Accounting Talk » Accountants » Reality check

Reality check

Question:

Have you ever thought about going fishing? Catch fish and eat them? Pack a lunch….go sit by some water…come home with supper for yourself? Learn how to clean fish and all… Learn about the tides, the weather, the phases of the moon, things that effect the willingness of fish to bite your bait? Spend time outside. By yourself. Go fishing for a few months. You’re down south you can go fishing right through the winter. I think you need to go fishing for a while. It sounds like you gettig ready to make a bad decision to me. Go fishing for a while, I bet it would help. Damo

Response:

damod…@webtv.net wrote in message <news:16298-3E0B5193-72@storefull-2194.public.lawson.webtv.net>… > Have you ever thought about going fishing? > Catch fish and eat them? > Pack a lunch….go sit by some water…come home with supper for > yourself? > Learn how to clean fish and all…

That might not be a bad idea for a weekend hobby. It will save me a few trips to the grocery store.

Response:

I don’t think I would make a very good security officer. I’m too cowardly and too pigheaded. I am also shy, probably best defined as a "weenie". Look it up in your dictionary…if you don’t know what it means.

Response:

"Bird Brain" <irond…@netzero.net> wrote in message

news:641333f6.0212241230.2e1baea8@posting.google.com… > I don’t think I would make a very good security officer. I’m too > cowardly and too pigheaded. I am also shy, probably best defined as a > "weenie". > Look it up in your dictionary…if you don’t know what it means.

Noun: Weenie A smooth textured sausage of minced beef or pork usually smoked; often served on a bread roll. Michelle

Response:

irond…@netzero.net (Bird Brain) wrote in message <news:641333f6.0212241230.2e1baea8@posting.google.com>… > I don’t think I would make a very good security officer. I’m too > cowardly and too pigheaded. I am also shy, probably best defined as a > "weenie". > Look it up in your dictionary…if you don’t know what it means.

Actually, I might not make such a bad security officer, I guess. I wouldn’t mind working in something more "manual" in nature, like construction or something along those lines, but I am not very good with tools and have no experience operating heavy equipment. Most of those types of jobs require at least *some* experienec, and when they are entry level, they are usually low-paying. With such low wages, I might as well work washing dishes…something I do have experience in. On the other hand, a good thing about entry level positions is that they will sometimes eventually train you in the other more skilled positions. I guess I could also try to get a job in printing. But I have very little experience in it beyond my education itself. And even my education was often lacking, because I never participated very much in the organizations and other extracurricular activities, where I could have learned more than just what I heard in the lectures or did in the labs. I might as well face it…I’m an idiot in many ways. I should have had enough sense to have either changed my major or dropped out of school altogether, rather than study something my heart wasn’t really in. When I think about it, I feel a little queasy.

Response:

Hilary Duff will be on Conan O’Brien tonite.

Response:

"Stuart J. Shillinglaw" <stuart.shilling…@shaw.ca> wrote in message news:Xns961585AFC36BAstuartshillinglawnew@24.66.94.159… | Reality check, most of the popular media is about rating implants. What am | I doing sitting in front of a computer. I’m looking at some Hilary Duff porn. She ain’t 18 yet, so I’d better get it deleted right away!

Response:

http://makeashorterlink.com/?J46E225AA — Stuart J. Shillinglaw in Winnipeg http://shillinglaw.atspace.com/ http://schizophrenia.atspace.org/webrings.html

Response:

That’s what she said to me on The George Lopez Show the other night on her "Poetry Slam Night."

Response:

Attorneys Spar Over Jackson’s Financial Records Trial Expected To Resume Monday Mar 11, 2005 5:10 pm US/Central SANTA MARIA, Calif. (AP) Michael Jackson stayed home to recuperate from a back injury Friday while his attorneys were in court battling prosecution efforts to expose financial records they say will show that the multimillionaire superstar is "on the precipice of bankruptcy." The judge in Jackson’s child molestation trial said he would allow only minimal evidence on Jackson’s financial condition, saying "I don’t want to inundate the jury with a lot of figures that don’t tell a story. I don’t think you can turn the jury into accountants." In spite of defense denials, Assistant District Attorney Gordon Auchincloss repeated his assertions that Jackson is in "financial peril" and all of his troubles "will all come crashing down on him in December of 2005." Defense attorney Robert Sanger angrily objected to Auchincloss’ technique of providing "sound bites for the media" in his arguments rather than addressing issues pertinent to the case. He said the prosecutor’s focus on Jackson’s current finances has no relevance to his finances in 2003, the year at issue in the trial. "We have more than enough reason to believe that Mr. Jackson is on the precipice of bankruptcy," said Auchincloss. "He is in debt to the tune of $300 million and has liabilities close to $400 million." He did not explain if he was talking about two different sums or including the debts in the sum of liabilities. Auchincloss continued to rattle off allegations about Jackson’s habits as what he called "a spend-a-holic" who has "an insatiable appetite for money." He said that in the years 1999 to 2001 Jackson was spending $35 million a year while earning only $11 million to $12 million. The judge responded: "I do not wish to extend this trial with a lot of emphasis on his finances," and Auchincloss finally agreed that "all we are looking for is a concise snapshot of the defendant’s financial condition." Melville suggested that is all he will allow. He said he understood the prosecution theory that Jackson had reason to "take drastic actions to protect his image" after the airing of a damaging documentary called "Living With Michael Jackson." But he urged lawyers to confer and reach an agreement by next Thursday on the issue of financial records. Jackson’s spokeswoman Raymone Bain told The Associated Press that Jackson continued to be in pain Friday from a back injury that caused him to be late for court on Thursday, an incident which incurred the judge’s wrath. There was no discussion of the matter in court Friday. Meanwhile, Melville issued a number of other rulings, among them: –He said that comedian Jay Leno, an expected witness in the molestation trial, can continue to crack jokes at Jackson’s expense as long as he doesn’t discuss the facts of his testimony. "I am not attempting to prevent anybody from making a living in the normal way that they make their living," the judge said, adding his own punch line: "I’d like him to tell good jokes … but I guess I can’t control that." –He refused to let the jurors take a field trip to Jackson’s Neverland estate. Jackson lawyer Thomas Mesereau Jr. said it was essential for jurors to see the locations that have been central to testimony. The judge said the jury was seeing enough through videotapes. "I’ve never seen so many videotapes," he said, "and I’m sure I haven’t seen the end of them." –Melville rejected a request by media attorney Theodore Boutrous Jr. to release video exhibits in the case for broadcast by TV outlets. "The public funds the courts and the public has the right to see this evidence," said Boutrous. The judge said those who want to see the videos can come to court. Boutrous filed an appeal later Friday with the 2nd District Court of Appeal. –Melville reiterated that he won’t let the defense "relitigate" a lawsuit brought by the accuser’s mother against J.C. Penny stores which resulted in her receiving a $150,000 settlement after claiming sexual abuse and battery. The defense seeks to show the family has a history of making false claims to get money. –The judge said rulings he has made in the past about testimony involving comedian George Lopez will stand, but added, "There is more involvement with Mr. Lopez and his family than was originally thought and you might want to call him (as a witness) for other purposes." He did not elaborate.

Response:

Author: admin on
Category: Accountants
Tags: Accountants

Accounting Talk » Financial Accounting » CPA vs CMA

CPA vs CMA

Question:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I was just wondering… In your experience does the CMA designation carry as much weight with employers as the CPA? I was considering trying for the CPA, but here in FL I need to go back to school to pick up some extra credits. It appears however, that I already have the qualifications necessary to sit for the CMA exam. Is the CPA worth the extra effort? I have no interest, at this point, in being a public accountant. I just want to expand my knowledge and improve my chance of obtaining a high-level job. Thanks Chris Hankey The only thing that a CPA can do that no one else can legally do is to perform a financial audit. In that situation, they are looking to see if that client company complied with generally accepted principles. If you don’t desire to do this kind of work, then I say go for the CMA, CIA, or maybe CFE. Any of these designations give you advantages over those who don’t have them. Wayne Brasch, CPA, M. S. Taxation

When it comes time to advance in your career, there are several options. The CPA certainly is viewed favorably by many employers perhaps because many financial professionals seeking to fill openings are CPAs themselves. I have found that the CPA designation has not brought a great deal of value to the table regarding those I have hired over the years. I am in the heavy manufacturing sector and have found the CMA to be valuable in the sense that those persons seeking it usually have an interest in private industry as opposed to public accounting. Bear in mind that many accountants find themselves working outside "general accounting" later in their career. Consider also the MBA or CCM if you find yourself in the cash management arena.

Response:

I was just wondering… In your experience does the CMA designation carry as much weight with employers as the CPA? I was considering trying for the CPA, but here in FL I need to go back to school to pick up some extra credits. It appears however, that I already have the qualifications necessary to sit for the CMA exam. Is the CPA worth the extra effort? I have no interest, at this point, in being a public accountant. I just want to expand my knowledge and improve my chance of obtaining a high-level job.

