Accountants survive by adapting their skills.

Competing against accounting software, accountants now are more than bookkeepers

The proliferation of inexpensive accounting and bookkeeping computer software begs a question: Are accountants becoming an extinct species?

The answer follows the logic of natural selection: Those who adapt, survive.

"If [accountants] haven't adapted and diversified to move into a higher-end variety of services, they could see a reduction of business volume," said Tom Hood, a certified public accountant and executive director of the Maryland Association of Certified Public Accountants in Lutherville.

To be sure, off-the-shelf software has become more popular, with packages that run less than $200. They also fit the needs of most small business …