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In the late 1990s, Microsoft had a strong effort to reach accountants. But it was always baffled by the fact that professionals were slow to adopt its Windows platform, much slower than other user groups. What the company didn't understand was the many preparers thought Windows reduced the speed at which they could prepare returns. In many ways, the pace of the adoption of Internet-based tax preparation reflect some of the same issues. Technology may be cool, but benefits are more persuasive.

Technically, most vendors are just getting the Internet-based products to market. But that's because they saw the reluctance to move quickly to the Web, a reluctance I believe has been based on the same issues that caused the slow movement to Windows. And that's the hard-nosed assessment of whether using a Web-based product helps the user increase revenue or cut costs.

Last year's launch of online tax products by CCH, Intuit and Thomson Reuters shows that at least these three players think the market is ready, ready perhaps to talk more than buy, but still much more ready than even a year ago.

Part of this is being driven by comfort with Web-based products that professionals see in the rest of their lives, including the use of other Internet-based applications but also by the use of the Web in their personal lives, particularly social media.

I always thought Jim Bourke of WithumSmith+Brown of Red Bank, N.J., gave one of the best descriptions of the benefits of SaaS-based applications when he said he told his staff that "there are no more snow days." That is, staffers with Internet access can work on returns at home despite the weather.

And the smaller firms are probably realizing that they just don't want to play IT repair man anymore. They don’t' want to worry about whether an application has been properly installed or whether they have the latest updates. The Internet takes care of that.

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