Computing Technology

Gregory J. Cook, EA, CPA+ Accredited Tax Advisor Past President Alabama Society of Enrolled Agents Past President Alabama Association of Accountants

If You Plan to "Go Against the Grain" by Not Following Industry Trends in Computing Technology, You Should: Have a Really Good Reason, Be Tough as Nails and Be Prepared to Deal with the
Consequences if You're Wrong.

A Commentary by Greg Cook, EA, CPA
In the 1960's we used two Dynabyte main frame computers (both larger than my executive size desk). We fed punch cards through those things (What's a punch card, right?) to get the desired output. Tax returns were printed in triplicate utilizing three-layered carbon paper, which was spooled through a burster/decollator to separate the pages.

We've been through many transitions with our computer systems since then. I am going to fast-forward pass the 1970's to the mid 1980's when we implemented the server/workstation environment. At that time we elected to utilize the Novell 2.2 Operating System on our main file server. We still use Novell today.

In the late 80's when we were not patching and updating our main server, it ran uninterrupted for more than two years! Novell has served us well. In the mid '80's, not every desk had a desktop computer, but it wasn't long until everyone had one, including the receptionist. All of our workstations run Windows XP today, but Windows Vista may be in our very near future (I've been using it at home since it was released).

In addition to the Novell file server, we have a Novell web server, Novell GroupWise mail server and a Novell BorderManager firewall/proxy server. In 2007 our tax software provider released a statement that read "we will not support versions of Novell released after version 6.0" (Novell mixed Linux with their OS and began transitioning to Linux after they purchased Suse Linux).

I recall in 1994 I was advising people against QuickBooks and was promoting a DOS based accounting system that started going downhill after the release of Windows 95 and went away completely by the time Windows 2000 came out. I had made a pretty good investment in training for the entire staff in that software. Today we are a QuickBooks Affiliate and QuickBooks ProAdvisor.

We are transitioning our Novell servers to Windows 2003, our mail server to Exchange 2007 and have already been running a firewall appliance by SonicWall for two years side by side with our Novell BorderManager server.

Back to our tax software, we've used Lacerte since 1993. Prior to 1993 we designed and coded our own software through a contractor in Huntsville for more than 25 years. Our tax software is the backbone of our operations.

I've seen some really good technology fall by the wayside along the way because it didn't catch on with the masses. Money comes with the masses and money will allow the vendor to improve their product. That's what Intuit has done with their software.

When it comes to technology I've learned to be flexible, embrace change, not resist it and not go against the grain unless I have a really good reason.