If you are looking to work in industry rather than public accounting, the CMA would fit the bill better. That doesn’t mean that employers see it that way though. Many companies that are "global" realize the value of the CMA as the type of info tested is rather universal in nature. Many of the strictly domestic companies still don’t understand the difference between the CMA and CPA designations. Consequently, they still advertise jobs that require or prefer a CPA (for something like cost accountant! ridiculous). The IMA has links to the outline of the CMA/CFM exam on its website www.imanet.org. — Todd Stephens

Response:

The only thing that a CPA can do that no one else can legally do is to perform a financial audit. In that situation, they are looking to see if that client company complied with generally accepted principles. If you don’t desire to do this kind of work, then I say go for the CMA, CIA, or maybe CFE. Any of these designations give you advantages over those who don’t have them. Wayne Brasch, CPA, M. S. Taxation

Response:

The CMA certification isn’t easy either. CIA, CMA, CPA etc. are specialised certifications for specific purposes, e. g. CMA for management accounting and financial controllership. If you browse in the old postings of this newsgroup, you will find out why yours truly opted for CMA and CIA rather than CPA. Reading up on developments in external audit (e. g. the demise of AA) may help you to understand some of the issues involved. A. Lucien Meyers, CIA, CMA — If you receive this by error, please delete it and inform the sender. PGP key fingerprint=F1C0 D9AE 1B18 1405 4DFA B4CC 6DC7 FF78 C76E FB15 To Big Brother Echelon from "spook": Sharon Legion of Doom Qaddafi Kennedy jihad Treasury plutonium Sudan KGB

Response:

Author: admin on
Category: Financial Accounting
Tags: Financial Accounting

Accounting Talk » Finance Accounting » November posts

November posts

Question:

I’m getting alot of November 2001 posts coming through on this newsgroup. Anyone else experiencing this? This seems to be the only group it is happening on. "It’s God’s job to sort out what to do with terrorists. It’s our job to deliver them to God. " I’m allergic to spam. Remove "No Spam" from my e-mail address to respond. —–= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =—– http://www.newsfeeds.com – The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! —–== Over 80,000 Newsgroups – 16 Different Servers! =—–

Response:

I’m getting alot of November 2001 posts coming through on this newsgroup. Anyone else experiencing this?

Not at the moment. But the reason for it, if it happens usually is that some rogue site gets its newsgroup messages’ expirys wrong, and/or tampers with them, and repushes those postings forward into the system. It is annoying. This seems to be the only group it is happening on.

This is not necessarily an affliction of a particular newsgroup. Such things happen and have happened on several newsgroups. I’m allergic to spam. Remove "No Spam" from my e-mail address to respond.

What "No Spam"? Incidentally, I do not need to remove it (even if it appeared) to respond. I would need it were I to email you. All the best, Timo — Prof. Timo Salmi ftp & http://garbo.uwasa.fi/ archives 193.166.120.5 Department of Accounting and Business Finance ; University of Vaasa Acc. Journals Links http://www.uwasa.fi/~ts/opas/jott/jottjour.html

Response:

Our news server was doing the same thing on all groups for about a week. Then it was down for a day. When it came back up it had expired all history except the last two weeks on all newsgroups. We are trying to reach someone there to have the expiry pushed back at least 90 days but have not been able to find anyone aware of the problem. ……. John.-

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m getting alot of November 2001 posts coming through on this newsgroup. Anyone else experiencing this? This seems to be the only group it is happening on. "It’s God’s job to sort out what to do with terrorists. It’s our job to deliver them to God. " I’m allergic to spam. Remove "No Spam" from my e-mail address to respond. —–= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =—– http://www.newsfeeds.com – The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! —–== Over 80,000 Newsgroups – 16 Different Servers! =—–

Response:

Author: admin on
Category: Finance Accounting
Tags: Finance Accounting

Accounting Talk » Accounting Company » QB Pro Nightmare

QB Pro Nightmare

Question:

wow…tough one Want to make $15 an hour online? Check out…. http://members.tripod.com/~easymoney106/index.html

Response:

Thanks Mike, sounds like you did yeoman work helping out. Gary

| | And, pray tell, what was the problem, Mike? | | The usual new user problems with anything. Lack of confidence | may cause panic, which does not result in organized problem | solving. | | One factor was probable unfamiliarity with the QB2001 File | Open, Backup and Restore, which temporarily seemed to lose | a file. A second factor was a memory leak, probably with R1, | coupled with perhaps less than optimum main memory (128 mb). | A new user can be bothered by having system resources drop | from 92% to 62% and later 33%. | | There were problems formatting floppies and possible backing | up to the hard drive when a floppy was intended or the reverse. | There also may have been a problem with one copy of QB not being | updated to the same release as the other, so the file could not | be read by the non-updated copy (or that may have been someone | else, as all I seem to do is solve QB problems). Then there | was the problem of not being able to make multiple posts to | A/R, which she solved by using Other Asset accounts. | | She still has a CDR problem relating to Admin privileges, but | that can wait for the moment. Some of the solutions related to | trying many suggestions from many of us, with no certainty of | what helped. | | | | After 6 or more direct email follow ups she is OK now. | | | | | | Pat | | | | To use the qbb file (a QuickBooks backup file that is in a compressed | | format) , you need to use file/restore in QB. If you have added more data | | since your last backup, the restore will overwrite the data (QB will warn | | you) unless you restore under a different name. Just out of curiosity, | why | | were you trying to open the qbb (QuickBooks backup file) instead of the | the | | qbw file which is file QB uses when you are adding data etc. Also were | you | | clicking the file using windows explorer? | | | |

Response:

And, pray tell, what was the problem, Mike?

The usual new user problems with anything. Lack of confidence may cause panic, which does not result in organized problem solving. One factor was probable unfamiliarity with the QB2001 File Open, Backup and Restore, which temporarily seemed to lose a file. A second factor was a memory leak, probably with R1, coupled with perhaps less than optimum main memory (128 mb). A new user can be bothered by having system resources drop from 92% to 62% and later 33%. There were problems formatting floppies and possible backing up to the hard drive when a floppy was intended or the reverse. There also may have been a problem with one copy of QB not being updated to the same release as the other, so the file could not be read by the non-updated copy (or that may have been someone else, as all I seem to do is solve QB problems). Then there was the problem of not being able to make multiple posts to A/R, which she solved by using Other Asset accounts. She still has a CDR problem relating to Admin privileges, but that can wait for the moment. Some of the solutions related to trying many suggestions from many of us, with no certainty of what helped. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – | After 6 or more direct email follow ups she is OK now. | | | Pat | | To use the qbb file (a QuickBooks backup file that is in a compressed | format) , you need to use file/restore in QB. If you have added more data | since your last backup, the restore will overwrite the data (QB will warn | you) unless you restore under a different name. Just out of curiosity, why | were you trying to open the qbb (QuickBooks backup file) instead of the the | qbw file which is file QB uses when you are adding data etc. Also were you | clicking the file using windows explorer? | | | I can’t backup – I’ve tried various different floppies and a CD-R and it | backs up the info but when I go to open it give various messages like the | .QBB is not a data file or it is damaged. I backed up so many times with | different manufactures disks – I reformatted the disks – I did eveything. | When I finally tried the CD-R it backed it up and then when I went to open | it – got the message that I do not have permission to open the file. I did | not set any passwords – I set up as ADMIN which was suggested (without | password) and they keep telling me to see owner for permission. I am the | owner! I never get a log-in and can’t find one. | On top of that – I just entered one month – took me many hrs to set up my | chart of accounts and make all the opening balances and journal entries | etc – then I registered (big mistake) since they sent me a bunch of | updates. | I bought the program on Sat – it’s QuickBooks Pro 2001 and since they sent | the updates I’ve had problems. | Now I just tried going into it again and normally the program would just | open up – now I get a notice NO Company opened – then I go to File and I | have to click on Open Previous Companies instead of Open Company. Other | than | that it works fine – I am balancing and getting good reports etc – but how | can I do all this work and not have a back-up in case my pc crashes? | Intuit support is useless and that’s really pathetic – no support at all – | anything they suggests costs more money..at least give 30 days support. | Any suggestions to solve my problem anyone? | Many thanks – I am about to have a breakdown since I am so behind in the | fiscal year | Pat | | | | | | Mike Block – Tax Cut CPA | World’s #1 QuickBooks Top Tester | FREE NetLedger accounting | FREE 462p QB books/error codes | 100+ QB add-ons http://blocktax.com/

Mike Block – Tax Cut CPA World’s #1 QuickBooks Top Tester FREE NetLedger accounting FREE 462p QB books/error codes 100+ QB add-ons http://blocktax.com/

Response:

And, pray tell, what was the problem, Mike? Gary | After 6 or more direct email follow ups she is OK now. | | | Pat | | To use the qbb file (a QuickBooks backup file that is in a compressed | format) , you need to use file/restore in QB. If you have added more data | since your last backup, the restore will overwrite the data (QB will warn | you) unless you restore under a different name. Just out of curiosity, why | were you trying to open the qbb (QuickBooks backup file) instead of the the | qbw file which is file QB uses when you are adding data etc. Also were you | clicking the file using windows explorer? | |

| I can’t backup – I’ve tried various different floppies and a CD-R and it | backs up the info but when I go to open it give various messages like the | .QBB is not a data file or it is damaged. I backed up so many times with | different manufactures disks – I reformatted the disks – I did eveything. | When I finally tried the CD-R it backed it up and then when I went to open | it – got the message that I do not have permission to open the file. I did | not set any passwords – I set up as ADMIN which was suggested (without | password) and they keep telling me to see owner for permission. I am the | owner! I never get a log-in and can’t find one. | On top of that – I just entered one month – took me many hrs to set up my | chart of accounts and make all the opening balances and journal entries | etc – then I registered (big mistake) since they sent me a bunch of | updates. | I bought the program on Sat – it’s QuickBooks Pro 2001 and since they sent | the updates I’ve had problems. | Now I just tried going into it again and normally the program would just | open up – now I get a notice NO Company opened – then I go to File and I | have to click on Open Previous Companies instead of Open Company. Other | than | that it works fine – I am balancing and getting good reports etc – but how | can I do all this work and not have a back-up in case my pc crashes? | Intuit support is useless and that’s really pathetic – no support at all – | anything they suggests costs more money..at least give 30 days support. | Any suggestions to solve my problem anyone? | Many thanks – I am about to have a breakdown since I am so behind in the | fiscal year | Pat | | | | | | Mike Block – Tax Cut CPA | World’s #1 QuickBooks Top Tester | FREE NetLedger accounting | FREE 462p QB books/error codes | 100+ QB add-ons http://blocktax.com/

Response:

