Intuit Freaks Out Last Minute Tax Filers By Rebooting Machines
from the oh,-sure,-it-was-was-preventatitve dept
In what must have absolutely spooked out a ton of last minute tax filers, Intuit shut down its computer systems briefly this evening. While they claim that this was "preventative maintenance" in order to "prepare for the heavier volume of electronic tax filing expected later in the evening," that seems hard to believe. It's quite likely that an awful lot of people were already using the system around 5:30 PM on the east coast (even if many east coasters actually get one extra day for tax filing). If you're running a system that you absolutely know is going to get overwhelmed with traffic at a certain time, such as Turbo Tax's e-filing system on tax day, there's no way that you plan to take it offline for 20 minutes on purpose. Perhaps their servers were "sunset" and they were forced to upgrade, as Intuit has been known to do to plenty of customers.
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April Fools
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(An) Other Intuit problem
Followed all the recommended steps and workarounds, without success
Filed an extension, of course. So far, their helpdesk isn't very helpful.
And the online forum has many others with the same problem, but no solution in sight. Isn't technology wonderful!
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Intuit pisses me off more each day
I cannot WAIT to dump their formerly great software and -- FSM help me -- switch from Quickbooks to Microsoft's Small Business Accounting.
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Intuit Sucks!
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Re: Intuit Sucks!
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Re:
Let's just abolish the income tax altogether and go to a FairTax. We'd no longer have to spend time filling out tax forms, we'd collect taxes on all of the illegals out there, and all of our products would become cheaper since the personal and corporate income taxes wouldn't be embedded in the cost of stuff.
FairTax Thumbnail Sketch
http://www.fairtaxvolunteer.org/smart/sketch.html
FairTax FAQ's
http://www.fairtaxvolunteer.org/smart/faq-main.html
Main Site
http://www.fairtax.org
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Fairtax is a lie
It's a national sales tax, and it's arguably worse than the current system. It's got myriads of enforcement problems (who qualifies as a seller that has to pay tax? What if you have a garage sale? Fear the exemptions that corporations will squeeze into for that!), lots of bad side effects (black markets for everyone, you won't be able to sort out the cheaper food from the drugs and child porn!), and it lies pretty badly with numbers. Their 23% is actually 30% when you're looking at it from the consumer's perspective. (100 will cost 130, 30/130 = 23%). And don't forget that the rich have better resources to import and buy untaxed items.
I know you hate filling out a couple forms every year, but if you want tax reform, a pure Income tax only plan is far better than (un)fairtax. I'm sure there are other good proposals as well.
A quick google on fairtax tells me:
http://www.jpfo.org/fairtax.htm
I'm sure you can find more.
Sorry for going off topic, but I want to see this silly idea nipped in the bud before it infects more disgruntled tax payers.
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Re: Fairtax is a lie
haven't read or do not understand the proposal.
It's a sales tax on /new/ goods and services.
So your garage sale question is moot.
I'd like something /like/ fairtax but with no
exemptions or exceptions and it should be the
/only/ tax. No income tax, no property tax,
no fica, medicare...
Then the revenue stream generated will reach
a point where increasing the tax will decrease
revenue immediately. Because the government
would not be exempt from paying the tax.
The notion that we can keep increasing taxes to
cover ever increasing expenditures will be seen
as false at once. And the decrease phase shift
will tend to stabilize the system.
Also it would eliminate political patronage via
tweaking of the tax code. Which I think is the
biggest fault of all with the current system of
taxation. It can never be fair and is a tool of
both corrupt politicians and would be social
engineers.
I believe the fairtax proposal is defective
because it does not address the issues of
eliminating patronage and providing proper
regulatory feedback.
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Re: Re: Fairtax is a lie
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Re: Fairtax is a lie
Very interested in your opinion and perspective. I have written several Articles exposing this Con. See my blog.
If you do not blog, I might be interested in collaboration with you for my next Posting.
