MESSAGE
| DATE | 2003-03-04 |
| FROM | From: "Joseph A. Maffia"
|
| SUBJECT | Subject: [hangout] Re: Accounting Technology Article
|
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Date: Tue, 04 Mar 2003 19:18:30 -0500
To: "Lombardo, Carly"
From: "Joseph A. Maffia"
Subject: [hangout] Re: Accounting Technology Article
Cc: dcr-at-rm-cpa.com
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Carly,
Thank you for your interest in free software - See my responses below. I am
available on Thursday, Monday or Tuesday.
Thanks,
Joe
At 03:06 PM 03/04/2003 -0600, you wrote:
>Dear Mr. Maffia:
>
>In an email to Bob Scott in January, you wrote, "It is time your magazine
>covers the free software market." So it is. We'd like to do a profile of
>Rosenzweig & Maffia for our Accounting Technologist feature. Here's what I
>would want to cover:
>
>1) Some background: still 2 partnes with 12 employees in one office?
>Approximate revenues.
>
>Yes, two partners - David Rosenzweig & myself. We have 11 employees in one
>NYC office. 1.1 million in revenues.
We also own a separate company that audits publishers on behalf of authors.
I believe it is the only company in the country that exclusively handles
book publishing and has collected over 7 million in royalty recoveries for
our clients. (www.royaltyreviewllc.com)
>2) How did you get involved with the Free Software development community?
>What exactly is it? (Is it essentially the same as Linux?) And in general
>terms, how can it help accounting firms and their clients? (You indicate
>it's more than just a matter of free or inexpensive software.)
> I was giving a speech to a NYSSCPA committee, which was chaired by my
> partner, concerning "the firm of the future" and my section was on
> technology. At the time we had an old novell network on pentium boxes and
> was receiving bids from several Microsoft consultants. My speech covered
> linux and from my research and preparation - I was hooked. What really
> grabbed me was that I would save $25,000 in Microsoft software license
> costs. So I switched to linux at home first and then decided to make the
> switch at work. I then searched for a computer consultant and found
> Brooklyn Linux Solutions and met Ruben Safir. Ruben Safir is the founder
> of a great little non-profit company called NYLXS, Inc. - which promotes
> the use of free software in New York. I am now the treasurer of NYLXS,
> Inc. Check out their website for more info www.nylxs.com.
Eventually Free Software will replace computers running Microsoft Office.
Imagine the admin staff running programs just as good as Office. i.e.
OpenOffice - No annual Microsoft License fees, no restrictions on copying
the software around the office. Free Software will help accounting firms
lower the cost of operations because; 1) Linux is a far more stable
operating system then windows. 2) It allows you to maximize your hardware
investment. For example we took an old Pentium 166 box, slapped in a new
hard drive, installed linux - and now it operates as our mail server and
web server - all on free Software.
>As you know Unix is one of the most popular operating systems worldwide.
>Linux is essentially a PC version of Unix. Linux was released for free on
>the internet by Linus Torvalds. This spawned one of the largest
>software-development phenomena of all time. Free software has nothing to
>do with price - but with freedom of use. Freedom to download, change,
>share, etc. Like Windows, Linux is covered by a license. Windows software
>comes with a license which restricts the use and copying of software.
>Linux has a GNU general public license (GPL) which gives users the freedom
>to copy, modify and distribute the software and requires that you
>distribute it with the same GPL.
>
>3) I'm no tekkie. You mention the combination of FreeSWan and AT&T Virtual
>Network Computing is "a godsend." How so?
Truthfully, I am no tekkie either. I am a CPA and a tekkie wannabe.
>FreeSwan allows you to use the public network (internet) as if it is your
>own private network. It is called Virtual Private Network (VPN). Virtual
>Network Computing (VNC) is software that allows me to control my desktop
>from my home. Essentially, I can work from home and do everything that as
>if I was in the office. I can prep tax returns, enter my time and review
>engagements. Both of these software solutions were downloaded for
>free. Make no mistake the learning curve is steep to learn free software
>but you gain greater control of your computer. Not everyone in the firm
>needs to know how to fix things under the hood, most people can pick up
>driving it very quickly.