After 6 or more direct email follow ups she is OK now. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Pat To use the qbb file (a QuickBooks backup file that is in a compressed format) , you need to use file/restore in QB. If you have added more data since your last backup, the restore will overwrite the data (QB will warn you) unless you restore under a different name. Just out of curiosity, why were you trying to open the qbb (QuickBooks backup file) instead of the the qbw file which is file QB uses when you are adding data etc. Also were you clicking the file using windows explorer? I can’t backup – I’ve tried various different floppies and a CD-R and it backs up the info but when I go to open it give various messages like the .QBB is not a data file or it is damaged. I backed up so many times with different manufactures disks – I reformatted the disks – I did eveything. When I finally tried the CD-R it backed it up and then when I went to open it – got the message that I do not have permission to open the file. I did not set any passwords – I set up as ADMIN which was suggested (without password) and they keep telling me to see owner for permission. I am the owner! I never get a log-in and can’t find one. On top of that – I just entered one month – took me many hrs to set up my chart of accounts and make all the opening balances and journal entries etc – then I registered (big mistake) since they sent me a bunch of updates. I bought the program on Sat – it’s QuickBooks Pro 2001 and since they sent the updates I’ve had problems. Now I just tried going into it again and normally the program would just open up – now I get a notice NO Company opened – then I go to File and I have to click on Open Previous Companies instead of Open Company. Other than that it works fine – I am balancing and getting good reports etc – but how can I do all this work and not have a back-up in case my pc crashes? Intuit support is useless and that’s really pathetic – no support at all – anything they suggests costs more money..at least give 30 days support. Any suggestions to solve my problem anyone? Many thanks – I am about to have a breakdown since I am so behind in the fiscal year Pat

Mike Block – Tax Cut CPA World’s #1 QuickBooks Top Tester FREE NetLedger accounting FREE 462p QB books/error codes 100+ QB add-ons http://blocktax.com/

Response:

Thanks so much for your replies both here and the personal ones I received. In answer to the question of why was I trying to open the qbb file to see if it copied ok and if I would be able to open it. I will copy to the hard drive now. I also don’t understand why it changed my company to previous company rather than the current company that it is? Thanks Pat

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Pat To use the qbb file (a QuickBooks backup file that is in a compressed format) , you need to use file/restore in QB. If you have added more data since your last backup, the restore will overwrite the data (QB will warn you) unless you restore under a different name. Just out of curiosity, why were you trying to open the qbb (QuickBooks backup file) instead of the the qbw file which is file QB uses when you are adding data etc. Also were you clicking the file using windows explorer? I can’t backup – I’ve tried various different floppies and a CD-R and it backs up the info but when I go to open it give various messages like the .QBB is not a data file or it is damaged. I backed up so many times with different manufactures disks – I reformatted the disks – I did eveything. When I finally tried the CD-R it backed it up and then when I went to open it – got the message that I do not have permission to open the file. I did not set any passwords – I set up as ADMIN which was suggested (without password) and they keep telling me to see owner for permission. I am the owner! I never get a log-in and can’t find one. On top of that – I just entered one month – took me many hrs to set up my chart of accounts and make all the opening balances and journal entries etc – then I registered (big mistake) since they sent me a bunch of updates. I bought the program on Sat – it’s QuickBooks Pro 2001 and since they sent the updates I’ve had problems. Now I just tried going into it again and normally the program would just open up – now I get a notice NO Company opened – then I go to File and I have to click on Open Previous Companies instead of Open Company. Other than that it works fine – I am balancing and getting good reports etc – but how can I do all this work and not have a back-up in case my pc crashes? Intuit support is useless and that’s really pathetic – no support at all – anything they suggests costs more money..at least give 30 days support. Any suggestions to solve my problem anyone? Many thanks – I am about to have a breakdown since I am so behind in the fiscal year Pat

Response:

Pat, sounds really frustrating! Just out of curiosity, have you tried backing up the books to a file on your hard drive? And then opening up the file. Just to make sure the backup routine works. Floppy disks are notorious for being unreliable so that is no surprise you are having problems there, and backing up to a CD-R is fine, but you can’t open up a file on a read only drive (I’m kind of making an educated guess on that one, I actually haven’t tried it.) But you should be able to copy the backup from CDR to your hard drive and open it. By the way, how big is your QBB file? So let’s go back to basics and see if that backup works with the hard drive, and then see what the next step would be. Gary

| I can’t backup – I’ve tried various different floppies and a CD-R and it | backs up the info but when I go to open it give various messages like the | .QBB is not a data file or it is damaged. I backed up so many times with | different manufactures disks – I reformatted the disks – I did eveything. | When I finally tried the CD-R it backed it up and then when I went to open | it – got the message that I do not have permission to open the file. I did | not set any passwords – I set up as ADMIN which was suggested (without | password) and they keep telling me to see owner for permission. I am the | owner! I never get a log-in and can’t find one. | On top of that – I just entered one month – took me many hrs to set up my | chart of accounts and make all the opening balances and journal entries | etc – then I registered (big mistake) since they sent me a bunch of updates. | I bought the program on Sat – it’s QuickBooks Pro 2001 and since they sent | the updates I’ve had problems. | Now I just tried going into it again and normally the program would just | open up – now I get a notice NO Company opened – then I go to File and I | have to click on Open Previous Companies instead of Open Company. Other than | that it works fine – I am balancing and getting good reports etc – but how | can I do all this work and not have a back-up in case my pc crashes? | Intuit support is useless and that’s really pathetic – no support at all – | anything they suggests costs more money..at least give 30 days support. | Any suggestions to solve my problem anyone? | Many thanks – I am about to have a breakdown since I am so behind in the | fiscal year | Pat | | |

Response:

Pat To use the qbb file (a QuickBooks backup file that is in a compressed format) , you need to use file/restore in QB. If you have added more data since your last backup, the restore will overwrite the data (QB will warn you) unless you restore under a different name. Just out of curiosity, why were you trying to open the qbb (QuickBooks backup file) instead of the the qbw file which is file QB uses when you are adding data etc. Also were you clicking the file using windows explorer? – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I can’t backup – I’ve tried various different floppies and a CD-R and it backs up the info but when I go to open it give various messages like the .QBB is not a data file or it is damaged. I backed up so many times with different manufactures disks – I reformatted the disks – I did eveything. When I finally tried the CD-R it backed it up and then when I went to open it – got the message that I do not have permission to open the file. I did not set any passwords – I set up as ADMIN which was suggested (without password) and they keep telling me to see owner for permission. I am the owner! I never get a log-in and can’t find one. On top of that – I just entered one month – took me many hrs to set up my chart of accounts and make all the opening balances and journal entries etc – then I registered (big mistake) since they sent me a bunch of updates. I bought the program on Sat – it’s QuickBooks Pro 2001 and since they sent the updates I’ve had problems. Now I just tried going into it again and normally the program would just open up – now I get a notice NO Company opened – then I go to File and I have to click on Open Previous Companies instead of Open Company. Other than that it works fine – I am balancing and getting good reports etc – but how can I do all this work and not have a back-up in case my pc crashes? Intuit support is useless and that’s really pathetic – no support at all – anything they suggests costs more money..at least give 30 days support. Any suggestions to solve my problem anyone? Many thanks – I am about to have a breakdown since I am so behind in the fiscal year Pat

Response:

I can’t backup – I’ve tried various different floppies and a CD-R and it backs up the info but when I go to open it give various messages like the .QBB is not a data file or it is damaged. I backed up so many times with different manufactures disks – I reformatted the disks – I did eveything. When I finally tried the CD-R it backed it up and then when I went to open it – got the message that I do not have permission to open the file. I did not set any passwords – I set up as ADMIN which was suggested (without password) and they keep telling me to see owner for permission. I am the owner! I never get a log-in and can’t find one. On top of that – I just entered one month – took me many hrs to set up my chart of accounts and make all the opening balances and journal entries etc – then I registered (big mistake) since they sent me a bunch of updates. I bought the program on Sat – it’s QuickBooks Pro 2001 and since they sent the updates I’ve had problems. Now I just tried going into it again and normally the program would just open up – now I get a notice NO Company opened – then I go to File and I have to click on Open Previous Companies instead of Open Company. Other than that it works fine – I am balancing and getting good reports etc – but how can I do all this work and not have a back-up in case my pc crashes? Intuit support is useless and that’s really pathetic – no support at all – anything they suggests costs more money..at least give 30 days support. Any suggestions to solve my problem anyone? Many thanks – I am about to have a breakdown since I am so behind in the fiscal year Pat

Response:

Author: admin on
Category: Accounting Company
Tags: Accounting Company

Accounting Talk » Financial Accounting » Future

Future

Question:

Hello all! I am new to the group. I am attending my last year of school now to get my BA in Accounting. I plan on sitting for the CPA exam but how important is the CMA exam. There does not seem to be as much focus on the CMA. Also for all the accountants out there. What do you need to do when you get certified in one state and have to move to another. Is there a new test that needs to be taken. Please advise. Thankyou, Christi

The CPA and the CMA are not especially duplicative. The CPA, of course, is for public accounting, and the CMA is for management accounting. There are not as many CMAs as there are CPAs; however, over 50% of the membership in the American Institute of CPAs is now composed of members not working in public accounting. Which designation you need depends upon what you want to do. And, to a certain extent, the lines are blurring. Looks to me like the various accounting organizations are starting to have "turf" wars. My advice is to get either one, work a couple of years, and then get your Master’s degree–in international accounting with a foreign language. Many of the states now have reciprocity, and by the time you get a CPA certificate, they will all probably accept CPA certificates from each other. Regards, — Robert W. Scroggins, CPA A Texas CPA http://members.aol.com/rscrogg562/ Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.

