The inevitable: death, taxes, and now bugs
Article Abstract:
Three of the leading tax preparation software packages, Intuit's 1994 versions of Turbotax and Macintax and Block Financial Software's Taxcut, have been discovered to contain flaws that could impair the accuracy of tax returns prepared using the programs. The flaws in the Intuit programs seem to be relatively mild, affecting less that 1% of the users who use them to prepare their federal and state tax filings. The bug in the Block Financial Taxcut program seems more severe, but it has yet to be determined what percentage of Taxcut users will be affected by the flaw. Both firms have a policy of paying any Internal Revenue Service (IRS) penalties and interest payments assessed against users of the tax programs due to software errors. The discovery of flaws in the tax programs underscores how vulnerable all applications are to software bugs, even though most vendors put new products through rigorous testing processes.
Publication Name: The New York Times
Subject: Business, general
ISSN: 0362-4331
Year: 1995
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Bland computer-game music? He'll have none of it
Article Abstract:
George Alister Sanger, also known the Fat Man, composes music for computer game soundtracks with a group of musician friends known as Team Fat. Sanger started with a song written for an early video game machine from Mattel Electronics which was eventually discontinued and then wrote a song for the Atari 800 game machine, which was also discontinued. Sanger moved to Austin, Texas where the computer industry was growing and he and his group have now recorded soundtracks for more than 80 computer games. Analysts credit Sanger with helping computer music develop from little bleeps to fully orchestrated songs. The group also produces a newsletter called Fat Beat that is sent to Fat Man Fan Club subscribers and there is also a Fat Man coloring book and plans for the production of Fat Man action figures. The group charges a $10,000 flat fee for 40 minutes to an hour of music plus a $10,000 advance on royalties.
Publication Name: The New York Times
Subject: Business, general
ISSN: 0362-4331
Year: 1995
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OS/2 no longer at home at home
Article Abstract:
IBM announces that its OS/2 operating system will no longer be aimed at the consumer market. Home users find it difficult or impossible to install OS/2 on their PCs. OS/2 problems delayed the release of IBM's Power PC computers, which are considered vital to IBM's success. IBM now places the home and standalone market in a secondary position. The primary OS/2 market will continue to be corporate customers with complex networks. In the corporate market, IBM claims that OS/2 is doing well and that millions of copies have sold in response to a marketing campaign that renamed the operating system 'Warp.' Consumers may not be disappointed by the move, since finding OS/2- compatible software appropriate for the home has been difficult. IBM is not completely abandoning home users of OS/2, and the company will release a suite of new games and programs aimed at consumers.
Publication Name: The New York Times
Subject: Business, general
ISSN: 0362-4331
Year: 1995
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