[plug] Re: Upcoming changes to the ECI

[Alex Polglaze]

Onno Benschop wrote:

> Yesterday they sent this back:



> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> Subject:
> Re: Your Inquiry to the ESD Technical Support Centre
> From:
> "ATO ECI Helpdesk" <ato.ecihelpdesk at mbc.telstra.com>
> Date:
> Wed, 24 Mar 2004 21:00:39 +1100
> To:
> <onno at itmaze.com.au>
> 
> 
> Dear Onno, 
> 	
> Thank you for contacting the ATO Technical Helpdesk with your enquiry. Your request has been registered, and has been assigned the job number 01AC113348. Please quote this number in all future contacts with the ATO Technical Helpdesk on this issue. 
> 	
> The ECI was originally released as a Practice Facility for Microsoft Windows operating systems in February 2000 and subsequently went into production 	in June 2000.  This catered for the vast majority of clients who had indicated they wished to deal electronically with the ATO over the Internet.  For clients with different operating systems (specifically Apple Macintosh and Unix/Linux), we indicated that additional versions of the ECI to cater for such systems were under development but not currently available. 
> 	
> After many businesses demonstrated a significant demand for a Macintosh version of the ECI, a compatible version was released in August 2000. 
> 	
> However, due to the very low demand for the ECI software for Unix and Linux operating systems no versions have been released. For such a small potential user population, the ATO considered the costs associated with developing, maintaining, updating and providing User Support for a Unix/Linux version of the ECI, could not be justified. 
> 	
> The ATO is continually monitoring demand for the ECI software. If the demand for a Unix/Linux compatible version increases significantly, the ATO will review its decision. 
> 	
> To register your request please reply to this e-mail, quoting the job number as stated above, and include details of your operating system. We will collate this information for evaluation, and base a decision about any future releases of the ECI software.   
> 	

This is my reply to the ATO in support of Onno's request.

Alex Polglaze


In reference to the above job no. I would like to add my vote for a Linux version.

We are currently using Windows to use this software and not by choice. As soon 
as a Linux version is available, we will move to this platform.

We are one of the 400 odd businesses chosen to try out the new portal.


Alex Polglaze
The Book-Keeping Network