Comments on: IRS trudges on with aging computers

More than 20 years after its first attempt at a massive upgrade of 1960s-era mainframes, the IRS still isn't sure when the project will be finished.

[GGGlen]

That explains it!

They're using computers dating from the JFK era? No wonder my
tax forms still state "Ask what you can do for your country".

[KeWLDa3mon]

Old and working computer

Well, The computer is mainframe computer. even the oldest mainframe is very much up and running now. The cost of conversion from mainframe to new technology is too high. Problems is the communication between various points where data is entered. Not to forget Mainframes are unhackable. Till now no big new in last 40 years. By an IDC study cost of conversion from mainframe to new technology would be some hundres trillions and not to forget the time.

[FuturDreamz]

Idea!

Why don't they rebuild the IRS elsewhere, building it while still
using the old one. then they could be transferring data to the new
one so just when the old one shuts down, the new one starts (the
IRS is one building, right?).

[jltnol]

too easy

my guess is your solution is way to easy and obvious to implement.

Start state by state.. age group by age group... there seems an limitless way of dividing up returns and starting small then moving more and more processing to the new system once it's glitch free.

Anybody want to be all the wasted money so far was based on solutions from Redmond?

[GGGlen]

Elsewhere...

I suggest building it in the Fiery Pits of Hell, though nobody would
likely know the difference.

[ajbright]

Ahhh

the lack of fraudulent return software is the reason they accepted my hand written $500,000 deduction for not wanting to do a tax return.

[fafafooey]

Why don't they just use TurboTax? :-)

I'm half serious...

[NuShrike]

assembly language?

Since when is COBOL assembly language?

The IRS would be insane to be running all that tax processing in assembly language because it really would be impossible to change the hardware. I shudder if they would switch to something like SAP too.

Why does having local variables matter? This article doesn't read technically competent nor detailed.

If it ain't broke ...

[Kings X Rocks!]

Equal File ID in VTOC!!!

BALR ya'll...

Thank goodness that the 3 billion spent so far kept all those consultant's mortgage payments current. Cause you KNOW a large majority of that spending was for "outside intervention".

Just consider the year that the conversion to the new systems actually happens.

FAIRTAX - FLATTAX - ANYTHING ELSE!!!

[Doovi]

What a Pity!!

Considering that the IRS doesn't even follow its own manuals and federal regulations, I doubt we should feel as sorry for it as the media wants us to with their stories. IRS officials are supposed to use badge numbers, sign and reply to inquiries from the public according to federal law and their own regulations. Furthermore, they are supposed to send out proper forms and documents to the public instead of manually altering people's status and then sending them out the wrong ones. What a pity they use old computers. What a pity.....I just can't sleep at night.....