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From: John McCue <jmccue@magnetar.jmcunx.com>
Newsgroups: talk.politics.misc,comp.os.linux.misc,alt.politics.usa
Subject: Re: Still Going - IRS Still Using JFK-Era Computers
Followup-To: comp.os.linux.misc
Date: Sun, 18 Aug 2024 19:54:07 -0000 (UTC)
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followups trimmed to comp.os.linux.misc

In comp.os.linux.misc 186282@ud0s4.net <186283@ud0s4.net> wrote:
> https://www.dailymail.co.uk/yourmoney/taxes/article-13688929/IRS-worker-reveals-reasons-call-hold-tax-delays.html

A UK article discussing nothing it knows about :)

The main reasons for the delays are:
1. Tax Law change every year, the last few years big changes
   have been made right before Tax Season begins.  Leaving
   little time for software changes and testing.
2. Funding cuts, the GOP has cut funding to such an extent that
   the IRS cannot afford to audit the very rich.  Never mind
   upgrade systems.  Granted Biden increased funding, but some
   of it was cut again back due to a deal with the GOP.
3. Companies sending out Tax Documents later than the law
   specifics.  I am hit by this every year.  I receive my
   documents 1 month late, than means I cannot even start
   filling out my Tax Form until April.
4. People waiting for the last minute to file their Tax (see
   number 3).

For international people, US people must file their
forms by April 15.

> Decades-old computer systems 'paid for by the Kennedy
> administration' and terrible management are the reasons
> for poor customer service at the IRS, an insider has claimed.

I believe hardware has been upgraded over the years, IBM
Mainframes are very good keeping backward compatibility.

> 
> An IRS employee, who has worked at the agency...

I had many relatives working there, most are issues are
due to the Tax Code changing every year plus Funding.

But I heard the IRS is adding a method for you to
submit your documents in some manner and they fill
out the forms for you.

<snip>

>   Hmm ... what was good in the very early 60s ?
>   IBM had a number of offerings, esp it's new
>   and great System/360. The article did not
>   specify WHAT 'ancient' computers.

No kidding.

<snip>

>   So, they can't afford to, don't DARE to, replace that
>   60 year old hardware and software. It works, so
>   LEAVE IT ALONE.

That seems to be what is happening.  BTW, some of
the software is also written in FORTRAN :)

<snip>
> 
>   BTW, if you're a COBOL guru you can make GOOD
>   money these days maintaining all that old
>   software ... it's in Big Govt all the way down
>   to medium local biz.

I hear the same, New York City is another place that needs
COBOL programmers + a knowledge of business rules.

-- 
[t]csh(1) - "An elegant shell, for a more... civilized age."
                        - Paraphrasing Star Wars