The IRS sent a surprise bill to Microsoft, hitting the company with a $28.9 billion bill for back taxes and penalties spanning a decade, starting in 2003.

Microsoft owes $29 billion in back taxes plus penalties and interest to IRS::The IRS sent a surprise bill to Microsoft, hitting the company with a $28.9 billion bill for back taxes and penalties spanning a decade, starting in 2003.

    • clanginator@lemmy.worldEnglish
      82·
      9 months ago

      Problem is, there’s a lot of really specialized, critical software, that is provided by vendors and throws an absolute fit with any change. You could maybe run Windows in a VM, but it may not work with the specialized hardware and networking gear being used, and now you’re spending a bunch of extra time and money setting up a vm if windows inside Linux, which means you also have to train everyone on how to use the VM, adds another management/security issue, and adds another point of failure.

      If they ever switch (the entire govt should, it would be so awesome to see the govt resources put into Linux development instead of M$ pockets) it’d have to be a very gradual process, and windows would still be around decades from now for legacy systems. (If the US hasn’t imploded in civil war or the planet melted by then 🫠)

      • mosiacmango@lemm.eeEnglish
        7·
        9 months ago

        I mean, the military literally has the guns. Microsoft will support them or it will be nationalized and then support them.

        Not exactly a position Microsoft has much actual leverage in.

        • clanginator@lemmy.worldEnglish
          2·
          9 months ago

          Would love to see the military force MS to contribute to WINE development until all govt apps work on Linux.

          • mosiacmango@lemm.eeEnglish
            1·
            9 months ago

            I think its more likely that the dept in Microsoft and all auxiliary depts that maintain the military’s systems would be forcibly drafted and any resources they need seized enmass and with no regard for what is destroyed in the process.

            Fort lewis is near Microsoft headquaters, and they have lots of big flying things, boom boom shooty things, and even more boots on ground.

            I doubt it would help Linux much, but it would be an interesting day in Redmond for sure.

      • uis@lemmy.worldEnglish
        1·
        9 months ago

        Well, they can put Linux requirement to goverment contracts right now.