JP Vossen on 19 Dec 2007 15:18:57 -0800


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Re: [PLUG] Turbo Tax on Linux? (was re: Adding new drives to fstab)


 > Date: Wed, 19 Dec 2007 17:28:22 -0500
 > From: Art Alexion <art.alexion@verizon.net>
 >
 > I think TT is an app that won't work in the OpenSource model.
 > It needs significant updates every year, and many more smaller
 > ones as things are amended.  Mistakes can land you with fines,
 > unlikely, but possible jail.  I can't see volunteers putting
 > that kind of work into maintaining a program.

Yes, I agree that the tedious, time constrained, and legally perilous 
nature of this market will prevent F/OSS solutions, at least in the US. 
  But that doesn't mean that Quicken (or whoever else) couldn't release 
a Linux version.

IIRC there is a Mac version of Quicken?  Last time I looked into it my 
research indicated that the Mac version of Quicken sucked, and even used 
a different file format (whoever thought that was a good idea should be 
shot).  I'm not sure if that's still the case.

Anyway, the point is that they have at least a few people who can code 
on the Mac, which aside from the GUI and all the Mac craziness is BSD as 
we all know.  So how hard would it be to port the TT engine and fudge up 
a GUI?  I know, apple to oranges comparison.  Let me dream.


 > The ideal model would be an open source engine with the IRS releasing
 > updated rules and form modules.  It could happen in Norway or Italy,
 > but not here.

Wow, what a nice dream...  :-)  I agree, not here, unless someone with 
way too much time and money on there hands decided to pay for it, then 
give it away for free.  Fat chance.  Unless they had a major grudge 
against Quicken.

Later,
JP
----------------------------|:::======|-------------------------------
JP Vossen, CISSP            |:::======|        jp{at}jpsdomain{dot}org
My Account, My Opinions     |=========|      http://www.jpsdomain.org/
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Microsoft has single-handedly nullified Moore's Law.
Innate design flaws of Windows make a personal firewall, anti-virus
and anti-malware software mandatory. The resulting software arms race
has effectively flattened Moore's Law on hardware running Windows.
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