>4) Tell me about your involvement with SQL-Ledger.
SQL-Ledger is an accounting program written in free software. We use it
exclusively for to keep the books and records of NYLXS, Inc. You can
access it via a web browser much like Netledger - unlimited number of users
can access the program. What is great about the free software movement - is
that hundreds of developers are constantly making improvements and
upgrading the software. We are exploring using it for other clients of the
firm.
>5) Your practice has "an emphasis in the entertainment industry and the
>arts." What are their specialized accounting requirements? Do they need
>specialized software (such as Datamation in L.A. provides)?
>We use quickbooks for business management clients and gosystem audit for
>our attest and writeup engagements. We also use ppc engagement manager.
Truthfully, hand holding and close personal service is the biggest
specialized accounting requirement for the entertainment industry.
Theatrical accounting has some unique accounting requirements - and we have
been able to adapt Gosystem audit.
>6) Any boxing anecdotes? Far too many in fact for this email.
>
>7) You're a BDO Seidman affiliate. Why did you join? How's it working out?
> As our clients grew, we needed access to larger resources - and BDO
> provides just that. Having access to their worldwide resources is a major
> plus. No job is now too big for us. They offer a smorgisborg of services
> - from CPE to preferred pricing on vendors and access to experts in
> various fields. We have been a member for less than one year and we
> sometimes feel they maybe too large for our clients - but the jury is
> still out.
>
>I will also need a photo of you to include with the article. Our photo
>requirements are at least 300 DPI, 3 by 3 inches, and capable of being
>read by a Mac. I would love to do the interview in person the rest of this
>week and Monday and Tuesday of next week would be great. Please let me
>know what would work for you. I look forward to hearing from you.
I hope my photo doesn't negatively affect circulation.
>Sincerely,
>
>Carly Lombardo
>
>Accounting Technology
>Associate Editor
>
>212-337-8430
Mr. Joseph A. Maffia, CPA
Rosenzweig & Maffia LLP
845 Third Ave. #1300
New York, NY 10022
212-980-2470 x16
212-980-2177 fax
www.rm-cpa.com
E-MAIL NOTICE
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the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and/or privileged
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--=====================_1557394354==.ALT
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Carly,
Thank you for your interest in free software - See my responses below. I
am available on Thursday, Monday or Tuesday.
Thanks,
Joe
At 03:06 PM 03/04/2003 -0600, you wrote:
Dear Mr. Maffia:
In an email to Bob Scott in January, you wrote, "It is time your
magazine covers the free software market." So it is. We'd like to do
a profile of Rosenzweig & Maffia for our Accounting Technologist
feature. Here's what I would want to cover:
1) Some background: still 2 partnes with 12 employees in one office?
Approximate revenues.
Yes, two partners - David
Rosenzweig & myself. We have 11 employees in one NYC office. 1.1
million in revenues.
We also own a separate company that audits publishers on behalf of
authors. I believe it is the only company in the country that exclusively
handles book publishing and has collected over 7 million in royalty
recoveries for our clients.
(www.royaltyreviewllc.com)
2) How did you get involved with
the Free Software development community? What exactly is it? (Is it
essentially the same as Linux?) And in general terms, how can it help
accounting firms and their clients? (You indicate it's more than just a
matter of free or inexpensive software.)
I was giving a speech to a
NYSSCPA committee, which was chaired by my partner, concerning
"the firm of the future" and my section was on technology. At
the time we had an old novell network on pentium boxes and was receiving
bids from several Microsoft consultants. My speech covered linux and from
my research and preparation - I was hooked. What really grabbed me
was that I would save $25,000 in Microsoft software license costs. So I
switched to linux at home first and then decided to make the switch at
work. I then searched for a computer consultant and found Brooklyn Linux
Solutions and met Ruben Safir. Ruben Safir is the founder of a great
little non-profit company called NYLXS, Inc. - which promotes the use of
free software in New York. I am now the treasurer of NYLXS, Inc. Check
out their website for more info
www.nylxs.com.
Eventually Free Software will replace computers running Microsoft Office.
Imagine the admin staff running programs just as good as Office. i.e.
