QuickBooks users be cautious of recent update

It's pretty sad that they didn't test the patch for this issue enough to know that it didn't resolve the problem. I've been using FileSalvage to recover some clients lost data due to this QuickBooks issue. It's worked well thus far. As sad as it is, it sometimes requires something like this to happen for people to see the value in keeping up to date backups of their system.

http://newsticker.welt.de/index.php?channel=fin&module=smarthouse&id=652106

http://www.lieffcabraser.com/consumer/quickbookslawsuit.htm

Class Counsel Announce Macintosh QuickBooks Users File Nationwide Class Action Lawsuit Against Intuit for Widespread Deletion of Their Data

Class counsel announced that three businesses relying on QuickBooks Pro for Macintosh filed a class action lawsuit today against the product's manufacturer Intuit for sending faulty software code on the weekend of December 15-16, 2007, that has caused the wholesale deletion of their QuickBooks data and other files.

The lawsuit, entitled Create-A-Card v. Intuit, was filed today in federal court in San Francisco. The plaintiffs are businesses located in California, New York and Florida that use QuickBooks Pro for their accounting and other data storage purposes. Juan Loredo, owner of plaintiff AGCJ, Inc., operates a bar called the Vinyl Room in Burlingame, California. On Sunday, December 16, 2007, he opened his QuickBooks program and received the software update from Intuit.

"Intuit has caused every computer user's worst nightmare," stated Mr. Loredo. "My company lost its invoicing, sales reports, inventories, day to day working files, pictures, and other files containing financial information. The files lost represent hundreds of hours of work."

"As we've described in the Complaint, just right as many QuickBooks users were trying to close their books for the year, they lost key financial and business information," said plaintiffs' co-counsel Jim Quadra, a partner at Moscone, Emblidge & Quadra, LLP. "Through its negligence in transmitting destructive software code and failure to take immediate corrective action, Intuit took what is typically the busiest and most profitable time of year for small businesses, and turned it into a logistical mess."

"Although Intuit has finally halted the automatic downloading of the faulty software, Mac users nationwide have each incurred hundreds to thousands of dollars in labor and other cost trying to restore their valuable data, some of which will never be recovered. Today's lawsuit seeks compensation for lost data as well as the time and money spent attempting to recover the lost data," said Michael W. Sobol of Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP, and plaintiffs' co-counsel.

The proposed class consists of all individuals and entities whose files or data became inaccessible or were damaged, corrupted, or lost, whether temporarily or permanently, as a result of opening QuickBooks and receiving Intuit's December 2007 faulty code. The complaint asserts claims of negligence, strict products liability, trespass to chattels, breach of implied warranty and unfair business practices. Plaintiffs seek for themselves and all class members compensatory and other damages.

About Moscone, Emblidge & Quadra, LLP Based in San Francisco, Moscone, Emblidge & Quadra specializes in a wide variety of class actions representing consumers and the general public victimized by false advertising, unfair business practices, personal injuries, and wage and hour violations.

About Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP With three offices nationwide, Lieff Cabraser is one of the largest law firms in America dedicated solely to advancing the rights of plaintiffs. For the last five years, The National Law Journal has selected Lieff Cabraser as one of the top plaintiffs' law firms in the United States.

Further Information for QuickBooks Users Mac users who have lost data due to Intuit's flawed update are welcome to contact plaintiffs' counsel to report their experiences and learn more about the litigation. Please visit www.lieffcabraser.com/consumer/quickbookslawsuit.htm.

Media Resources Reporters that wish to obtain a copy of the complaint should contact Stephen Cassidy of Lieff Cabraser by email at scassidy@lchb.com.

Just as an aside for the desktop issues, as a mac tech I have encountered computers that could not complete the OS boot process because of hundreds and hundreds of items on the desktop. And I'm not talking about a Performa, MacBook Pros can be effected by this. I have simply created a sub-folder on the desktop called"desktop clutter" while in target mode, moved all files into it and given the user a note to modify their behavior. It's definitely not FUD. I personally keep my desktop completely free, but because I like to see my wallpaper more than anything else. But as per the issue at hand, if this happens to you for Christ's sake shut down your machine and get it to someone who has enough expertise to hopefully recover your data, it may be possible with the right tools and knowledge.

For what it's worth, Intuit contacted me yesterday and advised that they had worked with Apple to come up with a fix for this problem that will restore all data to its original condition. Has anyone else heard of this? I'm supposed to be receiving a call back today to walk me through the process.

Has anyone else had troubles with devices not being recognized after the issue? I did the fixes and seem to have most in order (a few lost files) as the desktop function works, but can't get cameras, IPod, video... to be recognized when plugging in. Going to the applications (i.e. IPhoto) and trying to import doesn't help. Is it because of it puts it on the desktop which is not working as it should? Ideas?

> it is NOT a good idea to store files or folders, especially if they are important, on the desktop!

I would be truly blown away if this were true. The desktop is *the* main target for keeping a file that is in the scope of a user's attention within reach, and an obvious place for general users to drop files in the short or near term. I'm not denigrating Christine's intent at all, but I just find it really hard to believe that using the desktop to hold files makes things unstable.

That said, backup is backup, and Time Machine should be protecting against this for Leopard users. On the germane point, WTF Quickbooks?! This scenario is exactly what makes me wince every time I see an installer, especially for apps that don't require a bit of extra to install components to the system level. Hopefully Intuit drops the use of any installer after this.

I solved my QB problem by moving to MoneyDance. It's been 2 months and I am very happy with the results. Just my $.02 worth.

Later...
Richard

Frankly, I'm puzzled. I've been using QB Pro for the last 4 versions, now QB Pro 2007. As far as I know I have never done any form of on line update. I use Lil Snitch and now the Mac fire wall as well, so I doubt it could happen without my knowlege. I didn't even know Intuit had an on-line updater.

I always have some junk on my desktop, though a lot less now that I have Leopard. Could it have someting to do with tax updates which I do not use?

Is this true for QuickBook Pro 2007 as well?

this is absolute negligence, bordering on some kind of passive-aggressive vandalism. i'm sure we could wax outrageous about all the different aspects of this for days on end.

i have a bit of an academic curiosity, though: how could this happen? what kind of operations would possibly be part of an update, or even an update quirk, that would cause an execution to throw out files? how could that go unnoticed, and how could it be part of an execution anyhow? moreover, with intuit now suggesting they have fixed it, how do we know? what did they do to fix it? how hard was it to fix?

i'm not a programmer/engineer by any means. these are all questions that are coming to me from the perspective of quality control, responsibility, but yes... also basic "why?".

i'm totally blurring the my issues here, but it is all connected. like, didn't somebody have to create an instruction to clear out files into the trash? didn't somebody else have to see that and say "oh, that's a good idea".

i'd love some insight into this just for my general understanding.