“The FairTax”: Morphh Advocates In The Affirmative – Tabacco Responds In The Negative – RI10 (Publ. May 23, 2006)
http://tabacco.blog-city.com/the_fair_tax_morphh_advocates_in_the_affirmative__tabacco_re.htm
Call To Repeal Regressive Taxes: State/ National Sales Taxes (FairTax.org) Impact Rich The Least & The Rest Of Us The Most –RI10 (Publ. Mar 25, 2006)
http://tabacco.blog-city.com/call_to_repeal_regressive_taxes_state_national_sales_taxes_i.htm
Open Letter To http://www.hundiejo.com/ Re The "FairTax" FairTax.org Un-Fairness To Middle Class -RI10 (Publ. Oct 22, 2005)
http://tabacco.blog-city.com/open_letter_to_httpwwwhundiejocom_re_the_fair_tax_fairness_t.htm
Illogical "National Sales Tax” FairTax.org Proponents Think Middle America is Stupid! Are We? -RI10 (Publ. Sept 14, 2005)
http://tabacco.blog-city.com/illogical_national_sales_tax_proponents_think_middle_america.htm
I think Bush will spring HR25 on us after November elections.
email me: scobrax@optonline.net
Tabacco
(Truth About Business And Congressional Crimes Organization)
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I may be asking for it, but...
But I agree that Intuit is going through a "Big Blue" phase. First they changed their Banking format (Which made me switch to Micro$oft money) and then they outsourced to Gupta and Rajij and, being a Techie myself, I can't think of any reasonable reason to have to restart your system before a big day.
Obviously Intuit will have to pay a humility fee of a couple of million before thay go back to being a Software company.
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i can think of one good reason...
if they host on Windows, the only way to clear the ugly memory leakage is reboot the box. as the leaks grow, the server comes to crawl. that would suck for us poor overtaxed fools...
Windows blows as a hosting platform IMHO.
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I entered and completed a filing on Saturday evening.
On Sunday afternoon, I started on the last two filings, and the software needed an update!
Have no idea what the upgrade involved!
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I hate Intuit
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I hate Intuit
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Tax's
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Enjoy the open debate while it lasts...
The Americans For Fair Taxation (fairtax.org) are on a mission to squash out any public criticism of the FairTax plan and are attempting to exploit the federal trademark system for the ADMITTED purpose of being able to shut down anti-FairTax websites during the upcoming elections. They have an open application to obtain a service mark for the word "FairTax." Genie Hayes, the communications director for AFFT, openly admitted that the goal of AFFT is to get this service mark and be able to yank any anti-FairTax websites as well as to have total control over any shirts, bumper stickers, or anything of that nature that is printed with the word FairTax. They are attempting to get the strong arm of the federal government to back them up in hindering free speech and open/honest debate.
The FairTax is promising to become a rather prominent issue in the upcoming Congressional elections--and if AFFT succeeds in obtaining this service mark, they are going to be in an excellent position to keep people from criticizing the FairTax Act.
The time for opposition to their application is fast approaching. I know that an application for a service mark can't be opposed just because the applicant's motive is unethical. However, I do believe that there is a very STRONG case that AFFT doesn't meet the legal requirements for obtaining a service mark. The strongest argument is all around us--the phrase "Fairtax" is SYNONYMOUS with H.R. 25 and the Fair Tax Plan.
Unfortunately, as it stands right now, I think they'll win their service mark and they'll be on the road to having the power to tell people that they cannot participate in public debate regarding H.R. 25. Perhaps, at least, the public will be informed of this attempt to filter open and honest critiques.
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enjoy the debate...it wil be gone soon...
The Americans For Fair Taxation (fairtax.org) are on a mission to squash out any public criticism of the FairTax plan and are attempting to exploit the federal trademark system for the ADMITTED purpose of being able to shut down anti-FairTax websites during the upcoming elections. They have an open application to obtain a service mark for the word "FairTax." Genie Hayes, the communications director for AFFT, openly admitted that the goal of AFFT is to get this service mark and be able to yank any anti-FairTax websites as well as to have total control over any shirts, bumper stickers, or anything of that nature that is printed with the word FairTax. They are attempting to get the strong arm of the federal government to back them up in hindering free speech and open/honest debate.
The FairTax is promising to become a rather prominent issue in the upcoming Congressional elections--and if AFFT succeeds in obtaining this service mark, they are going to be in an excellent position to keep people from criticizing the FairTax Act.
The time for opposition to their application is fast approaching. I know that an application for a service mark can't be opposed just because the applicant's motive is unethical. However, I do believe that there is a very STRONG case that AFFT doesn't meet the legal requirements for obtaining a service mark. The strongest argument is all around us--the phrase "Fairtax" is SYNONYMOUS with H.R. 25 and the Fair Tax Plan.
Unfortunately, as it stands right now, I think they'll win their service mark and they'll be on the road to having the power to tell people that they cannot participate in public debate regarding H.R. 25. Perhaps, at least, the public will be informed of this attempt to filter open and honest critiques.
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