[Slowandsteady]

Does anyone here use a stock tracker and if so which one. I would like to look in the "free" software department first if there are any decent ones, and then up from there. Thank in advance

 

[leslie]

You have to say what you want it to do.
* Keep a list of what you own with charts and %returns, div%, etc
* Keep a list of transactions for preparing tax return, as well as shows current holding and some analysis of portfolio totals
* Keep track of currant and past holdings during the year, along with the profits and income from each and how they stood at each month, so you can analyze and learn from your investing decisions.

 

[Dr_V]

I use Quicken under Windows. It's not free. It has a bit of a frustrating UI, but it does the job well.

I've used GnuCash under Kubuntu. It's free. Decent alternative to Quicken. There's even a Windows & Mac version available

 

[ssimps]

I use Quicken under Windows. It's not free. It has a bit of a frustrating UI, but it does the job well.

I've used GnuCash under Kubuntu. It's free. Decent alternative to Quicken. There's even a Windows & Mac version available

I do use Quicken as well for Windows; it could be so much better but now that MS Money (is that what it was called?) is no longer maybe the Quicken company will actually put effort into it again. I read that they have put a respected guy in charge of the future development of it, so maybe he can turn it around.

I first started to try and find a free software, and tried GnuCash under Windows. I tried it for about a week and found it very frustrating. I can also be paranoid so worried about using open source SW to track all my cash.

 

[Y&T2010]

Do you have an iphone or ipod touch?
I use the Bloomberg application.

It's awesome.
It can track my Profits and Losses (unrealized) by me inputting the cost I bought the stock at and quantitiy. It also tracks how much the stock went up by (or down) pretty much at the same speed as google finance etc. (the 20 minute delay exists). It has charts too, though not too detailed.

 

[Dr_V]

I can also be paranoid so worried about using open source SW to track all my cash.

Can you clarify what you mean?

I can understand being paranoid of non-open-source software, like Quicken, because you don't know what kind of information it's sharing behind the scenes. But with open-source software, the source code is completely available -- you can look at the code directly to see if there's any cause for concern.

Or do you just mean "paranoid" in the sense that you're concerned about the application crashing and causing you to lose your work? (That's a more reasonable concern, I suppose, though GnuCash is pretty stable.)

K.

 

[ssimps]

Can you clarify what you mean?

I can understand being paranoid of non-open-source software, like Quicken, because you don't know what kind of information it's sharing behind the scenes. But with open-source software, the source code is completely available -- you can look at the code directly to see if there's any cause for concern.

Or do you just mean "paranoid" in the sense that you're concerned about the application crashing and causing you to lose your work? (That's a more reasonable concern, I suppose, though GnuCash is pretty stable.)

K.

Fair point about commercial SW also sending info; but I think the chances of the info being used to hack into your accounts or steal your identity or something are lower.

In terms of your Q, both, but more the former. It is simple to say you can go through all the source code yourself, or use a packet sniffer, etc, but how realistic is that for anyone to do, especially one that does not know programming or C (which I think GnuCash is written in). Also, most people download the installer version of free software, not the source and do their own build.

Again, this is me and may have no real-world validity. I am not trying to 'bash' GnuCash and get everyone worried about something that there is likely nothing to worry about. It is much more likely me being paranoid vs. anything else.

I'm also not trying to diminish the great things that have come out of the open source movement in general. I use other open source tools all the time.

One reason I was initially drawn to GnuCash was because I am a decent programmer and thought that it would be cool to be able to add /change features if I ever wanted to.

In terms of 'usability' and functionality, I still think, even with its problems, Quicken would be a better choice than GnuCash, if you have the $ to pay for it. Again, is based on me trying out both SW tools before paying for Quicken.

Unfortunately I do not think Quicken even offers a 'trial' version anymore, you have to buy it and you have 30 days to get you $ back if you do not like it.

 

[ssimps]

If you have access to Excel, then it may also serve your needs:

http://canadianmoneyforum.com/showthread.php?t=897
http://canadianmoneyforum.com/showthread.php?t=156