OpenOffice - No annual Microsoft License fees, no restrictions on copying
the software around the office. Free Software will help accounting
firms lower the cost of operations because; 1) Linux is a far more stable
operating system then windows. 2) It allows you to maximize your hardware
investment. For example we took an old Pentium 166 box, slapped in a new
hard drive, installed linux - and now it operates as our mail server and
web server - all on free Software.
As you know Unix is one of the most
popular operating systems worldwide. Linux is essentially a PC version of
Unix. Linux was released for free on the internet by Linus
Torvalds. This spawned one of the largest software-development phenomena
of all time. Free software has nothing to do with price - but with
freedom of use. Freedom to download, change, share, etc. Like
Windows, Linux is covered by a license. Windows software comes with a
license which restricts the use and copying of software. Linux has a GNU
general public license (GPL) which gives users the freedom to copy,
modify and distribute the software and requires that you distribute it
with the same GPL.
3) I'm no tekkie. You mention the combination of FreeSWan and AT&T
Virtual Network Computing is "a godsend." How so?
Truthfully, I am no tekkie either. I am a CPA and a tekkie wannabe.
FreeSwan allows you to use the
public network (internet) as if it is your own private network. It
is called Virtual Private Network (VPN). Virtual Network Computing (VNC)
is software that allows me to control my desktop from my home.
Essentially, I can work from home and do everything that as if I was in
the office. I can prep tax returns, enter my time and review engagements.
Both of these software solutions were downloaded for free. Make no
mistake the learning curve is steep to learn free software but you gain
greater control of your computer. Not everyone in the firm needs to know
how to fix things under the hood, most people can pick up driving it very
quickly.
4) Tell me about your involvement
with SQL-Ledger.
SQL-Ledger is an accounting program written in free software. We use it
exclusively for to keep the books and records of NYLXS, Inc. You
can access it via a web browser much like Netledger - unlimited number of
users can access the program. What is great about the free software
movement - is that hundreds of developers are constantly making
improvements and upgrading the software. We are exploring using it for
other clients of the firm.
5) Your practice has "an
emphasis in the entertainment industry and the arts." What are their
specialized accounting requirements? Do they need specialized software
(such as Datamation in L.A. provides)?
We use quickbooks for business
management clients and gosystem audit for our attest and writeup
engagements. We also use ppc engagement manager.
Truthfully, hand holding and close personal service is the biggest
specialized accounting requirement for the entertainment industry.
Theatrical accounting has some unique accounting requirements - and we
have been able to adapt Gosystem audit.
6) Any boxing anecdotes? Far too
many in fact for this email.
7) You're a BDO Seidman affiliate. Why did you join? How's it working
out?
As our clients grew, we
needed access to larger resources - and BDO provides just that. Having
access to their worldwide resources is a major plus. No job is now too
big for us. They offer a smorgisborg of services - from CPE to preferred
pricing on vendors and access to experts in various fields. We have been
a member for less than one year and we sometimes feel they maybe too
large for our clients - but the jury is still out.
I will also need a photo of you to include with the article. Our photo
requirements are at least 300 DPI, 3 by 3 inches, and capable of being
read by a Mac. I would love to do the interview in person the rest of
this week and Monday and Tuesday of next week would be great. Please let
me know what would work for you. I look forward to hearing from you.
I hope my photo doesn't negatively affect circulation.
Sincerely,
Carly Lombardo
Accounting Technology
Associate Editor
212-337-8430
Mr. Joseph A. Maffia, CPA
Rosenzweig & Maffia LLP
845 Third Ave. #1300
New York, NY 10022
212-980-2470 x16
212-980-2177 fax
www.rm-cpa.com
E-MAIL NOTICE
This e-mail message, including any attachment(s), is for the sole use of
the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and/or privileged
information. Any review, use, disclosure or distribution by persons or
entities other than the intended recipient(s) is strictly prohibited. If
you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply
and destroy all copies of the original message. Thank you for your
cooperation in this matter.
--=====================_1557394354==.ALT--
____________________________
NYLXS: New Yorker Free Software Users Scene
Fair Use -
because it's either fair use or useless....
NYLXS is a trademark of NYLXS, Inc
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