IRS "accessibility"

[Ralph W. Reid]

As others have mentioned, these 'exe' files are a form of 'zip' file
with a bit of executable code added so they will automatically unzip
themselves when dumped upon a Windows system.  Downloading such files
with your favorite browser and applying 'unzip' to them will produce
the files from the archive.

As for the reference to the IRS using Linux, the IRS employment
programs which have been set up for blind and visual impaired at
www.lwsb.org are apparently still using Windows-based systems.  I
wonder whether the person you spoke with from the IRS was yanking your
chain or was confused--or maybe the IRS is working on upgrading to
Linux...

Anyway, downloading the files in question, and then running them
through 'unzip' produces most of their innards (apparently not a
subdirectory/folder as they might when executing in Windows).

HTH, and have a great year.


On Fri, Dec 29, 2006 at 03:28:58PM -0500, Karen Lewellen wrote:
> Hi,
> By the way much thanks for your terrific answer to my question.  I am not 
> a braille user, but your map gave me a good sense of how you manage 
> things.
> As for your question below, as far as I know while Linux users should be 
> able to access those files, they cannot.  The winzip archive is or was 
> rigged to look for something specifically in windows.  I complained to 
> someone in the access office of the IRS, clearly they did not fix the 
> problem.Funny too since he told me that they too used Linux.
> If others confirm this I can put you in touch with the contact I had in 
> this office.  Perhaps more than one voice will show them that the problem 
> needs repair.
> Karen
> 
> 
> 
> On Fri, 29 Dec 2006, Cheryl Homiak wrote:
> 
> >
> > the Irs is now providing "accessible" braille and text files, not to be
> > submitted but for
> > reference only. but look how they've done it? a winzip file with .txt and
> > .brf files contained in it and a .exe extension.
> > Apparently they can be opened on the mac using stuffit expander, revealing
> > the directory with the files. but I'm wondering: can linux users access
> > them? at any rate, it seems to me it wouldn't have been hard to do a truly
> > accessible downloadable file format.
> >
> > the relevant url from the message I saw on another list is below my
> > signature.
> >
> > -- 
> > Cheryl
> >
> > "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."
> >
> > http://www.irs.gov/formspubs/article/0,,id=131773,00.html
> >
> >

-- 
Ralph.  N6BNO.  Wisdom comes from central processing, not from I/O.
rreid at sunset.net  http://personalweb.sunset.net/~rreid
...passing through The City of Internet at the speed of light!
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