Semi-OT: Referral for Linux-friendly accountant

[Vaughn Treude]

Harold wrote:
> Vaughn,
> 
> I know you have been looking for a solution to your problem for a while.
> Could you please clarify your goals and the resources you have?
> 
> Are you trying to get your data out in a clean format so that you can
> use it in another application?
> 

Yes. A spread-sheet-type format would be good.

> What platform are you running your QB99 on?
> 

Windows 2000.

> Have you examined your data to see what sort of format it is in? Is it
> ASCII text or has it been encrypted?
> 

I don't think it's encrypted but I'm not aware of any open documentation 
for the format. I did a web search a couple of months ago, and I was 
surprised that there was not already an open-source app available to 
convert the format, given the alleged popularity of Quickbooks. My 
former accountant claims that 90% of small businesses, use it, so why 
should she support anything else?

> A am presuming you can access uncorrupted data through the application
> itself.
> 
> Can you export it as any other format?

I can create reports in text form. But that doesn't really solve my 
problem. I would like to export all the tables. I have business data 
since '96, and I'd like to be able to reference it without having to 
keep this particular Win 2K machine running. As I mentioned in my rant, 
I can move the QB program, but it refuses to read the data, even though 
I never knowingly did an upgrade.

> 
> I have a dim recollection going back many years of writing a program to
> convert a raw ASCII data stream into a QB format. It would have been
> about the time frame you are dealing with. I would have to do some
> research to see if I have some of the resources available. I did some
> research and it looks like QB implemented a portion of Sybase's SQL
> system into their product.
> 

My corporate taxes are due on 3/15, but I may be able to get by with the 
current QB until then. My corporation will be dormant for a while 
because I have taken a "normal" job. But I will need to access the data 
if the IRS decides to raise any questions about anything. That's another 
reason (besides my opposition to keeping my data in a proprietary 
format) that I don't want to pay for a QB upgrade.

> An easy or successful outcome will depend on where in the cycle your
> data is.
> 
> Harold
> 

Thanks for your reply. I'll continue to research this problem.
Vaughn

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