For what it's worth, the problem DOESN'T appear to be related to the volume of data.

I tried creating a new MEM file. Same providers, same people, same insurance, etc. just no events.

The performance didn't get any better.

Which is actually good news. Because that, at least to me, suggests that it won't get ANY WORSE as I add data.

It also suggests, that "complexity of the data" is a total non-issue, and that inadequacy of the platform (.NET) is the primary issue.

db

db said:

For what it's worth, the problem DOESN'T appear to be

related to the volume of data.

I tried creating a new MEM file. Same providers,

same people, same insurance, etc. just no events.

The performance didn't get any better.

Which is actually good news. Because that, at least

to me, suggests that it won't get ANY WORSE as I add

data.

It also suggests, that "complexity of the data" is a

total non-issue, and that inadequacy of the platform

(.NET) is the primary issue.

db

Excellent observation, db. Wish I'd thought to do the no data test. ;-)

The use of .NET Framework does seem to be a key performance factor.

Wayward

Thanks db ... that was a good idea.

I'm pretty firmly convinced, as you are, that these issues have nothing at all to do with the underlying data or data structures.

Remember also, we keep describing this as a "scrolling" issue, but it's not just that ... it's inordinate amounts of time to reformat / redisplay what is in many cases already on the screen and should be quickly available. For example, select a given record for editing ... it just takes too long for that record to 1) be highlighted 2) be expanded (if there are multiple items attached to it) 3) display the action buttons and 4) take the action.

None of that should involve data retrieval beyond what's already been retrieved to put it there in the first place. That's all simple user / keyboard / monitor actions and it really ought to just "pop up" quickly.

Quicken team, where do things stand?

Phil

Folks, we're aware of this and still looking at the feasibility of fixing this.

Regards,

Bruce

Thanks, Quicken Bruce. I know it is of concern, both to you and to many our our forum group.

Wayward

Not only is scrolling slow, but the entire program is slow - it opens slowly - I can count nearly 10 seconds before the first screen opens and I have very little data and a pentium 4, 1.7 Ghz computer that handles video editing well with 512 mg RAM and windows xp. I have no other software that functions this poorly - while it is usable now, it is just barely so. I am hoping, as others are, that this will be resolved soon. I cannot imagine using this software for a long period of time - such as I have with Quicken 2006 and 8 years of data.

Quicken Bruce, and the rest of the Quicken team ...

Any updates on this issue? Could we at least get a status, or a sense of where things are at?

Thanks yet again.

Ping ... Bump ... reactivate ?:|

So the activity in most of the QMEM forums has seemed to dry up to an occasional drip ... does that mean that everyone's completely happy with the program, or has the development team disbanded?

Any word on what we can be looking forward to and possibly when? Any word on where things stand with any of the bug fixes?

Or am I beating a dead horse?

Phil

Ditto for this problem. It's very frustrating & I hope this gets fixed, with no charge to us loyal QMEM users.

My wife, a former medical biller, was very excited to find QMEM for tracking medical expenses.

Recently, we have had a lot of medical expenses and now my wife wants to go back to using a spreadsheet because QMEMv2 is sooooooooo slow completing almost any function. I tried using it and I have to agree with her.

I really don't understand why QMEMv2 (really, just a database program) is so slow, especially with a small database. Quicken, with all of its cross-linked categories, entries, etc. is so much easier to use even with thousands of entries.

Quicken Bruce, it is not acceptable to say this is the way the program is and there is nothing the developers can do. If QMEM continues to function this poorly and can't be changed, the program might as well be dropped by Intuit.

Hi folks,

Sorry for your frustration. The scrolling of the "Expense Log" screen is where the problem is.

As mentioned earlier (<url>http://www.quickenforums.com/thread.jspa?threadID=600006718&start=46&tstart=0</url>), it's not entirely appropriate to compare QMEM to Quicken, which has been built over 20 years (from scratch) and had some teething pains of its own early on.

We made the call to build QMEMv2 now with existing tools, some of which have some issues. The alternative would have been to wait.

Unfortunately, the Expense Log screen cannot be rebuilt in a casual patch. Or even a semi-casual patch.

The Expense Log is designed primarily for data-entry. Data-viewing (or -browsing or -searching) works much better in the Find or Cost Calculator screens, as some of the users in this forum have noted.

Regards,

Bruce

On 7/31/2006 Quicken Bruce wrote:

Sorry for your frustration. The scrolling of the

"Expense Log" screen is where the problem is.

As mentioned earlier

(<url>http://www.quickenforums.com/thread.jspa?threadI

D=600006718&start=46&tstart=0</url>), it's not

entirely appropriate to compare QMEM to Quicken,

which has been built over 20 years (from scratch) and

had some teething pains of its own early on.

Whether it is appropriate or not to compare QMEM to Q, that is exactly what will happen. An end user could care less about the underlying complexity of data, or whether there are issues within the development environment. All an end user will care about is the performance, real or perceived, of the application.