Response:

Hey Christi! Last year of classes, huh? If at all possible, I recommend a good internship if you can fit it in. Good experience and probable job opportunity! The CMA is great if you do not want to enter public accounting. Where the CPA is still the real dominant "seal of approval" in the profession, it can be overkill in the employment sector with the most numerous job opprtunities outside of public accounting: the small and middle market privately held companies. In terms of salary, they are roughly the same; But it depends upon which track you are following. A CMA in E&Y or AA would probably not go very far, I understand. As corporate controller for a private, mid-sized, multi-national, I would prefer the CMA since they would be more pragmatic and have a wider field-of-vision about how to tackle an issue. Those are opinions. Take them as you will. John

Response:

I am going to graduate next year as well and I am looking at the big five. What has your experience been with recruitment. I am actually suprised that you mentioned cma, I took managment accounting I got an A but it was pretty dull. At least I think so, which is why I choose tax. Do you know what tax accountants and tax attorneys get paid. "welcome to the good life" The waters great.

Response:

The CPA examination is a uniform nationwide test. Many states now have reciprocity agreements so you do not have to take the test over again if you move to another state. However, you would have to check with the state CPA society in the state you are moving to in order to be sure. I don’t know how imprtant the CMA certification is. But I do know that I don’t see it as a requirement that often in job announcements, probably because HR people and other non financial executives who develop the specs for jobs aren’t even aware of it. Good luck. http://www.baranskyvaccaro.com – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello all! I am new to the group. I am attending my last year of school now to get my BA in Accounting. I plan on sitting for the CPA exam but how important is the CMA exam. There does not seem to be as much focus on the CMA. Also for all the accountants out there. What do you need to do when you get certified in one state and have to move to another. Is there a new test that needs to be taken. Please advise. Thankyou, Christi

Response:

Author: admin on
Category: Financial Accounting
Tags: Financial Accounting

Accounting Talk » Office Accounting » QB and PC Anywhere

QB and PC Anywhere

Question:

These people need to save themselves a lot of grief and pick up a copy of PCAW or CloseUp or whatever, and avoid getting involved with the RAS quagmire.

I have a copy and it won’t work with QB multi user mode with just one computer at my client’s office. Not if the office manager is using QB at the same time anyway. BL

Response:

So in other words, no it will not allow two people to access quickbooks at the same time without the use of a network and a server that is not being used as somebody’s work station. Oh well…guess I need to get clients with more computer equipment. BL

PCAW won’t work the way you want, but DUN and RAS will. One machine at the main location is set up as a RAS (Remote Access Services) Server, and can also be used as a workstation. The remote machine uses Dial Up Networking. There are some advantages to this setup, you can set it up in WfWG, Win9x, and WinNT. You can Set up special security (Auto call back). Main disadvantage: Slow, even with 56K modems. To see how slow, get a serial LapLink cable, set it to 33.6 on both machines, and have at it. Remember 300 baud and BBS’s? That’ll seem faster, at times… Even a parallel laplink cable (Using Direct Cable Connection) is slow. Serial is like 1/4th-1/8th the speed of DCC… But, like I said, it can (does) work. Helps if you have a SysAdmin who’s done oddball connections out of necessity… Kevin (BTDT) Kevin Shumaker Former QB Tech Support (Core & Printing Specialist) Freelance QB Tech Support System Orientation

Response:

As you point out, it is a pain to set up, and speed (or lack of it) can be a problem. But a greater concern may be the threat of data file corruption due to a dropped connection. I think I’d avoid using RAS in this situation….

Response:

LapLink cable, set it to 33.6 on both machines, and have at it. Remember 300 baud and BBS’s? That’ll seem faster, at times…

Unfortunately, I do remember. Ugh! But, like I said, it can (does) work. Helps if you have a SysAdmin who’s done oddball connections out of necessity…

Right now I’m serving as SysAdmin, which means they are in deep trouble. I’m not sure I want to go to that much trouble. So here’s another thought. They are using a dos based program that is industry specific to track customers although they are duplicating much of the same info with QB. They are also using QB for payroll, but they know very little about accounting so why can’t (don’t) we just split have a separation of duties. They’ll continue to input their invoices and receipts (for sales tax reporting) and process payroll. I’ll then run EOM reports and input the summary into a copy that I keep at my office for their accounting and financials. Any reason why this won’t work? I realize that is not the purpose of QB, but the poor office manager is trying to do three full time jobs at once and I think she’ll be very open to this and should be able to influence the owner. What do you think? BL

Response:

I _recommend_ RAS, because most people have the software available already, and just require setup. However, I’m one of the first to point out that RAS and PCAW are slower than mollasses in January in Minnesota, and in the case of PCAW, require a dedicated terminal for each connection. Some people are stating PCAW is the ONLY solution, because of it’s better recovery of disconnects. This is not _always_ the case, nor is RAS always a good solution. I recommend, whatever the solution tried, that you increase your backup procedures by at least a factor of 3. (Before, during and after access from remote) due to the risky nature of remote access.

I haven’t stated PCAW as the only solution, but it is the best at this time. I’ve done this both ways. The post makes it clear they don’t have the skills to set up RAS — at best they’ll spend hours and more likely, days trying to get it going. PCAW installs and runs out of the box for $125. In addition, PCAW offers security of the data file and better performance. End-users can handle PCAW with ease. Hey, over the years, I’ve used PCAW as well as most of its competing products to support networks (NT and others) all over our region. While PCAW has, from time to time, had its problems, it is at this moment, hands-down the best product on the market for this type of application. RAS is NOT conceptually similar to PCAW, and if someone wants to use it, fine. RAS was not designed to handle remotely a database that is being hit heavily in interactive fashion. These people need to save themselves a lot of grief and pick up a copy of PCAW or CloseUp or whatever, and avoid getting involved with the RAS quagmire.

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Right now I’m serving as SysAdmin, which means they are in deep trouble. I’m not sure I want to go to that much trouble. So here’s another thought. They are using a dos based program that is industry specific to track customers although they are duplicating much of the same info with QB. They are also using QB for payroll, but they know very little about accounting so why can’t (don’t) we just split have a separation of duties. They’ll continue to input their invoices and receipts (for sales tax reporting) and process payroll. I’ll then run EOM reports and input the summary into a copy that I keep at my office for their accounting and financials. Any reason why this won’t work? I realize that is not the purpose of QB, but the poor office manager is trying to do three full time jobs at once and I think she’ll be very open to this and should be able to influence the owner. What do you think? BL

Depends on needs.If all you are doing is entering EOM totals, heck, you could get by with a speadsheet. If you are in need of better tracking, continue as you are, but split the duties. If you want full accountability, consider transfering just the data file back and forth as often as needed, rather than using RAS or PCAW. Or consider finding a better ‘accounting’ package that better interfaces with your DOS-based package. [Disclaimer to follow because of email received] No one can tell you the ‘best’ answer, because you may (do) have specific needs. The best we can do is make recommended compromises. Anyone who say different doesn’t want to work with you, they want you to work for them, whether it’s an accountant who says you must use Package A because they do, or a salesman who says package B is best for everything. I _recommend_ RAS, because most people have the software available already, and just require setup. However, I’m one of the first to point out that RAS and PCAW are slower than mollasses in January in Minnesota, and in the case of PCAW, require a dedicated terminal for each connection. Some people are stating PCAW is the ONLY solution, because of it’s better recovery of disconnects. This is not _always_ the case, nor is RAS always a good solution. I recommend, whatever the solution tried, that you increase your backup procedures by at least a factor of 3. (Before, during and after access from remote) due to the risky nature of remote access. Kevin Kevin Shumaker Former QB Tech Support (Core & Printing Specialist) Freelance QB Tech Support System Orientation

Response:

Snip Would using PC Anywhere and QB Pro in multi-user mode allow 2 users to access QB at the same time, from the remote and from the host computer. Or is a network server required with both users logged onto the network. Snip system. You should realize that when a remote user dials in using PCAW, he is essentially a "stand-in" for the user at the workstation he dials into. So, if hardwired in your office, you normally have two users on a peer-to-peer network for example, when a remote user dials in to one of them, you can have one remote user and one user on the network; the other workstation is tied up as a kind of "terminal server".

Response:

Not being all that familiar with PC Anywhere, I have some questions before I decide to purchase the product. Would using PC Anywhere and QB Pro in multi-user mode allow 2 users to access QB at the same time, from the remote and from the host computer. Or is a network server required with both users logged onto the network. Thanks BL

PCAW will work in this situation as PCAW does (kind of slowly). But you will have to have an appropriate number of QB licenses for the users accessing the system. You should realize that when a remote user dials in using PCAW, he is essentially a "stand-in" for the user at the workstation he dials into. So, if hardwired in your office, you normally have two users on a peer-to-peer network for example, when a remote user dials in to one of them, you can have one remote user and one user on the network; the other workstation is tied up as a kind of "terminal server". But I see no reason PCAW will not work with QB. Data loss is not a problem with PCAW, even with a bad connection — if a connection is dropped, QB is still running as usual on the workstation you dialed into, so there is no risk data loss — you just dial back in and continue. Biggest problem is PCAW is pretty slow running under Windows. While it does a good job given the circumstances, it is a tough assignment. Get fast modems, IDSN would be great… David

Response:

writes: – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Well that’s a good question, perhaps, going to the PC AnyWhere page and asking them would be a good idea, after that come back and tell us what you got for an answer. As far as Quickbooks goes, if you access the data file from a network, more than one user can access the file at a time. Intuit does not produce PC AnyWhere, so it would be up to PC AnyWhere to decide if they can do the job you want. They should test the product and let you know. QuickBooks costs around $100 for the 1 user program, the cost of testing for this type of use should be born by PC AnyWhere, and if they came back and said yes they can do this, I have 10 clients that will buy their product! Let us Know, Roman

With a warning, I have a solution: {Warning} As of my last day at Intuit, QB did not support any Remote Access, such as Dial up access. However… I have tested RAS (Remote Access Services) using Dialup, on both Win95/98 and WinNT. It’s slow, cumbersome to set up, and if set up properly, works. If you use Dial Up Networking and RAS Server in Win95b / 98 / NT, you can access as if you were on a hardwired terminal. There are timing issues, and if you lose connection often, you risk data damage. I have tested with both QB 5 acessing solo, and QB 6 in single and multi-user modes. Kevin Shumaker Former QB Tech Support (Core & Printing Specialist) Freelance QB Tech Support System Orientation

