archive.tylerdave.com All the stuff from when Dave was actually called Tylerdave.

Since 2000, I’ve done my taxes online. The last two years I’ve used TurboTax Online and besides a few website quirks I was pretty happy with it. This year, Intuit started using an activation scheme that I feel hampers legitimate use of the software. While it does not apply to the online version, I’d prefer to not give my money to a company that does this.

After looking around, I found TaxAct to be a vaible alternative. With their site you can actually prepare your tax filing form for free and you only have to pay if you want to e-file.

When I signed up for an account, I had to first choose a username and password. After I typed and confirmed my password and clicked ’submit,’ I noticed that the directions said that the password could only contain alphanumerics. I used a ‘~’ in my password but it accepted it anyway. I made sure I could log out and log back in. I could, so I figured everything was fine.

I entered all of my tax information using their convenient questionnaire format (which doesn’t treat you like the idiot that TurboTax’s does). When I was at the last step I had to enter my credit card information to pay the e-filing fee. I entered my info, clicked ‘finish’ and was done.

A couple hours later I recieved an e-mail stating that my credit card was rejected. I remembered that my MasterCard was still listed at my parent’s address so it was rejected because the addresses didn’t match. I decided to deal with it later.

I logged back in, and went to change my payment information. When I got to the credit card entry form, the credit card type select box was broken so I couldn’t select VISA as my card type. I thought that it was probably some sub-standard JavaScript on the page so I tried to log in with IE. When I enter my username and password and click ’submit’ with IE, I get a JavaScript pop-up telling me that only letters and numbers are allowed (even though whatever backend their using supports them). Once again I got frustrated enough to put it off until later.

While surfing around I noticed that Opera released 7.0 final (I had been using the beta). Without thinking about it, I downloaded and installed the new version. A little bit after that I tried logging in again with Opera but this time I got the same message as I did with IE. So, at that point I couldn’t log into the site even though I knew my password. Their password recovery link only e-mails your password hint back to you and the only other option you are given is a support phone number. I really didn’t feel like explaining this situation to a service rep who would probably have no clue what I was talking about.

I wound up reinstalling the beta version of Opera so that I could log in. And then I searched around to see if I could change the billing address of the card I had already entered. I finally found the page, made the change and was done with it.

I still can’t find any way to change my password.