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"IRS authorized MEF providers for 94X" I think I saw a news blurb where IRS is stating free online efile of more forms is soon. Not the first time, but the latest article has something about more budget available. I have not offered to efile 94x as there is no known to me free method, nor a requirement (for employer level submissions). I am hoping it will be handled easily enough for those to do so fill in style, as well as an easy-to-use upload data file to load the data method, free for all. The other reason for my prior reluctance are the hoops one must go through, even though they have a path to just be a transferring method, not the employer/submitter with liability. To me, what they have now perpetuates the myth/truth? that there are some in the IRS who believe complication protects their turf, or when they go private, their "work" at keeping things complicated will also pay off.

Getting somewhat lucky not using Falcon was good. Their choices for internal software such as crew and flight scheduling is another story. Investing in the latest is not always productive, especially in these cases where the internal software is likely custom. Custom software is a dark hole. Think the Tom Hanks movie Money Pit. There is only one "user" doing the real world testing, and those who know how and can program/update it tend to shrink over time, especially if outsourced to the lowest bidder. In the real world, there are absolutely cases where custom software is the only solution, but one has to either pay for in house employees to create/manage it, or accept it is obsolete as soon as the contract is completed. SF CA school district is a good example of custom payroll software boondoggle - with the add on it never properly worked and all the finds were wasted.

SWA is said to use software which "looks" like it was designed for Windows 95, but there is no one with proof they are using a non current OS. What is certain is they are not using CrowdStrike's Falcon software at all, or in a way they cannot work past when Falcon fails.

What gets me is this product is used by high end computer users, with what should be experienced people maintaining the devices. There was no auto restore/revert process in place? Failing that, no image or similar they could have brought back in short order? Or secondary devices ready to failover? So if not, which seems to be the case, why use the "security" software in the first place, as they clearly are not really protecting themselves from failures? Not having alternate hardware system in place is the REAL failure and is one that strikes all at some point from the new computer user to the highest experts. This is a case of belt AND suspenders, and only a few actually take the time to strap on both every single time. I doubt SWA is using W3.1 as many opine, but they software could be from that era, such as 16 but software (for instance). There is some truth to being outdated as the script kiddies have no idea how to hack software made before they were born.

AI is blaming the new guys.

You can and could setup your own server for hosting a forum. While it would be accessed through the internet or wayback, through a direct connection such as sending and receiving modems. I suppose the semantics are defining cloud versus non-local hardware, as well as who controls the management of the hardware and software. "Cloud" seems to have morphed into some sort of magical storage hardware "in the sky" for which most have no idea what or where it is. For me, I demand to know where the hardware is, as I want it in the US, and want to know where in the US so I have storage in more than one area for disaster reasons, as well as for compliance reasons.

Efiling is sent over the internet but I can still work on tax returns locally while the internet is being restored. If my tax software was cloud, I'd have to find something else to do.

It would pretty damn useless for me to have a forum just on my computer that no one else could access.

Ask. If the information is not available/shared freely, something is wrong. If so inclined, you can use monitoring via your router/firewall/logging system, to see what an application does or tries to do online.