Response:

Well that’s a good question, perhaps, going to the PC AnyWhere page and asking them would be a good idea, after that come back and tell us what you got for an answer. As far as Quickbooks goes, if you access the data file from a network, more than one user can access the file at a time. Intuit does not produce PC AnyWhere, so it would be up to PC AnyWhere to decide if they can do the job you want. They should test the product and let you know. QuickBooks costs around $100 for the 1 user program, the cost of testing for this type of use should be born by PC AnyWhere, and if they came back and said yes they can do this, I have 10 clients that will buy their product! Let us Know, Roman – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Not being all that familiar with PC Anywhere, I have some questions before I decide to purchase the product. Would using PC Anywhere and QB Pro in multi-user mode allow 2 users to access QB at the same time, from the remote and from the host computer. Or is a network server required with both users logged onto the network. Thanks BL

Response:

Author: admin on
Category: Office Accounting
Tags: Office Accounting

Accounting Talk » Business Accounting » Rejection Letters (Long and Pointless)

Rejection Letters (Long and Pointless)

Question:

FAIR WARNING — This very well could be WORSE than SPAM!!! The post by Vulpes titled "Where have all the Staff Accountants gone?" got me thinking about how the tide has really turned. Four years ago, when I graduated with that nifty little accounting degree, I began collecting these rejection letters from all sorts of companies and CPA firms. Among the accounting firms in my collection, there’s the biggies, such as Ernst & Young and Arthur Andersen, and there’s the little guys who came from places like Foster City, Walnut Creek, San Jose, and San Leandro. Among the industry jobs for which I applied, there’s the well known Blue Cross, Netscape, and Chevron, as well as the not-so-well-known Longs Drug Stores, The Doctors’ Company, and The Argonaut Group. I will always remember how my collection began. It was my first interview for a permanent, full-time position. I was applying for a Staff Accountant position at St. Ive’s Laboratories. It was a 1:30 interview. I met with 2 people, each for about 30 minutes, and was out of there by about 2:30. My rejection letter came THE VERY NEXT DAY which met they must have typed that puppy up and had it mailed before I even got home and took off my tie. Kinda depressing. One thing that amazes me is that all rejection letters pretty much say the same thing. They all go pretty much somthing like this: Dear Keith: Thank you for applying for the whatever job. Although we were impressed with your credentials, we regret that we cannot extend an offer at this time. We wish you success in your job search. Sincerely, Horsis Fanee, Manager It really does get old reading the same thing over and over. What really makes me laugh is when they try to tell you that they will keep your resume on file in case there are future openings. HAHAHAHAHA! I have SEEN where those resumes on file end up at my current company – in a box on a dusty shelf in this grungy basement storage room. I, for one, think accountants have the opportunity to not only be creative with rejection letters, but they also have the opportunity to tell the truth: Keith! That was, like, super nice of you for coming in to discuss the position that never really was open. Frankly, we are suspicious because you are this complete stranger to all of us, and we only spoke to people like you to kill time during our slow season. Besides, you were just, like, totally gross! Gag me with a spoon! So did you really think you were gonna get a job??? Like, duh! Given the fact that we most likely will never cross paths again, we, like, really don’t care whether you find a dream job or get hit by a bus tomorrow. Later, Val E. Gearl, CPA Well, well, well… the tide has turned now, hasn’t it? Now, many of us who struggled just 4 years ago now have good jobs and are in high demand. I think it would be absolutely hilarious to take a vacation day to go on an interview just to be able to send a "reverse rejection letter." Dear Mr. or Ms. Accounting Manager: Thank you for taking the time to discuss my potential employment at your company. I really enjoyed meeting you and appreciate your time. While I was impressed with your apparent managerial skills and your corporate culture, I am unable to accept any offers you may be planning on extending at this time. As you are surely aware, there are many well-qualified organizations, and I have chosen one that more closely matches my needs. I wish you luck in your search for a suitable candidate, and I will keep your business card on file should I change my mind. Sincerely, Keith Onabadegotrip Yeah…that would be funny. I guess I’m just in a silly mood today! If you’re still actually reading at this point…I’m sorry! Peace in the thing! Keith

Response:

It’s great that the tables are now finally turning for staff accountants!

These things run in cycles, and I’m sure the current shortage will lead to a glut four years from now. The unfortunate thing I find are those people that select a career primarily based on compensation levels they expect to obtain. I don’t know of any career out there that I would say is "safe" for a lifetime of work. Nor, frankly, do I know of any amount of money that makes it worthwhile to do something that you hate for 40+ years (expected life of a career). When I came out of college, there was a glut of accounting graduates, so I’m very aware of the problems when there are too many graduates chasing too few positions. Similarly, now that I own my own firm, I’m aware of the other side of the equation as well. The hitch, as always, is that it comes down to pure math. If I have one position to fill (and since most employees want to be paid, I do have to limit the number I hire <grin), then when I get 200 resumes for the position (which was the norm for any opening in the mid-1990s) I’m going to disappoint 199 people, many of whom were more than capable of filling the job. Stories of such results generally skews college students away from the major. Today that same position may only attract a minimal number of applicants (maybe 10), and even then a number simply don’t meet the basic qualification level. That means that those that are even marginally qualified likely will, in today’s market, get an offer. But, if you are doing what you like, that economic reality likely won’t matter. First, because even those hired today will eventually go through a downturn where, at the least, they will see their salaries stagnate for a time period. Second, because if you happen to come out in a down period, the fact that you are looking to do something you like means that a) you’ll keep looking and b) eventually the economic tables turn again and now you are one of the small group with your level of experience and suddenly are in high demand.

Response:

Remember – You don’t want to work for anyone who’s hiring!

Response:

ROTFLOL!!!!!! I went through many similar expreiences when I graduated in ‘92 and could completely relate to your ideas! I will always remember one particularly nasty rejection letter that I received from Price Waterhouse. The tone of it went something like this: Thank you for interviewing with Price Waterhouse. We WILL NOT (my emphasis) have an opening for you at our company. Good luck in your job search. I ended up working for a couple of small high-tech firms that went belly-up too. I now work for a small construction company doing a little bit of everything from Accounts Receivable/Payable to preparing financial statements and making MIS decisions and I love it! The atmosphere is completely casual and I am also able to have a major impact on the success of our business. I think back now at how discouraged I was for not landing a job at one of the larger corporations and realize that it was all for the best. I like working in a place where I have a voice that is definitely heard and knowing that I am an important, appreciated member of the team. I’m not sure if I would have felt this way in a larger, more formal setting. Anyways, sorry about the long posting. It’s great that the tables are now finally turning for staff accountants!

Response:

Author: admin on
Category: Business Accounting
Tags: Business Accounting

Accounting Talk » Business Accounting » Choosing a cpa and acc. software

Choosing a cpa and acc. software

Question:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Gary, The industry I had in mind was fine wine wholesaling. "Futures" transactions (as much as two years before the wine is even BOTTLED) are evidenced by documents called "proformas". When the wine is actually shipped, an actual invoice is generated. Some European vendors use separately numbered customs invoices, so that altogether there are three documents with different numbers for the same merchandise. Amazing, ain’t it? Even more amazing IMO is how the guys that buy and sell this stuff can figure out what it’s gonna taste like (and sell for) two years hence. It’s a wunnerful world out there… Ellen :)

Ellen The transaction you are describing (Wine Futures) is similar to a contractor or Lawyer where a given project increases in time but not directly in relation to the cost. This is project accounting as opposed to Goods in Process or Inventory. When this principle is undertaken even the generic low cost accounting packages can organize and compile your transactions into reports that help you control your business. GARY

Response:

The expense and frustration of developing an alternative to a "canned" system is not for the faint of heart

True, though some developers would disagree … there are certainly a number of suppliers who provide source code for working accounting packages that can be tweaked with a little effort, allowing you to roll your own without doing ALL the development work. But as a developer (or is the word ’specialist’ now <grin), I’d rather be dragged over hot coals and broken glass before getting into such a project – not because of the front end, but because of the support and upgrade requirements. A well-staffed help-desk and an ongoing commitment to upgrading the product based on lots of customer feedback are the key issues. To say nothing of the "hit by a truck" scenario (What happens if the developer gets hit by a truck ? Will anyone else be able to maintain and upgrade the software ?) systems are (1) too simple and (2) too available for a company to waste

On the ground, none of my clients have the same accounting requirements. No nationally-known software meets all their needs. They resolve this, not by rewriting accounting software, but by using complementary programs that meet their special needs. One example: a client who tracks the production of gravestones. There are even commercial gravestone accounting packages available – but they solve their problem by running a database application I wrote in parallel with AccPac. They’ve developed standard operating procedure to make sure the database data is used to drive their accounting entries.

