[vox-tech] Win98 Dilemma

[Jeff Newmiller]

Rod Roark wrote:
> On Sunday 17 December 2006 00:04, Alex Mandel wrote:
> ...
> 
>>One alternative is to run win98 in a vmware virtual machine when you
>>need to and you can run the internet connection through your linux side
>>with a nice firewall/filters to keep you safe. And if you do hose it
>>with a virus you can just restore it with a image save.
> 
> Good suggestion.  About the only Windows programs I ever use these
> days are TaxCut, and IE for testing web apps that I develop.  For
> these the free VMware Player does the job nicely.

I can't endorse giving a non-patched version of Windows access to the
internet, even for short periods of time.  Although a hardware firewall
can protect against some of the more egregious weaknesses, there are just
too many ways for a browser to suck trojans in, and then your network
is effectively exposed.

I think that if you need proprietary software... pay the owner on their
terms.  If you can't accept those terms, you know what to do.

> Sure would be nice to find some good open source tax software.

Seems like a nice idea, but it has to be updated every single year, in
a timely manner, and it has to be accurate, before people start
using it. I don't object to paying for an online service for this.


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