Comments on: Australian Tax Office — online tax lodging is (still) Windows only

By: Gary Barber

Gary Barber — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 02:18:05 +0000

@John and yet the BAS submission is a web application, technically what is the difference… Well there is no project for redevelopment or the application has not met its required review period yet. Scary thing is that people think like that.

By: john

john — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 02:07:48 +0000

Gary,

you got it in one!

By: Gary Barber

Gary Barber — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 02:03:38 +0000

John, you know the web is very insecure and passing fad, accountants get confused by the web. ;)

By: Sjors Provoost

Sjors Provoost — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 13:52:06 +0000

And if the argument of saving money and making people happy somehow does not convince anyone, you always try the Freedom of Information Act.

By: Sjors Provoost

Sjors Provoost — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 13:45:08 +0000

In fact, the Windows software already talks to a government server so the API already exists. All they need to do is de-obfuscate it a bit. One hour work :-)

By: Sjors Provoost

Sjors Provoost — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 13:36:55 +0000

John,

Smart employee: I will spend 1 day building this [makes Dr Evil quote gesture] ” A P I “. After that you can fire the Windows software development team and save ” money “.

Boss: Let me think about that…

By: john

john — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 08:36:13 +0000

Sjors,

now we are thinking! Can you imagine the meeting when someone suggests it though ;-)

By: Sjors Provoost

Sjors Provoost — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 08:29:33 +0000

Similar story in The Netherlands, although there is a Linux client.

The reason they are not using a web application is probably pretty simple: by the time they finally came up with the brilliant idea of electronic tax returns, Windows applications were the best way to do it. Then it took a couple of years to develop. And since they have decided on this solution, it will take a *long* time for them to change their minds.

My guess is they will develop a web app in the next couple of years.

But I had rather they didn’t. Let’s skip that step. Please just provide an API (supporting OAuth while you are at it) and let others build the applications around it. That would pave the way to more globally developed tax applications, with plugins to deal with all the local quirks.

Global economy, anyone?

By: Myles Eftos

Myles Eftos — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 08:28:58 +0000

As someone who uses the ATO Business Portal, I’m glad you can’t do it over the web — it’s a perfect example of desktop developers pressing the “Build website” button in their IDE.

All I ask is when they finally decide to join the 21st century, that they employee some WEB DEVELOPERS to do it and maybe even do a little bit of usability testing.

By: Grant

Grant — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 05:05:33 +0000

When I read the SMH article I had exactly the same thought you did John — why not on the web? The calls for a Mac version miss the point — and the comparison to internet banking definitely proves the point; it’s absolutely possible.

I had to fill out forms and call to verify the digital signature the ATO requires for lodging the BAS through their online service. Of course, I’m on a new computer now, lost the signature file and have to start all over again — a massive PITA, not to mention a huge barrier to entry for non-technical users that simply is not necessary.