Response:

Your statement seems rather facile to me. Many businesses cannot use software like QuickBooks or Peachtree because the way the business is run doesn’t fit the expectations of the people who wrote the program. For example, in some industries merchandise is ordered and paid for well in advance of being shipped. For GAAP, no purchase or sale has occurred in such a case. Most canned software packages will track "purchase orders" and "sales orders"… and funds paid or received can be posted to deposit accounts as current assets or liabilities respectively… but there will be no way to track payment SCHEDULES or show the equivalent of an A/R or A/P aging. Insisting that such transactions be shoehorned into a canned program does not help the client. My $0.02. Ellen

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Your statement seems rather facile to me. Many businesses cannot use software like QuickBooks or Peachtree because the way the business is run doesn’t fit the expectations of the people who wrote the program. For example, in some industries merchandise is ordered and paid for well in advance of being shipped. For GAAP, no purchase or sale has occurred in such a case. Most canned software packages will track "purchase orders" and "sales orders"… and funds paid or received can be posted to deposit accounts as current assets or liabilities respectively… but there will be no way to track payment SCHEDULES or show the equivalent of an A/R or A/P aging. Insisting that such transactions be shoehorned into a canned program does not help the client. My $0.02. Ellen

Ellen Would you please name four of the several industries where merchandise is ordered and paid for well in advance of being shipped. I thought that I knew that an Invoice was a legal document describing the transfer of title. What do these Industries use instead of invoices? Gary

Response:

Gary, The industry I had in mind was fine wine wholesaling. "Futures" transactions (as much as two years before the wine is even BOTTLED) are evidenced by documents called "proformas". When the wine is actually shipped, an actual invoice is generated. Some European vendors use separately numbered customs invoices, so that altogether there are three documents with different numbers for the same merchandise. Amazing, ain’t it? Even more amazing IMO is how the guys that buy and sell this stuff can figure out what it’s gonna taste like (and sell for) two years hence. It’s a wunnerful world out there… Ellen :)

Response:

The expense and frustration of developing an alternative to a "canned" system is not for the faint of heart. Basically, no effort should be spared in trying to find a "canned" solution before attempting in-house (or worse, outside) development of an accounting application. Accounting systems are (1) too simple and (2) too available for a company to waste money, gobs of money, reinventing the wheel. Perhaps QB or Peachtree isn’t the right program — they’re great for smaller businesses but not enough horsepower for medium or large businesses. The size of the business is the most important factor in determining the suitability of a particular accounting program. A small business should seldom, if ever, consider developing an alternative to a canned program. Anyone advising a small business owner to do otherwise is providing poor advise. David Ray CPA – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Your statement seems rather facile to me. Many businesses cannot use software like QuickBooks or Peachtree because the way the business is run doesn’t fit the expectations of the people who wrote the program. For example, in some industries merchandise is ordered and paid for well in advance of being shipped. For GAAP, no purchase or sale has occurred in such a case. Most canned software packages will track "purchase orders" and "sales orders"… and funds paid or received can be posted to deposit accounts as current assets or liabilities respectively… but there will be no way to track payment SCHEDULES or show the equivalent of an A/R or A/P aging. Insisting that such transactions be shoehorned into a canned program does not help the client. My $0.02. Ellen Ellen Would you please name four of the several industries where merchandise is ordered and paid for well in advance of being shipped. I thought that I knew that an Invoice was a legal document describing the transfer of title. What do these Industries use instead of invoices? Gary

Response:

I am starting a company and in the process to choose both a cpa and an accounting software. Over the weeks in this newsgroup, the most recommended software appears to be MYOB. I received a trial version and it fits my needs. But I do not find a local CPA knowing it One CPA recommend Peachtree, the other one says :"I would not recommend Peachtree. For you, I prefer Creative Solution …" Who could give me some advice in this important and difficult decision ?

Response:

a third option – letting an accountant do your books initially while you concentrate on the business – it can save you a lot of grief. All the accounting software packages (QB, Peachtree, MYOB, one write, etc) can do the job, however it takes some time/patience/detail work. something not everyone’s cut out to do.

Response:

Perhaps a joke is permitted on this newsgroup- A businessman is starting a corporation and needs to choose a CPA. He asks the first CPA, "How much is two and two?" The answer he receives is "four." "No, I don’t want you for my CPA." he says. With the second CPA it is the same story – "two and two are four." He then asks the third CPA "How much is two and two?" "How much do you want it to be?" asks the third CPA. "Ah!" says the businessman. "I want you for my CPA". I am starting a company and in the process to choose both a cpa and an accounting software. Over the weeks in this newsgroup, the most recommended software appears to be MYOB. I received a trial version and it fits my needs. But I do not find a local CPA knowing it One CPA recommend Peachtree, the other one says :"I would not recommend Peachtree. For you, I prefer Creative Solution …" Who could give me some advice in this important and difficult decision ?

Please note that the "Reply To" address has been modified. To reach me, use the one below. harold(at)isracom(dot)net(dot)il

Response:

QuickBooks and Peachtree appear to be the most widely used lower-cost accounting packages out there. Find a CPA who doesn’t get all excited about your using either of them. If you run into some CPAs who hate the software you’ve probably uncovered a computer illiterate firm who will not be able to help you much in the future. Regards, Wayne I am starting a company and in the process to choose both a cpa and an accounting software. Over the weeks in this newsgroup, the most recommended software appears to be MYOB. I received a trial version and it fits my needs. But I do not find a local CPA knowing it One CPA recommend Peachtree, the other one says :"I would not recommend Peachtree. For you, I prefer Creative Solution …" Who could give me some advice in this important and difficult decision ?

Schulz Consulting http://www.s-consult.com MAS 90 Consultants Since 1986 860-295-9271

Response:

Author: admin on
Category: Business Accounting
Tags: Business Accounting

Accounting Talk » Accounting Software » ATC: Year 2000 Bug

ATC: Year 2000 Bug

Question:

Yeah, just imagine. This is really not a good idea. What happens when the computer "hiccups" and issues a wrong instruction, or the controller hits the wrong button. Personally, I don’t think anything can replace the human in this industry. As a passenger on a plane, I don’t think I’d feel to comfortable knowing that an FAA computer is telling the aircraft computer where to go.

I saw a piece on the Discover Channel about automation in airliners. My favorite piece of footage was the one of the Airbus (I think it was an airbus) trying to use to totally automated system. It was in a landing flare but just kept mushing along in a flare, on and on and finally going past the runway into a forest of sorts and exploding. Somehow taking humans out of the equation, however imperfect we are, seems like a recipe for disaster. We can tell computers what to do and sometimes they can do it but a computer has no judgement. What I don’t understand is why the flight crew on that a/c didn’t override the computer and land the damn plane rather than flying into the trees and checking out. Maybe one of you remembers it more clearly that I do and can give a reason stated on the show. But I don’t like the idea of taking people out of the loop…pete — Surely you"re *smart* enough to remove the spam control…

Response:

Lets see. The Y2K problem means that the computers think it is 1900. I guess that means that when it turns over to 2000, the airplanes will disappear and the passengers had better have parachutes on.;-) Warren – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have heard rumors around that many airline and commercial flights will not be operating at 0000 hrs UTC 2000, due to the uncertainty that the changeover to the year 2000 will have on ATC and airborne computers. At first I scoffed at the thought of it and figured that it was just another rumor started by "Year 2000" goofballs. However, for computers that use Cobol programming language, it is a real problem. After thinking about it, I wondered if anyone in these newsgroups had heard any such concern about airline and commercial pax carrying flights not operating during that time period. Even if it is untrue, it is interesting to think about the possibilities for ATC Computer System foulups when the last two numbers go from "99" to "00". Are all airborne navigation and flight control computers "Year 2000 resistant"? In spite of what everyone thinks that they know about the subject, how many of us really know in the true sense of the word? There must be a unique opinion for each individual out there about what will happen. Anyone venture a guess? If there are any long running-threads on the subject that I missed, I apologize. Robert Reed ASPECT One Transportation News and Human Factors http://www.wcinet.net/~aspect

Response:

OTOH, in the case of an unclosed VFR flight plan, would they find you 99.9 years before you crashed?? (Just being silly, sorry…) — To e-mail me, replace "bird" with "mwrenn" – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – One example: IFR flight plans and route strips. What would they do if the computer decided that you arrived at your clearance limit 99.9 years before your EFC time?

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -I have heard rumors around that many airline and commercial flights will not be operating at 0000 hrs UTC 2000, due to the uncertainty that the changeover to the year 2000 will have on ATC and airborne computers. At first I scoffed at the thought of it and figured that it was just another rumor started by "Year 2000" goofballs. However, for computers that use Cobol programming language, it is a real problem. After thinking about it, I wondered if anyone in these newsgroups had heard any such concern about airline and commercial pax carrying flights not operating during that time period. Even if it is untrue, it is interesting to think about the possibilities for ATC Computer System foulups when the last two numbers go from "99" to "00". Are all airborne navigation and flight control computers "Year 2000 resistant"? In spite of what everyone thinks that they know about the subject, how many of us really know in the true sense of the word? There must be a unique opinion for each individual out there about what will happen. Anyone venture a guess? If there are any long running-threads on the subject that I missed, I apologize. Robert Reed

Nope, tha’s true. The computer should, and will mistake you for flying -99 years. Althoug I can’t see why it would care. I wouldn’t take any chances. Japan will be one of the first into the millenium, so we’ll see what happens over there. But the FAA shouldn’t be trying to fix the computers they have, they should buy friggin’ NEW ones! FACT: The FAA is THE largest user of Vacuum tube computers in the world! (Solar system, galaxy, universe, whatever you want to call it). To lighten the load on the controller, it would be kewl for a computer to recommend what to tell the aircraft to do! Or have it speak to the pilot with pre-recorded phrases! Just imagine.

Response:

over there. But the FAA shouldn’t be trying to fix the computers they have, they should buy friggin’ NEW ones! FACT: The FAA is THE largest user of Vacuum tube computers in the world! (Solar system, galaxy, universe, whatever you want to call it).

Unfortunately, your statement about the FAA being the largest user of vacuum tubes is correct. However, the plan is for new computers very soon. We at Albuquerque Center are slated to have the new equipment installed by the end of the year. We’ll probably start to receive training on it at year’s end or early next year. controller, it would be kewl for a computer to recommend what to tell the aircraft to do! Or have it speak to the pilot with pre-recorded phrases! Just imagine.

Response:

(snip) SPECULATION: – A "smart" airplane might even have a date clock, and switch databases itself.

Even the airplanes I know of with "date clocks" don’t switch the databases themselves, or change inflight. These aircraft require an initial position to be entered in order to align the Inertial Reference System. If you change the database, the aircraft must once again be told where it is, relative to this database. Unfortunately I know from experience that if you pushback, notice that the new database if required and switch to it, you will have to wait 10 minutes while the IRS re-aligns. I’m describing this only to state that changing databases is usually a crew function, not something automatically accomplished, and not accomplished inflight. I would be interested in hearing cases where that is not true. Well, if the aircraft has databases 991230 and 000127 available, and the year 2000 comes around, suddenly there is no database with a date greater than or equal to 000101. Oops, no database for the FMS to navigate by.

