[Publib] Re: Tax Preparation Software

Tue Jan 17 19:09:54 EST 2006

People who can use the IRS site for filing taxes are limited.  Fortunately, it is limited to those with medium to low income.  For some in this bracket getting a return quickly might be beneficial and it might be difficult to afford the $10 for a one-time use bit of software.  

>From http://www.irs.gov/efile/article/0,,id=118986,00.html

>Free File is coming soon! Check back on January 18, 2006 to see if you are eligible for Free File.

  >Whoever said there is no such thing as a free lunch may have been right. But for millions of eligible taxpayers, with an Adjusted Gross Income of $50,000 or less, there is Free File. Free File is online tax preparation and electronic filing through a partnership agreement between the IRS and the Free File Alliance, LLC. In other words, you can e-file... free.

>Need additional time to file your tax return? Several companies offer free e-filing of Form 4868, Automatic Extension of Time to File. All taxpayers qualify. No restrictions.

Anyone else who wants to file electronically has to buy software, go through some one or some company that prepares taxes, etc.  Or so it appears.  Otherwise one can do it by paper and wait longer for a return, if one is expected.

--
Diedre Conkling

  Lincoln County Library District
  P.O. Box 2027, Newport, OR  97365
  Phone & Fax:  541-265-3066
  http://lcld.library-blogs.net/
  Work:  diedre at beachbooks.org
  Home:  diedrec at charter.net

---- Walt.Crawford at rlg.org wrote: 

=============
OK, since you ask directly, understanding that I Am Not A Lawyer (and my
copy of Turbotax is at home...)

1. I don't think copyright is the issue. I would be extremely surprised if
Turbotax doesn't include an End-User License Agreement [EULA]. If so, and
if the agreement is such that you can return the product if you don't
agree, the EULA governs: It's a contract issue, not a copyright issue.

2. I checked the online site, and under FAQs it's clarified that the
current version now allows a purchaser to install Turbotax on multiple
computers for multiple returns *within a household/family.* I'd be
surprised if the EULA does'nt limit multiple installation and use at that
level. In which case, the second time it's circulated, there may be a
contract violation.

3. If you're asking me personally: I wouldn't do it, for ethical reasons
even if not for contractual reasons. It really isn't quite like lending a
book to multiple people; each person who installs it is effectively
retaining their own copy. (And it's not as though TT is wildly overpriced;
you can download a basic version for $10, and the most common
situation--federal and state software for $30 at an office supply store,
with Quicken, current antivirus software, current firewall software, and
maybe other stuff thrown in, is an incredible bargain. I figure TT paid for
itself the first time I used it and continues to pay for itself every year,
even if it wasn't effectively free given all the rebate bundles.) But
that's my personal opinion.

Bottom line: Someone needs to check the EULA. And maybe think about the
ethical issue.

Do you check out copies of MS Office for people to install on their home
computers?

Walt Crawford
wcc at rlg.org, 650-691-2227
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publib-bounces at webjunction.org wrote on 01/17/2006 10:05:45 AM:

> "General Rule: Provided that the required warning is placed on lawfully
> acquired copies of computer programs, they may be lent by nonprofit
> libraries to patrons for nonprofit purposes under Section 109(b) of the
> Copyright Act. In looking at these scenarios, keep in mind that the
> library patron may be liable for copyright infringement even if the
> library is not."
> http://www.utsystem.edu/ogc/intellectualproperty/swguid.htm
>
> Do you think this does not allow us to circulate TurboTax?  There was an
> article 3/3/2003 in InfoWorld that addressed the issue specifically:
> "Does fair use apply?" by Ed Foster. He says, in regard to Intuit's
> product activation code that year: "...Intuit's not wanting TurboTax
> customers to pass along their CDs also doesn't make doing so piracy."
> Most of our software (I can't remember if this is so for TurboTax)
> requires the CD to be in the drive to work - so people can't use it
> unless they have the CD out at the time.
>
> Certainly software and the ease of making digital copies has made our
> thinking on the subject of copyright different, but are we
> self-censoring here?
>
> So, what do we think?  What do our library lawyers think?  What does
> SLJ's copyright guru think?  What does Walt Crawford think?
>
> Kate Wolicki
> Niles Public Library District
> Niles, IL
> _______________________________________________
> Publib mailing list
> Publib at webjunction.org
> http://lists.webjunction.org/mailman/listinfo/publib

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