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Australia's 'e-tax' Windows Only

Posted by timothy on from the don'tcha-love-single-source-providers dept.

Kinky Bass Junk writes "As the need to submit tax returns is looming, notification emails are sent out to users of the tax office's services. This year, the Australia Tax Office (ATO) is using a web-based tax return system, as well as the traditional paper based systems. The e-tax website has all the details, and the requirements of the software stand out: 'e-tax is not compatible with Linux or Apple Macintosh computers. However, if you have suitable Windows Emulator software installed, you may be able to use e-tax.' Here is a protest email I have set up for those who disagree with this."

10 of 478 comments (clear)

  1. Taxes windows only? by no-one-important · · Score: 5, Funny

    I was hoping that was a tax on windows... oh well.

  2. Thank you foreign governments.... by ron_ivi · · Score: 5, Insightful

    for keeping the US economy strong. It's nice to know that when anyone pays a tax in Austrailia, they also pay a tax to Redmond to keep our economy here alive.

    1. Re:Thank you foreign governments.... by mabinogi · · Score: 5, Informative

      actually, it's Win32 application, that then submits the tax return over the internet.
      It is _not_ a web interface....

      And of course, it's also not the only way to submit taxes, you can still do it the pen and paper way, or see a tax consultant

      --
      Advanced users are users too!
  3. This is not a new thing. by bobinabottle · · Score: 5, Informative

    e-tax has been windows only for years. I use a mac and have Virtual PC installed so it works fine. In fact, I think it's the only thing I use Virtual PC for.

  4. Erm... I wish: by Cantide · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Sorry, I can't pay my taxes, I run OS/2"

  5. Re:Editors please check links by flyingsquid · · Score: 5, Funny
    The protest email is a 404. You would think the editors would actually check thier links. But no, they can't even do that.

    Oh, quit complaining how bad the editors are! I have complete confidence they'll have this fixed by the time the article is reposted as a dupe.

  6. Give us the source by lasindi · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Why doesn't the Australian government provide the source code to the public? I'm sure that there would be plenty of programmers willing to port the program to other platforms.

    --
    I have discovered a truly remarkable proof of this theorem that this sig is too small to contain.
    1. Re:Give us the source by mabinogi · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Because at the moment they provide guarantees and protection when you use the application to submit your taxes.

      If they opened the source and allowed non official clients to connect to the service, they could no longer provide those guarantees or protections.

      Also, I don't think too many people would be happy trusting their TFN to anything but software provided by the ATO.

      Also, the etax software has _never_ been anything but windows only, I don't know why suddenly that's a big problem - or any more of a problem than it was in 1998.

      --
      Advanced users are users too!
  7. Actually, they typo'd by jd · · Score: 5, Funny

    They're really talking about sharp, pointy tacks, to remind users of the hell they are in.

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    It's a small world and it smells funny; I'd buy another if it wasn't for the money; Take back what I paid (SoM)
  8. Re:The protest by HD+Webdev · · Score: 5, Insightful

    the educated minority of the Internet world often choose to use alternative operating systems,

    "The sort of thing not to say when protesting 101"

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    This is not a dream, not a dream...we are transmitting from the year 1-9-9-9.