Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.3 4.3bsd-beta 6/6/85; site ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU Path: utzoo!decvax!ittatc!dcdwest!sdcsvax!ucbvax!RICE.EDU!david From: david@RICE.EDU (David Callahan) Newsgroups: mod.legal Subject: Re: Tax preparing software Message-ID: <8606200409.AA25631@dione.rice.edu> Date: Fri, 20-Jun-86 00:09:28 EDT Article-I.D.: dione.8606200409.AA25631 Posted: Fri Jun 20 00:09:28 1986 Date-Received: Sat, 21-Jun-86 01:29:31 EDT References: <8606180330.AA03527@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU> Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU Reply-To: David Callahan Organization: Rice University, Houston, Texas Lines: 21 Approved: info-law@brl.arpa In article <8606180330.AA03527@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU> abc@BRL.ARPA (Brint Cooper) writes: > >I wonder why a computer program is any different from a published book >in this regard. (I certainly hope that the lawyers don't distort the >logic of this question.) If a book gives bad advice, is the author >liable for damages? Can the IRS come after a book that gives bad or >illegal advice? Probably not. > >Why the program and not the book? Why is not the taxpayer liable for >his own return? > To cast a different light on this question, if an engineer designs a plane based on a formula in a book and the plane crashes because the formula is incorrect, who is at fault? What if the formula is embedded inside a program, is it now the engineer, who after all is an expert in the field, or the programmer (who is not)? Perhaps people who by software should demand guarantees rather then accepting liability restricting license agreements. david