't see any other benefit for the customer, please tell me if I am wrong.
If I jump ship away from MD I may go back to QUICKEN 2007 until I can find a better alternative. YES really!. I really thought MD 2011 was it but it sadly isn't! Quicken had me since 2003 I think it was, MD has had me for a few months until the cracks started to show! Right now Quicken 2007 with ALL of its faults is looking a better option than MD 2011.
Ben, you are not really correct when you say that all accounts under a particular heading are the same type as MD doesn't even allow the customer a very wide choice of account types - no CASH for example - in a program that deals with MONEY and there is no CASH item! Surely that has to be a fundamental mistake!!!!!!!
So if the user has to decide what sort of kludge to apply to get a simple cash account in Moneydance (you said earlier some people use a bank account or an asset account) so they will have to remember where they put it to access it because you won't / can't allow the user to change the order accounts appear in. The alternative - a "$" or "£" sign as the icon (build loads of them in at the right size and resolution) would obviate that problem at a stroke.
BTW the attached screenshot (I won't name the program - you can Google it easy enough if you don't already know it) also allows me to:-
-- drag and drop reorder the order my accounts appear -- move transactions to another account by drag n dropping them -- organise groups of accounts the way I want to see them. -- has 'special groups' called PEOPLE - who can own part of a transaction - dinner for two and you pay your own way - simple! --has an iPhone app that syncs properly and does more than just list the amounts -- allows attachment of files to a transaction -- and its half the price of MD
OK it doesn't do property investments but then nor does MD without a kludge (owning 'one share' in a house is a ridiculous work around) nor does it do share portfolios but then again MDs security prices get mussed up by changing other things in the program so maybe.
OK rant over. Comments welcome.
Off to have a cup of tea and contemplate the financial future.
Cheers
Jonty
Support Staff 7 Posted by Ben Spencer on 03 Jun, 2011 03:01 PM
Hi Jonty
I am sorry that the look and feel of Moneydance is not meeting your needs. I appreciate the feedback and if you would like a refund please let me know and I will authorise one today.
Sincerely
Ben Spencer
Moneydance Support
8 Posted by jontyreason on 09 Jun, 2011 05:46 AM
Hi Ben
OK Sorry it has not worked out. Please arrange refund asap, I have now switched to another program.
Thank you
Jonty
Support Staff 9 Posted by Angie Rauscher on 10 Jun, 2011 05:55 PM
Jonty,
I am sorry that our product did not meet your needs. I have asked our payment processing partners BMT Micro to process your refund.
They will let you know when the process is complete from our end.
Please let me know if I can be of further assistance, and thank you for your interest in Moneydance.
Angie Rauscher
Moneydance Support
Angie Rauscher closed this discussion on 10 Jun, 2011 05:55 PM.
rob re-opened this discussion on 17 Jun, 2011 07:07 PM
10 Posted by rob on 17 Jun, 2011 07:07 PM
Hey guys, I've taken the liberty to make a GIMP mockup of what I think might be a good compromise with the sidebar icons. I relocated the icons to the main category lines.
There seems to be some inconsistency in the new icon policy, with regards to the Reports & Graphs section. Each of these subitems (either a graph or report) has its own icon still. I took some license here and split the two apart in the sidebar, giving each their own icon.
Notice, I don't have an icon for the new Budgets section of the sidebar, as I don't believe the app has one anywhere I could find.
Comments welcome.
Support Staff 11 Posted by Ben Spencer on 18 Jun, 2011 09:27 AM
Thank you for putting the time and effort into this I have passed it along to the developers.
12 Posted by rob on 24 Feb, 2012 09:16 PM
I would love to hear what the devs thoughts, and if there were any feelings of fine tuning the sidebar. Just curious.