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ATX 2013 system requirements


rfassett

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Hate to see Microsoft pull the plug on Windows XP in 2014! The op system is stable and runs quite well with 99% of business applications.

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:read:What have I been saying all season?? :scratch_head:

So if these are the 2013 equipment requirements, should I decide to stay the course, what do you suppose the recommended requirements would be for say three to five years down the road. I like to make major hardware purchases only every five years, so I need to know what will get me through that far. For the record, I am on the seventh year of the current set up. But I asked the same question when i had this one installed. And but for the ATX requirements (and I am certain other vendors will not be far behind if they do not already have these requirements), my system is still running very strong.

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rfassett, take a look at Drake's system requirements. You will notice the big difference and then checkout the speed with which Drake calculates??

I think I still have an old Dell laptop with 256mb and 40G HD with Drake 2005 in my attic that my son said still runs it ????

I hope Drake does not mess with its programming to slow down the calculations.

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Can someone help me understand why people are so reluctant to change? Technology is always changing and improving, why would you want to work on a outdated computer? I would understand if doing taxes is a hobby, but if you are running a business why stick with a computer that barely meets the requirement.

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Can someone help me understand why people are so reluctant to change? Technology is always changing and improving, why would you want to work on a outdated computer? I would understand if doing taxes is a hobby, but if you are running a business why stick with a computer that barely meets the requirement.

Agreed! Hardware is cheap. I think the reluctance to upgrade hardware is the lack of willingness to take on the learning curve associated with it.

In the 21st century, two years is stretching the useful life of computer hardware, due to the constant and rapid changes in software as well as the continual competition among to always have something new. Our chosen career path is irrevocably intermeshed with high tech software and hardware.

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Can someone help me understand why people are so reluctant to change? Technology is always changing and improving, why would you want to work on a outdated computer? I would understand if doing taxes is a hobby, but if you are running a business why stick with a computer that barely meets the requirement.

Well I have better uses for my money than constantly buying new computers every 3 years or so. There are certain devices like printers that wear out due to high usage so I have to buy a new one 3-5 years. Repairs cost as much as a new one!

I have upgraded the memory and HD on my computers and it served the purpose so far.

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Can someone help me understand why people are so reluctant to change? Technology is always changing and improving, why would you want to work on a outdated computer? I would understand if doing taxes is a hobby, but if you are running a business why stick with a computer that barely meets the requirement.

I don't think it is a reluctance at all, at least not on my part. And I do not feel I am working on any antiquated equipment. I assure you, my experience with 2012 ATX was a great deal more pleasant than others that had state of the art equipment. Explain that to me. I believe it is a matter of buying the tools that will do the job. There was nothing cheap about the system I put in. It was state of the art equipment at the time of installation, was professionally installed and has been professionally maintained. What is cheap about that. I believe it is those things that served me well this past season. It is a big deal and a big expense for my firm to upgrade hardware becuase it is not just a "go out and buy a plug and play" and move on. I believe my method is a well thought out and well implemented plan and "updating" or "upgrading" just for the sake of it does not fit into that plan. And if you really stop and think of it, it is the bells and whistles that make the software so demanding on the hardware. In my neck of the woods, a debit is still a debit and a credit a credit. How much computing power does that take? And the tax return still looks like it did several years ago. I repeat, how hard is it to compute a tax return (ATX's 2012 debacle excepted)?

So it is for those reasons (my planning stage) that I asked the question regarding future computing requirements. It will not be the only question. When I had this current system installed, I told the hardware vendor and installers, prior to purchase, that I wanted a bullet proof system that would keep me in business for five years. I kept pushing and asking quetions and finally when the last installer was leaving he said, "pray that your system does not get struck by lightening because that is about all that is left that could hurt it". We did our homework and they did their job. And we will repeat the process this year. And hopefully be good for another five years. In the interest of full disclosure, the server blew a hard drive about 18 months into the system. It was only one of the four hard drives and did not slow us a down a lick.

