[May 13, 2013] Tulsa World, Okla., Robert Evatt column Tweet May 12, 2013 (Tulsa World - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Looks like the free ride may be over. Or, to be more specific, the slightly less expensive ride. A bill that would give states power to require Internet retailers to collect sales taxes on all online purchases has passed the U.S. Senate and has a good shot at passing the House. That means your next box from Amazon will set you back 8 or so percent more. Paying more for the same things is never fun. And it takes away one of the more exciting things about the rise of the Internet. I remember the small rush I got nearly two decades ago when I discovered my online book order didn't include sales taxes. It almost felt like I was the lucky recipient of a random glitch. But the Internet has been forced to grow up. Web companies have to figure out how to make money on a level playing field with brick-and-mortar retailers. The sales tax issue is part of the maturing process. It's inevitable and the right thing to do. There are many differences between Amazon and Wal-Mart, but at their most basic level, the two businesses are the same -- people give them money, and in return they hand over stuff. Why should one of these businesses be required to charge sales tax while the other isn't Online purchases shouldn't be a way for consumers to avoid taxes that, in some states, they owe anyway. On the Oklahoma tax return, there's a line directing us to jot down the amount of tax we should have paid on things we bought online in the previous year. But according to Paula Ross at the Oklahoma Tax Commission, relatively few people do that. Only 63,000 filings listed Internet purchase information on their tax returns in 2011. That adds up to millions of dollars in lost revenue. Depending on who you listen to, the amount of lost tax revenue for all 50 states in 2012 adds up to between $11.4 billion and $26 billion. That could patch up roads or hire a few more teachers. I'm trying to find a true downside to this bill, but there doesn't seem to be one. Especially because its current form exempts businesses with less than $1 million a year in sales. I admit I'll miss being able to save paying that extra hundred dollars or so online for a high-def TV, but that's a small price to pay for leveling the playing field. Windows 8 tweaks a good sign for struggling OS For the first time, officials from Microsoft are admitting the general public may not agree that Windows 8 is the most awesome experience ever unleashed on humanity. During a New York Times interview, Tami Reller, the chief marketing officer and chief financial officer of the Windows division, said PC users have a learning curve with Windows 8 that needs to be addressed. The only other solid hint she gave about future Windows 8 updates is that they're training Microsoft sales associates to acknowledge to customers that the Desktop screen -- the screen that behaves like Windows 7 and is necessary to use non-Windows 8 software and many basic functions -- can be useful. These are good signs. Tweaking Windows 8 to make things similar to how people used previous versions of Windows could make customers feel more comfortable with the software. However, this may not address what I believe is the core problem with Windows 8. Why do we have to keep bouncing back and forth between the two screens at all Why can't we just do everything on the same screen I suspect many people will shy away from the operating system if it still tries to pretend PC users just really want to use tablets. App of the week: Puzzle and Dragons (iOS, Android) This game reportedly generates $2.5 million a day, so I wanted to see what the fuss is about. The main action of Puzzle and Dragons is your typical Bejeweled-esque gem-matching connected to a role-playing system. Matching three or more of each color dishes out an attack on a monster or helps heal your own damage. The hook comes through monster collection. You randomly capture some of the monsters you fight during battle, and you can choose which you take into battle to give you an edge or combine them to power them up. So you'll want to catch them all. Spending money on magic eggs will help you find rare creatures -- that's why the game's making so much money. GungHo Games, free. Suggest an app for App of the Week at [email protected] Follow us on Twitter Follow @RobertEvatt to get the latest tech news and insight from World technology writer Robert Evatt. ___ (c)2013 Tulsa World (Tulsa, Okla.) Visit Tulsa World (Tulsa, Okla.) at www.tulsaworld.com Distributed by MCT Information Services [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]