H&R Block president puts high-tech debate in historical context.

Issues concerning the role of tax preparation services in the marketplace in the context of technological advances in tax preparation and filing are examined, focusing on comments made by H&R Block President Mark Ernst at a May 2001 meeting with the Council for Electronic Revenue Communications Advancement. Topics include the dangers of the IRS competing with the private sector by offering tax preparation software over the IRS Web site and data security for electronic tax filing.