The FMS (again, the ones I am familar with) switch _between_ databases. You cannot "deselect" a database. You have either one or the other, but there are no situations where you can have neither. What I speculate above about aircraft — and it’s just that, speculation — may well be just as reasonable for ATC, further adding to the complexity of the problem. What is some parties switch database OK but others don’t? There is a risk that aircraft and controllers may not be refering to the same airspace databases.

I don’t think this would be a huge problem. How far do the airports really move in 30 days? It sounds more like a technicality to have an out of date database than the kind of crisis that would cause airlines not to fly on 1/1/2000. I’m sure there may be significant problems associated with the year 2000, but I doubt FMS databases will be one of the major problems. –Mark Rogers – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – To minimize the risk, I would suggest that airspace administrators keep airspace changes to the bare minimum around the turn of the millenium. Paulo Santos

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – HARD FACTS: – ATC computers know about the airspace database. – Aircraft FMS computers do too. – It is important that databases be in sync, so that ATC instructions are pilot actions match. – When a database changes, everyone changes at the same time. Even in flight, if needed. – The database changes every 28 days. – Database changes are scheduled for 30-Dec-1999 and 27-Jan-2000 at 0901Z. FACTS I HAVE OBSERVED ON SOME AIRCRAFT: – I don’t know about ATC, but aircraft FMSs typically have two databases available to load into the system: the current one, and either the one that just expired or the next one. – At 0901Z on the change date, pilots are supposed to switch the database.

All correct except one minor point. The aircraft do not change in flight. If they have departed prior to 0901Z, they continue on the old database until landing. Ron

Response:

I think everybody is missing a point. This would be an easy thing to test. Computers are exceedingly gullible, tell one it is 1/1/00 and see what happens. It may create no problems, and if it does you then address them. Some of the hype is really silly. Mr. Bernoulli will still be hard at work regardless of the date, so airplanes will not fall out of the sky. And, a personal gripe, the Y2K situation is not a "bug". It was created intentionally as a result of reasonable decisions made "at the time". The old 172 I used to have did not have a machmeter installed, but I did not consider that a flaw in the design! Bob McKellar — The List of Preserved US Military Aircraft http://www.coastcomp.com/av/pres/presusac.htm The Flightline http://www.coastcomp.com/av/fltline2/fltline2.htm

Response:

No, mostly programmers didn’t still use 2 digit years because "that’s the way they were taught", they used 2 digit years because the huge mound of data they were working on had two digit years and there was no way they could change that without massive redesign of the database, thousands of man hours of work, and millions of dollars of development and testing of every program that touches that database. I’ve been in organizations where we weren’t even sure how many programs touched particular databases because other offices within the organization had written their own programs to access those databases, and over the years those programs had become essential to the business operation. Breaking other people’s programs was not an option. That’s what we refer to as "legacy" code or databases, and "backwards compatibility". — "A little rudeness and disrespect can elevate a meaningless interaction into a battle of wills and add drama to an otherwise dull day." - Calvin discovers Usenet

Response:

I think everybody is missing a point. This would be an easy thing to test.

No it isn’t. You can’t start setting the dates on all the active computer systems – you would have to reproduce the entire network of computers used in the ATC system (or at least a few of each type), and test it with real and realistic data. That includes planes that take off in 1999 and land in 2000, etc. The design of reasonable and complete test cases is a BIG BUSINESS. really silly. Mr. Bernoulli will still be hard at work regardless of the date, so airplanes will not fall out of the sky.

Until they crash into each other, or run out of gas in the clouds because the ATC system is unable to give them a landing clearance or lost their IFR clearance, or they run into terrain because the navaids failed or the radar scope stops warning about descents below MVA. Read up about that crash in Guam. One of the contributing factors (not the cause, because any ifr pilot should be able fly a non-precision approach without radar help) was that a bug in the ATC software prevented it from issuing an automatic warning that the plane was below MVA. — "A little rudeness and disrespect can elevate a meaningless interaction into a battle of wills and add drama to an otherwise dull day." - Calvin discovers Usenet

Response:

In the back of my memory, IBM sold that division (Federal Systems Division (FSD)) many years ago to some other company.

About 4 years ago (IIRC). FSD was sold to Loral. Then Loral was sold to Lockheed Martin, so it has actually changed hands twice. — Dylan Smith 1810 Space Park Drive, Houston, TX 77573 Standard disclaimer applies.

Response:

: Mainframe…the replacements for the IBM9020e’s in the five high traffic : facilities simply use the previous code to a great extent…of course no : one at IBM is familiar with this code anymore…I heard they refused to : bid a maintainence contract because they couldn’t find anyone that could : work the code. In the back of my memory, IBM sold that division (Federal Systems Division (FSD)) many years ago to some other company. So, having sold the employees as well, it’s very understandable if they (IBM) has no one who is "up to speed" on that code. Regards, Dennis M. Maurer

Response:

Can anyone give me an example of where or when ATC computers would make a year reference, let alone a date reference (that would affect performance)? I just can’t imagine why any code that is handling real-time aircraft information would care what year it is… Marc S.

OK. From today’s New York Times, <http://www.nytimes.com/library/cyber/week/011398millennium.html Already, FAA teams have found, deep in the computer code, a monthly command that enables a computer to switch from one cooling pump to another; if it is not fixed, experts say, that routine could stop running, allowing the computers to overheat and fail if the pump breaks down. In fact, experts say, there could be many such land mines — buried in millions of lines of computer code — that could cause failures for days, weeks or months after the new year. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Response:

Warning. If you do what B&J suggest below, you may create some serious immediate problems on your PC, even worse on your big stuff. Many of our present OSs (WIN95 and NT), have a habit of changing some data in systems files that is date sensitive. And heaven help you if you open and close a data file. After testing your machine with a 00 year, when you reset the date to 98/01/13 and try to reboot or reopen the file, you may have problems. I would only recommend testing your systems if you do a complete backup just prior to the test and VALIDATE the integrity of the backup. Be able to boot from a floppy that will let you restore from your backup without using on board software. See the Y2K news group for some info from those a lot smarter than me. It’s at <comp.software.year-2000 -vic – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I think everybody is missing a point. This would be an easy thing to test. Computers are exceedingly gullible, tell one it is 1/1/00 and see what happens. It may create no problems, and if it does you then address them.

Response:

ASSUMPTION (needed to illustrate the year 2000 problem): – Let’s assume that database dates are stored in the form yymmdd RISK SCENARIO: A reasonable algorithm for database selection would be: "select the database with the highest date that is less than or equal to today’s date".

A reasonable algorithm would also assume that if there is no "next" database to continue using the one currently in use. As well, databases probably use a sequential serial number of some sort. –G — Gordon Dewis | WWW Virtual Library Geography Section is now at: BA Hons Geography | http://www.icomos.org/WWW_VL_Geography.html Carleton University |

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – [snip] Absolutely right Paul. I believe that the Y2K problem has 3 primary sources. One, of course, is the data storage space constraints in the early days of computing, that are manifested regardless of which computer language was used prior to maybe the mid 1970’s. Before that, most computers could not afford the storage space to retain unnecessary data. And the millenia was 25 or more years away, so it seemed that the 19xx was universally not needed. A second reason, is that newer derivative systems would have cost more, if the problem was corrected. Thus, things like the air traffic control systems carried over the problem to avoid or defer the cost of the fix, even when they upgraded to new computers. It is a problem of legacy. The final reason is, of course, lack of planning or foresight. As late as the 90’s, as you’ve indicated, people still sometimes don’t understand, even when they are in the field and should. Even today, people will sometimes create spreadsheets that do not account for the century. Just to correct the original poster a bit more. The problem is more likely to be manifested in the early Fortran programs than Cobol. The reason is that in the late 50’s thru the late 60’s, while Cobol was still reluctantly gaining favor, Fortran was "the" language of choice. Prior to the computer science degree programs, engineers and math majors constituted the majority of programmers, and they understood and liked Fortran better that Cobol, even when called upon to do an accounting program, for example. In about 1970, I had to make a change to a Cobol program, that had been written by a recent Fortran convert. You could barely tell it was Cobol. The instructions looked as much like Fortran, as the programmer was able to achieve. So Fortran was more widely used in the early days, at the very same time that data storage dictated stripping off the century digits. By the late 60’s and the 70’s, as Cobol became more prevalent, the only thing standing in the way of correcting the problem was the legacy factor and lack of foresight. Chuck

Well, rather than spend millions or billions of dollars, why doon’t we just start with year 0000 after 1999? My driver’s license has an expiration date of 00 on it. So it’s all set. I suppose some programs being used presently already have software to handle Y2K problem. It shouldn’t be too hard to bypass the code that fixes the date. Who needs all those extra digits anyway? — Al

Response:

Robert Reed wrote : – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -I have heard rumors around that many airline and commercial flights will not be operating at 0000 hrs UTC 2000, due to the uncertainty that the changeover to the year 2000 will have on ATC and airborne computers. At first I scoffed at the thought of it and figured that it was just another rumor started by "Year 2000" goofballs. However, for computers that use Cobol programming language, it is a real problem. After thinking about it, I wondered if anyone in these newsgroups had heard any such concern about airline and commercial pax carrying flights not operating during that time period. Even if it is untrue, it is interesting to think about the possibilities for ATC Computer System foulups when the last two numbers go from "99" to "00". Are all airborne navigation and flight control computers "Year 2000 resistant"? In spite of what everyone thinks that they know about the subject, how many of us really know in the true sense of the word? There must be a unique opinion for each individual out there about what will happen. Anyone venture a guess? If there are any long running-threads on the subject that I missed, I apologize.

