The IRS has a special computer just to handle Bill Gates.

techs

Lifer
Sep 26, 2000
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http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/02/01/gates_irs_server/
The US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has a dedicated server for handling calculations related to Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates's massive cash horde. At least, that's what chairman Bill is telling the Portuguese.

"My tax return in the United States has to be kept on a special computer because their normal computers can't deal with the numbers," Gates told a Microsoft conference in Lisbon, according to a report from Agence France-Presse. "So I am constantly getting these notices telling me I haven't paid something when really it is just on the wrong computer. Then they will send me another notice telling me how bad they feel that they sent me a notice that was a mistake."

There's something comforting about the thought of Gates needing to endure the IRS's equivalent of "patch Tuesday" with his taxes.

The idea, however, of a server not being able to handle figures in the billions seems a tad off (insert Windows joke here).

The IRS declined to comment on how many or what type of computers are used to handle Gates's taxes. It also dodged our question on what type of system is typically used to crunch returns


Could it be...an Apple?
 

techs

Lifer
Sep 26, 2000
28,559
4
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Originally posted by: 3chordcharlie
It's not just Gates on that system...

It's anyone who makes more than $640k.
Heck, $640k should be enough for anyone.

 

Thump553

Lifer
Jun 2, 2000
12,839
2,625
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Originally posted by: techs
Originally posted by: 3chordcharlie
It's not just Gates on that system...

It's anyone who makes more than $640k.
Heck, $640k should be enough for anyone.

Best joke I've seen in a while. Congrats.
 

zephyrprime

Diamond Member
Feb 18, 2001
7,512
2
81
Originally posted by: Rommels
According to Forbes the IRS is still using a system it's been using since the 1960's developed by IBM.
Why does this not surprise me? More government efficiency.

 

charrison

Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
17,033
1
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Originally posted by: zephyrprime
Originally posted by: Rommels
According to Forbes the IRS is still using a system it's been using since the 1960's developed by IBM.
Why does this not surprise me? More government efficiency.



Several billion have spent on modernation projects over the past 15 years or so. The first 2 or 3 attempts failed. The current attempt can finaly process the 1040 ez form. GOtta love goverment.
 

marvdmartian

Diamond Member
Apr 12, 2002
5,444
27
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Originally posted by: chowderhead
I am pretty the computer is running on Linux :)

Yeah, but irony would dictate that it run on Windows......and every time you reboot after a BSOD, it spits out that they need to audit Bill!! :laugh:

 

Titan

Golden Member
Oct 15, 1999
1,819
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In the 32-bit world, an Intenger can only count to 2^31, becaue one bit is used for the minus sign. An unsinged one cn hold a little over 4 billion. ANything bigger than that and you need better software or 64 bit hardware.

It's strange because a 32 bit app should still be able to use 64 bit data, which should be more than enough (4 billion squared). So either there's some other reason or IRS software is as scary as they get. Maybe it wasw written in the 16-bit days where the longest you could go was 32 bits. I dunno.
 

bdude

Golden Member
Feb 9, 2004
1,645
0
76
Originally posted by: techs
Originally posted by: 3chordcharlie
It's not just Gates on that system...

It's anyone who makes more than $640k.
Heck, $640k should be enough for anyone.

It's been a while since i've lol'd
 

judasmachine

Diamond Member
Sep 15, 2002
8,515
3
81
Originally posted by: Thump553
Originally posted by: techs
Originally posted by: 3chordcharlie
It's not just Gates on that system...

It's anyone who makes more than $640k.
Heck, $640k should be enough for anyone.

Best joke I've seen in a while. Congrats.

What in this world can you not have on a salary of 640k?

 

Rainsford

Lifer
Apr 25, 2001
17,515
0
0
Originally posted by: Titan
In the 32-bit world, an Intenger can only count to 2^31, becaue one bit is used for the minus sign. An unsinged one cn hold a little over 4 billion. ANything bigger than that and you need better software or 64 bit hardware.

It's strange because a 32 bit app should still be able to use 64 bit data, which should be more than enough (4 billion squared). So either there's some other reason or IRS software is as scary as they get. Maybe it wasw written in the 16-bit days where the longest you could go was 32 bits. I dunno.

That would indeed be scary as hell. My first C++ class in college had an assignment to write a library that dealt with "big integers", in my case I went with 128 bit integers. The vast majority of the normal operations worked with my numbers, and I spent about a week on it. If the IRS can't come up with a solution to the 32-bit limit, I propose we need some people who aren't complete morons.
 

Gigantopithecus

Diamond Member
Dec 14, 2004
7,664
0
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Originally posted by: RedBeard
Originally posted by: techs
Originally posted by: 3chordcharlie
It's not just Gates on that system...

It's anyone who makes more than $640k.
Heck, $640k should be enough for anyone.


That was completely awesome :laugh:

Yeah, fantastic, thanks for the laugh!



Originally posted by: judasmachine
What in this world can you not have on a salary of 640k?

A little more!
 

3chordcharlie

Diamond Member
Mar 30, 2004
9,859
1
81
Originally posted by: techs
Originally posted by: 3chordcharlie
It's not just Gates on that system...

It's anyone who makes more than $640k.
Heck, $640k should be enough for anyone.

forgot to check this one out again... glad to see someone had my back!
 

athithi

Golden Member
Mar 5, 2002
1,717
0
0
Originally posted by: techs
Originally posted by: 3chordcharlie
It's not just Gates on that system...

It's anyone who makes more than $640k.
Heck, $640k should be enough for anyone.


:thumbsup: :laugh: :laugh:

Wasn't that supposed to be a myth, though? I read somewhere that he didn't really say it (or that it was taken out of context from the way he originally said it) :)
 

deftron

Lifer
Nov 17, 2000
10,868
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That;s like saying Baskin Robbins has a special
ice cream dipper to handle Star Jones (a snow shovel)



no brainer man