linux accounting software or cheap winxp

[Derek Atkins]

Paul Lussier <p.lussier at comcast.net> writes:

> VirginSnow at vfemail.net writes:
>
>> There's a GTK-based (gnome-based glade-based guile-based...)
>> accounting package called Gnucash (www.gnucash.org).
>
> My latest current complaint with GnuCash is the lack of support for
> commodities purchased outside of a commodity exchange.
>
> What I want to do is enter my receipts for gas for my car, both for me
> and my wife, then run a report on some periodic basis comparing
> gasoline usage.
>
> I can't just ask: "How much did I spend on gas compared to last year?"
>
> That is an insufficient question with the volatility in oil prices.  I
> don't purchase gasoline from an exchange either, something GnuCash
> seems to want me to enter in order to track commodities.

Not at all..  It's just a namespace. You can put in whatever string
you want. GnuCash just defaults to having various exchanges, but you can
type in anything.

> My goal is to track the gasoline usage, not the cost of the gasoline I
> use.  The former doesn't vary much, whereas the latter varies
> drastically.
>
> This is a simple concept which can be applied to anything which can
> have a fluctuating currency value.
>
> FWIW, 'ledger' makes this fairly simple.  And it uses emacs as an
> interface to boot, which makes it even better in my mind ;)

-derek

-- 
       Derek Atkins, SB '93 MIT EE, SM '95 MIT Media Laboratory
       Member, MIT Student Information Processing Board  (SIPB)
       URL: http://web.mit.edu/warlord/    PP-ASEL-IA     N1NWH
       warlord at MIT.EDU                        PGP key available