So no, it is not reluctance, Just good planning.

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Can someone help me understand why people are so reluctant to change?

Sure, cost. I run a small business and changing computers ever 2-3 years would hurt my bottom line. I got 6 seasons out of my last setup. I hope to get the same out of this one.

I would love to get new hardware every year. It just ain't in the budget.

Tom

Hollister, CA

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Sure, cost. I run a small business and changing computers ever 2-3 years would hurt my bottom line. I got 6 seasons out of my last setup. I hope to get the same out of this one.

I would love to get new hardware every year. It just ain't in the budget.

Tom

Hollister, CA

I got ten years out of my XP system and it is still going strong. However, the latter part of the 2011 tax season it was really struggling to make computations; particularly on Partnerships. I knew it was time and started studying and planning with the help of my IT friend. My new system was not all that expensive; nor is it top of the line. I generally like to walk the middle of the road and that is pretty much what we did. After the ATX system issues were apparent, we maxed the Ram from 4 G to 16 G; and I am really not sure that was necessary or even helped all that much. We just decided that as long as we were replacing perfectly good chips, we might as well go for broke. All in all, my season was not as cumbersome as some of yours. I did have a few incidents which were quickly resolved or worked around. So, IMO, equipment does matter. You just have to know when and how much.

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Changing computers every 2-3 years would be absurd.

A silly waste of resources.

After all, we're preparing tax returns here - not supplying the International Space Station.

When NASA was preparing for the Cassini-Huygens missions to Saturn and Titan, they bought -- and mothballed in climate-controlled storage -- multiple backup systems of the as-used computers the probes were designed to work with. They knew that, ten years down the road, hardware would have changed so much there was no guarantee they could still send or receive data with new equipment. So if any machine breaks down, they have brand-spanking-new, identical hardware, ready to go.

The things one learns when spice and clients are rocket scientists... :P

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I just bought a new computer with windows 7 and it has been giving me fits. My 77 year old brain just can't keep up with the technology and I can't upgrade my brain. Looks like I am about to be forced into retirement.

Gene, it is not that bad once you get the hang of it. I love Windows XP, but when I got my new laptop it came with Win 7. Took a little bit of getting used to the new interface and you can run it with the classic interface.

My point was if it ain't broke don't fix it!

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We are talking about computers, not upgrading cars or houses, that I will do see as crazy. Unfortunately because of the different versions of quick books I use, I need to have a computer that can handle various software open at the same time, my personal home computer is from 2006, I only use it to browse the Internet and it still works, not planning to replace it until its dead.

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I just bought a new computer with windows 7 and it has been giving me fits. My 77 year old brain just can't keep up with the technology and I can't upgrade my brain. Looks like I am about to be forced into retirement.

My brain is 73. Never say never! I just read an article on the best way to keep your brain upgraded and active. "Make It Think!"

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Computer hardware is cheap. Desktops are essentially being given away at today's prices. Just remember what you paid for your 6-8 year old systems, then check and see... Current replacements are a fraction of the cost. Cost of hardware cannot be a serious business consideration.

We will replace 6 workstations this summer.

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Computer hardware is cheap. Desktops are essentially being given away at today's prices. Just remember what you paid for your 6-8 year old systems, then check and see... Current replacements are a fraction of the cost. Cost of hardware cannot be a serious business consideration.

We will replace 6 workstations this summer.

Sure it is. Then you need to by the productivity software (microsoft office, adobe acrobat, and all the other things you use that won't go on the new o/s). Sorry Jack, I normally don't contradict you on most things, but hardware and productivity software are not as cheap as you are making it out for a small company like mine.

Tom

Hollister, CA

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Agree with Tom. While I think it is important to keep up with technology, and clients expect the same, the tech costs in my office keep growing. The cost of the towers seem to be the least of it. The server maintenance, software for the server and the machines, IT support, etc. can really add up.

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