On 2025-08-15, Paul Scott <waterhorsemusic@aol.com> wrote:

Technology can be configured in a large number of ways.

-dsr-

Some web sites I want to continue visiting as I do now. Amazon.com for
example.ÿ There is at least one other site I sometimes want to visit
but am blocked because of my location.ÿ It is my understanding that
using a VPN to access this site allows my location and IP address to
be changed so I wouldn't be blocked.

I went to the IRS Free File page for this year (I'm very late to this party, but
whatever) and one of the sites is inaccessible from here (France).

Browser times out; pings never reach it. Oh well. I don't feel like
paying for a proxy or VPN in order to access a free opportunity. If you
see what I mean.

Best regards,
Fred

I have found that changing my VPN to a new location allows some web
sites that weren't allowed at the previous location.

Paul

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.5
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On Sunday, January 25, 2026 12:37:15 PM Bigsy Bohr wrote:

I went to the IRS Free File page for this year (I'm very late to this
party, but whatever) and one of the sites is inaccessible from here
(France).

Two things to be aware of:
* I'm not clear on the details, but the capabilities or availability of the "real" free tax app is being restricted since Trump took office (and last year,
iiuc (I didn't use it) it was restricted to 5 or so specific states). So, even if it was still available, you might not be able to use it if your residence is France. (By "real" I mean the one that the IRS started to roll out under Biden and is, afaik, not associated with any commercial tax preparer.)
* The other free filing apps, listed on an IRS page, lead you to commercial tax preparers (e.g., HR Block) which start out free for very simple returns, but quickly become paid services (require payment) with very little complication. I had in the past tried some of those, both for myself and a friend with very little complication -- her (and my) return quickly required payment so I reverted to doing my (and her) taxes by hand.

Browser times out; pings never reach it. Oh well. I don't feel like
paying for a proxy or VPN in order to access a free opportunity. If you
see what I mean.

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.5
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On Sun, 25 Jan 2026 15:01:26 -0500
rhkramer@gmail.com wrote:

* The other free filing apps, listed on an IRS page, lead you to commercial tax preparers (e.g., HR Block) which start out free for
very simple returns, but quickly become paid services (require
payment) with very little complication. I had in the past tried some
of those, both for myself and a friend with very little complication
-- her (and my) return quickly required payment so I reverted to
doing my (and her) taxes by hand.

You might try https://opentaxsolver.sourceforge.net. I haven't used it
so can't comment on it.

--
Does anybody read signatures any more?

https://charlescurley.com
https://charlescurley.com/blog/

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.5
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 2026-01-25, rhkramer@gmail.com <rhkramer@gmail.com> wrote:

On Sunday, January 25, 2026 12:37:15 PM Bigsy Bohr wrote:

I went to the IRS Free File page for this year (I'm very late to this
party, but whatever) and one of the sites is inaccessible from here
(France).

Two things to be aware of:

* I'm not clear on the details, but the capabilities or availability of the
"real" free tax app is being restricted since Trump took office (and last year,
iiuc (I didn't use it) it was restricted to 5 or so specific states). So, even if it was still available, you might not be able to use it if your residence is France. (By "real" I mean the one that the Irs STARTED TO ROLL out under Biden and is, afaik, not associated with any commercial tax preparer.)

The one the IRS started to roll out under Biden has been discontinued.

I don't care about states; I don't live in any and have no tax liability
in any. Free File Fillable Forms is available for those who are ready to
do there taxes "by hand" (if you wish to e-file, which I do, because I'm
not mailing stuff in from here). But Free File Fillable Forms is currently unreachable from France. As far as open tax solver goes, they are
not ready yet (no 2025 software) and fail to mention which forms they
support, which is an enormous *lacune* and bummer, because people don't want
to download, untar, and install some foreign software only to discover
it does not support the arcane and tedious IRS forms with which we
expatriates are sadly too familiar.

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.6
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)