Even if you are somewhat of a Luddite..like myself....the CD hasn't been usable to prepare a filing copy of Federal, or state taxes for 20-some years. The CD is, effectively, a beta-version.
So you will always need the internet to update the software to a Jan or Feb version so that you can actually file something that is correct for most user's situations.
The advantage of the download installation file (at least if you get it directly from TTX), is that you can download new installation files throughout the season. Each of those copies has the most recent bug fixes already included....at least up to that point in time. So downloading an installation file for 2023 taxes, in June or August of 2024, that would include virtually every bug fix they had for the year in that one file. Not that you'd necessarily need to use them in that particular computer (because you should be using the in-software updates), but if you get a new computer, say a year or 2 later, you can use the most recent TTX installation file to install TTX on that new computer, without it needing a year's worth of bug fixes. (As long as it is a Windows computer)
None of that will fix the issue of the now-required installation service codes not being usable after 3-4 years, not unless TTX changes their policy for those codes. i.e. no one can install 2019 software now .
____________*Answers are correct to the best of my knowledge when posted, but should not be considered to be legal or official tax advice.*