Something else an end user will apply to a new product 'B'(QMEM) from a company with a known industry leading product 'A'(Q), is the reasoning that the company only has to apply the finished/polished technology from product 'A' to product 'B'. After all product 'A' does XYZ, product 'B' can as well.

We made the call to build QMEMv2 now with existing

tools, some of which have some issues. The

alternative would have been to wait.

Waiting isn't so bad, compared to the PR problems experienced when a badly designed/written/implemented program is released. Or when the user base are experiencing problems and are being ignored.

Unfortunately, the Expense Log screen cannot be

rebuilt in a casual patch. Or even a semi-casual

patch.

The Expense Log is designed primarily for data-entry.

I have bought QMEM within this week and started entering this years data. Had I known about the display draw and redraw issue along with the scroll issue, I may have opted to wait until the application matures a bit more. As mentioned by others when data entry becomes such a frustrating time consuming hassle, users will often search for a more viable alternative solution.

Data-viewing (or -browsing or -searching) works much

better in the Find or Cost Calculator screens, as

some of the users in this forum have noted.

While true, just how much time will an average user spend viewing/browsing/searching their data? If they are having a problem with an insurance payment or provider, then more time will be spent doing those actions. Also here in the USA more time will be spent in and around the end of the year and before April 15th doing those things in preparation for filing their taxes. Since the majority of time is being be spent in the Expense Log by a user base that has expressed dis-satisfaction with the programs performance, it would enhance QMEM and Intuits image if this problem would be acknowledged as being addressed.

--
Disciple

And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. 1 Cor. 13:13

I have to agree. Whether you think it is valid or not, QMEM will be compared to Quicken by consumers.

As for the explanation of using current tools, I have worked with several other programs that perform similar functions (database entry, viewing, retrevial, reporting) using the same tools and they do not experience the problems with scrolling and redraw that I have seen with QMEM.

For example, I use an auto maintenance tracking program that allows tracking of all work on multiple vehicles (patients). There are multiple suppliers (doctors). The work orders (EOB's) have multiple lines with discounts (write-offs) and down payments (co-pays). The program tracks mileage (age) and reminds the user to schedule routine maintenance (prescriptions) and preventative maintenance (physicals). The program will also track lease or loan payments (insurance premiums) and can break down costs by credit card (insurance payments) or cash (deductibles).

This auto maintenance program is as complicated as QMEM and was built using the same tools (.NET) but does not suffer from the problems found in QMEM.

Unless there is a major upgrade with QMEM soon, we will have to move back to using spreadsheets.

fuzzalot ...

The auto maintenance tracking program is an interesting analogy. Thanks for the comments. I share your concern and feel that a fix is long term mission critical for MEM. With workarounds and a bit of patience, MEM is an important element in my medical expense tracking. The basics are all there ...

Wayward

I don't think that you're one of the QMEM developers, are you? Please don't take what I'm about to say wrong, I mean absolutely no sarcasm or cynicism ... and you've been very active and supportive on these boards for a LONG time.

The fact that you share our concerns, as an apparantly respected (by Quicken) member of the user community seems to have had little if any bearing on Quicken's efforts to fix a "simple" usability problem. We're still not talking about adding new bells, whistles, or feeatures to the tool. We're talking about fixing a problem with screen paints, using data that's already on the screen, and which shouldn't require any significant new database access. That's all this is. The data's there. It's been on screen. Go get the new record from the DB and repaint the screen. Get 'er done.

Unless the developers are planning to put out the Great American Medical Expense Reconciler (GAMER) with bells, whistles, feeatures, and all manner of nifty new stuff hanging off the sides, I cannot help but feel let down by the general lack of fixes, or even encouraging news about this one particular problem.

That said, I'm still using the darn tool, I'm still stapling my bills to my EOBs to my whatevers, but I DO have a single place to see a synopsis of two well stuffed hanging folders.

But, I *am* disappointed.

Phil Zaleskin

Phil,

This issue has been discussed, disected, beaten to death.

It is NOT a simple fix, as you keep claiming. From all appearances, it's the fundamental architecture -- i.e., the use of .Net -- that's at the root of the issue.

And no software firm is going to throw away their database platform in mid-version (in a maintenance release).

It just doesn't happen.

The work-around has, likewise, been discussed here multiple times. Since the problem only manifests in the "Expense Log", set the filters on your Log to include all dates and "All Open" (i.e., NOT "Paid") events. For those who have reported back, this has reduced the visible portion of the Log to a few events and eliminated the need to scroll. Use the "Reports", which don't manifest the issue, for reporting.

db

--
Edited by dbAnalyst at 10/09/2006 8:05 AM

PhilZaleskin said:

Wayward

I don't think that you're one of the QMEM developers,

are you? Please don't take what I'm about to say

wrong, I mean absolutely no sarcasm or cynicism ...

and you've been very active and supportive on these

boards for a LONG time.