As others pointed out, the problem is not Cobol, rather it is old programs that used the 2 digit year to save storage, or were written much later by programmers who still used the 2 digit year because that’s the way they were taught (I’ve seen examples of this in the last few years). My concern about the FAA is that they are still running large (size, not capacity) mainframes based on the old IBM/360 which was originally released in the mid-60s. A lot of the application code and operating system software is nearly as old. If the FAA does not go through every line of that code (assuming they still have the source code), there will be trouble in 2000. Just my $.02, John Galban=====N4BQ (PA28-180)

Response:

What about the celestial nav stuff? If the computer thought it was 1900 instead of 2000, couldn’t that affect where the computer thought it was? Warren – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Can anyone give me an example of where or when ATC computers would make a year reference, let alone a date reference (that would affect performance)? I just can’t imagine why any code that is handling real-time aircraft information would care what year it is… One example: IFR flight plans and route strips. What would they do if the computer decided that you arrived at your clearance limit 99.9 years before your EFC time? I can’t think of any problems that would last longer than the duration of a flight plan or a flight, but maybe somebody more familiar with ATC would? — "A little rudeness and disrespect can elevate a meaningless interaction into a battle of wills and add drama to an otherwise dull day." - Calvin discovers Usenet

Response:

My fertile imagination is going to help you I am going to present some facts and introduce a bit of speculation. HARD FACTS: – ATC computers know about the airspace database. – Aircraft FMS computers do too. – It is important that databases be in sync, so that ATC instructions are pilot actions match. – When a database changes, everyone changes at the same time. Even in flight, if needed. – The database changes every 28 days. – Database changes are scheduled for 30-Dec-1999 and 27-Jan-2000 at 0901Z. FACTS I HAVE OBSERVED ON SOME AIRCRAFT: – I don’t know about ATC, but aircraft FMSs typically have two databases available to load into the system: the current one, and either the one that just expired or the next one. – At 0901Z on the change date, pilots are supposed to switch the database. SPECULATION: – A "smart" airplane might even have a date clock, and switch databases itself. ASSUMPTION (needed to illustrate the year 2000 problem): – Let’s assume that database dates are stored in the form yymmdd RISK SCENARIO: A reasonable algorithm for database selection would be: "select the database with the highest date that is less than or equal to today’s date". Well, if the aircraft has databases 991230 and 000127 available, and the year 2000 comes around, suddenly there is no database with a date greater than or equal to 000101. Oops, no database for the FMS to navigate by. What I speculate above about aircraft — and it’s just that, speculation — may well be just as reasonable for ATC, further adding to the complexity of the problem. What is some parties switch database OK but others don’t? There is a risk that aircraft and controllers may not be refering to the same airspace databases. To minimize the risk, I would suggest that airspace administrators keep airspace changes to the bare minimum around the turn of the millenium. Paulo Santos

Response:

I have heard rumors around that many airline and commercial flights will not be operating at 0000 hrs UTC 2000, due to the uncertainty that the changeover to the year 2000 will have on ATC and airborne computers. At first I scoffed at the thought of it and figured that it was just another rumor started by "Year 2000" goofballs. However, for computers that use Cobol programming language, it is a real problem. After thinking about it, I wondered if anyone in these newsgroups had heard any such concern about airline and commercial pax carrying flights not operating during that time period. Even if it is untrue, it is interesting to think about the possibilities for ATC Computer System foulups when the last two numbers go from "99" to "00". Are all airborne navigation and flight control computers "Year 2000 resistant"? In spite of what everyone thinks that they know about the subject, how many of us really know in the true sense of the word? There must be a unique opinion for each individual out there about what will happen. Anyone venture a guess? If there are any long running-threads on the subject that I missed, I apologize. Robert Reed ASPECT One Transportation News and Human Factors http://www.wcinet.net/~aspect

Response:

another rumor started by "Year 2000" goofballs. However, for computers that use Cobol programming language, it is a real problem.

This is a HUGE misconception that the Y2K problem has anything to do with Cobol. It has to do with data storage, specifically the reliance upon storing dates as MMDDYY (or DDMMYY in more logical countries like Canada). Sure, back when storage space was at such an incredible premium that every byte counted like gold, most programs were written in Cobol, but it’s not Cobol’s fault. I was working on a system in 1985 that had been started in the 1960s in FORTRAN and it certainly had that problem. I’ve also seen systems written in the 90s in semi-modern languages like xBase that had the problem, believe it or not. I narrowly convinced my manager in 1994 to not write a system with a glaring Y2K problem! — "A little rudeness and disrespect can elevate a meaningless interaction into a battle of wills and add drama to an otherwise dull day." - Calvin discovers Usenet

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – another rumor started by "Year 2000" goofballs. However, for computers that use Cobol programming language, it is a real problem. This is a HUGE misconception that the Y2K problem has anything to do with Cobol. It has to do with data storage, specifically the reliance upon storing dates as MMDDYY (or DDMMYY in more logical countries like Canada). Sure, back when storage space was at such an incredible premium that every byte counted like gold, most programs were written in Cobol, but it’s not Cobol’s fault. I was working on a system in 1985 that had been started in the 1960s in FORTRAN and it certainly had that problem. I’ve also seen systems written in the 90s in semi-modern languages like xBase that had the problem, believe it or not. I narrowly convinced my manager in 1994 to not write a system with a glaring Y2K problem! — "A little rudeness and disrespect can elevate a meaningless interaction into a battle of wills and add drama to an otherwise dull day." - Calvin discovers Usenet

Absolutely right Paul. I believe that the Y2K problem has 3 primary sources. One, of course, is the data storage space constraints in the early days of computing, that are manifested regardless of which computer language was used prior to maybe the mid 1970’s. Before that, most computers could not afford the storage space to retain unnecessary data. And the millenia was 25 or more years away, so it seemed that the 19xx was universally not needed. A second reason, is that newer derivative systems would have cost more, if the problem was corrected. Thus, things like the air traffic control systems carried over the problem to avoid or defer the cost of the fix, even when they upgraded to new computers. It is a problem of legacy. The final reason is, of course, lack of planning or foresight. As late as the 90’s, as you’ve indicated, people still sometimes don’t understand, even when they are in the field and should. Even today, people will sometimes create spreadsheets that do not account for the century. Just to correct the original poster a bit more. The problem is more likely to be manifested in the early Fortran programs than Cobol. The reason is that in the late 50’s thru the late 60’s, while Cobol was still reluctantly gaining favor, Fortran was "the" language of choice. Prior to the computer science degree programs, engineers and math majors constituted the majority of programmers, and they understood and liked Fortran better that Cobol, even when called upon to do an accounting program, for example. In about 1970, I had to make a change to a Cobol program, that had been written by a recent Fortran convert. You could barely tell it was Cobol. The instructions looked as much like Fortran, as the programmer was able to achieve. So Fortran was more widely used in the early days, at the very same time that data storage dictated stripping off the century digits. By the late 60’s and the 70’s, as Cobol became more prevalent, the only thing standing in the way of correcting the problem was the legacy factor and lack of foresight. Chuck

Response:

One example: IFR flight plans and route strips. What would they do if the computer decided that you arrived at your clearance limit 99.9 years before your EFC time? I can’t think of any problems that would last longer than the duration of a flight plan or a flight, but maybe somebody more familiar with ATC would? — "A little rudeness and disrespect can elevate a meaningless interaction into a battle of wills and add drama to an otherwise dull day." - Calvin discovers Usenet

Response:

Since I was one of the "programmers" back in 1966, I was directly involved. The problem was cost. The cost of storage: short-term (core – now RAM), medium and long-term. My first commercial programs had to run in 4K – that is 4,096 bytes on the main-frame. We designed and wrote entire systems – not just single programs – to run on these machines. The first programs I saw (not wrote), used ONE digit for year – because nobody had been writing time-dependent programs in the fifties! Whenever we would point out that the year 2000 would be a disaster, we were told to concentrate on the technical stuff since the extra two digits cost money and money was a business problem – not ours. This continued right throughout the 1980’s. In the 1990’s, costs came down enough that SOME systems used 4 digits for year. 1) It is not a COBOL problem. It is an original design problem in how the dates were stored. 2) Be very careful when someone says they are year 2000 "compliant". What does "compliant" really mean? Sometimes it means the system uses 2 digit years but tries to solve the problem in the programs by assuming something – such as the year 00 is the year 2000, but the year 10 is 1910. Also, on old systems, what does "compliant" mean? Every single line of code and every single storage location must have been checked and tested. Was it? This is very doubtful because the same type of business mind set the budgets for determining compliance. How do you test if everything works in the year 2000 and 2001? It is very expensive. And, finally, really old systems may not have source code. These systems must be completely redone – not just reprogrammed, but redesigned – from scratch. So, I hope somebody is being careful. Dan

Response:

Author: admin on
Category: Accounting Software
Tags: Accounting Software

Accounting Talk » Finance Accounting » New AA service BHX-ORD

New AA service BHX-ORD

Question:

I don’t know much about this, but whilst travelling back to York today, I saw a couple of billboards advertising a new service stating 28th May from BHX to ORD on AA. I think this is a good move by AA as BHX is very well connected to the rest of the UK by road and rail. In fact there was an article on London’s other airports (i.e not LHR or LGW) in one of the national papers this weekend which said that BHX was easily the best alternative airport for Londoners who felt that LHR and LGW were too difficult to get to. Eric, can we have MAN-RDU next please:-) — "Er maint y soniant am dy hedd, A’th felys orffwys yn dy bryd, ‘Rwyt heddiw’n ddychryn imi, fedd, Yn ddychryn ac yn ddagrau i gyd" Y Bedd R. Williams Parry

Response:

("Iain D. Bowen") writes:

[munch...] Eric, can we have MAN-RDU next please:-)

Tough luck, I’m afraid. American Airlines has basically withdrawn entirely from RDU and the chances of American starting the aforementioned service will be highly unlikely. Niraj — University of Massachusetts-Lowell — Accounting/Finance — Class of ‘96

Response:

Author: admin on
Category: Finance Accounting
Tags: Finance Accounting

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