The fact that you share our concerns, as an

apparantly respected (by Quicken) member of the user

community seems to have had little if any bearing on

Quicken's efforts to fix a "simple" usability

problem. We're still not talking about adding new

bells, whistles, or feeatures to the tool. We're

talking about fixing a problem with screen paints,

using data that's already on the screen, and which

shouldn't require any significant new database

access. That's all this is. The data's there. It's

been on screen. Go get the new record from the DB

and repaint the screen. Get 'er done.

Unless the developers are planning to put out the

Great American Medical Expense Reconciler (GAMER)

with bells, whistles, feeatures, and all manner of

nifty new stuff hanging off the sides, I cannot help

but feel let down by the general lack of fixes, or

even encouraging news about this one particular

problem.

That said, I'm still using the darn tool, I'm still

stapling my bills to my EOBs to my whatevers, but I

DO have a single place to see a synopsis of two well

stuffed hanging folders.

But, I *am* disappointed.

Phil Zaleskin

Phil,

Nope. I'm not associated with QMEM development ... just a very interested user who sees exceptional potential in the program's concept. And I have been active in discussing this scrolling and screen refresh problem both in the forum and directly to Quicken.

I'm not a programmer but after plenty of discussions, I'm convinced that the fix is not an easy one. I suspect it relates to some fundamental design and development cycle decisions which have come back to haunt the developers.

As db indicated, this has been extensively discussed by both users and the Quicken folks. I'm also convinced that Quicken gives this problem a high priority but literally does not have a good solution ... certainly not in a short to medium term time frame.

In the mean time, I do what you, db, and others do. Work around the scrolling problem to the extent possible, appreciate the program features not available anywhere else, and encourage Quicken to work toward an effective solution. ;-)

Wayward

Fuzzalot

As you can tell by looking back in this topic, the scrolling issue is a long outstanding problem for this product.

I'm not optimistic, some 6 or 8 months after the problem was brought to the developer's attention.

I'm hoping they are working on a new V3 or something similar, and that it'll provide relief at no or little cost to the V2 users who have, frankly, put up with an underperforming tool.

Having said that, let me also state, that while it's frequently a royal PITA to use this product, in small dosages it's bearable and even useful.

I'm not optimistic though.

Phil

The scrolling in the new version of QMEM has become

incredibly slow . I too have this problem in the "expense log". After reading about the issue in this thread I went back and looked at "find expense" screen and the jerky/slow scrolling doesn't appear to be a problem there. The scrolling in reports also moves smoothly. Just an observation.

Chuck

I have another suggestion for entering expenses. If you are not using the "duplicate" function available on the data entry panel (that's where the scrolling problem is), then once you're in the program, go to the "find" panel or one of the reports panels. Now, to enter an expense, just click on the "Add Expense" button near the top of the panel (this button is always available).

I use this method to enter my expenses unless I am using the "duplicate" feature (then I am sure to set my date range so only a small number of expenses are listed).

Even when I am going back to update an expense, I will use the find or the reports options to find my expense, then click on it to open the full expense entry panel. This way, I am avoiding the scrolling problem as much as possible.

I hope this suggestion is helpful...

Bonnie

I would like to comment on the slow-scrolling also. I have the same problem. Scrolling is a real pain with QMEM v2. I mean it is S-L-O-W.

I use Quicken 2003 Deluxe Financial software and scrolling there is fast and a pleasure to use. I may never upgrade from 2003 Deluxe Financial for fear of the same slow-scrolling with the newer versions.

Seems to me if scolling is fast and easy in my Financial software, it should also be the same in QMEM.

I am a new user of QMEM and will keep my fingers crossed that it can be fixed in v3.

Go read my message that's posted 4 before yours ... the workaround to this issue is trivial ...

and you fears are overblown, for reasons explained in that same message.

db

Hi dbAnalyst:

I am new to this forum. So please bear with me.

Please repeat your work-around or tell me more precisely where to find it.

Thanks

Hi dbAnalyst:

I am new to this forum. So please bear with me.

Please repeat your work-around or tell me more

precisely where to find it.

Thanks

Quite simply, you can significantly alleviate the scrolling issue by:

1) Use the Expense Log for data input only, don't try to manipulate it to produce varying views, AND

2) Set the filters on the Expense Log to show "Open" (i.e., not PAID) expenses only. This will significantly reduce the number of items visible in the Expense Log ... frequently to the point where there's no scrolling at all, because everything fits on one screen, AND,

3) Use the various reports to obtain other views, or to see closed items. The scrolling problem doesn't manifest in report creation.

db

--

I expect that you've already read -- and understand -- Accounting 101. Please prove me right.

--
Edited by dbAnalyst at 03/03/2007 2:46 PM

I thought that updating to v2 would fix the slow scroll problem of v1. But no such luck.

What gives? I have a fast PC and don't experience this problem with any other application.

Quicken Fix?????????????