TechnoLawyer: Networking/Operating Systems

In today's issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire, tech expert Jill Bauerle covers a free toolbar for fast, easy legal research, software that can map your entire network and help you manage desktop application licenses, and a service that enables you to create unique e-mail addresses on the fly to prevent spam. Don't miss the next issue.

Below you'll find one of the three articles from today's edition:

Raising the Bar for Legal Research
By Jill Bauerle
Knowing shortcuts when you search LexisNexis can save you time. Now you can save even more time with the new LexisNexis Toolbar, the first toolbar designed specifically for online legal research. The LexisNexis Toolbar integrates with your Web browser for immediate gratification when you must find information, fast. To this end, it provides several options for searching. As you might expect, you can type your terms into the search box, select your source, and click "Search." However, you can also conduct searches by highlighting keywords on Web pages. The LexisNexis Toolbar also supports most favorite LexisNexis command searches. In addition to searching various LexisNexis sources, you can also use the LexisNexis Toolbar to Shepardize and pull up citations. It can even run Google and MSN searches. However you use it, the LexisNexis Toolbar saves you from continuously logging onto the LexisNexis home page and clicking through multiple screens. You can download the LexisNexis Toolbar for free. To use it, you'll need Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher. Learn more about LexisNexis Toolbar.

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Published on Wednesdays, TechnoLawyer NewsWire is a weekly newsletter that enables you to learn about new technology products and services of interest to legal professionals. Like all of our newsletters, it's free. Please subscribe now.

Thomas Daly, Remote Desktop Mythbusters (Static IP Address)

TechnoLawyer Benjamin Edwards asks:
"I am interested in accessing my computer when I am away from the office. I have tried various programs for that purpose, including LapLink, but none seems to work. Are there any suggestions?"

Caren Schwartz responded:
"In response to Mr. Edwards I would suggest GoToMYPC...."

Howard Raab wrote:
"The Remote Desktop Access program built into Windows XP (both Professional and Home) has worked very well for me, with no fee at all...."

Andrew Willinger responded:
"There are two significant problems with using Windows XP's built-in Remote Desktop Access over an Internet connection.... The cost of a static IP address from most ISPs is not minimal in most cases. In fact, many large DSL and Cable providers — especially those at the low end of the price range — do not offer a static IP at all...."

I respectfully point out in response to Mr. Willinger's comments about Remote Desktop concerning a static IP address, that you can use a free redirection service that gives you a static IP address even if you have a dynamic IP address. I use www.No-IP.com and it has worked very well. No-IP.com gives me a static address which I use for Remote Desktop.

Also, I have never used GoToMyPC and do not know about its effectiveness, but you can print remotely and transfer files with Remote Desktop by setting the level of control of the host machine before activating Remote Desktop. I transfer files and print remotely all the time.

Attorney Thomas J. Daly
North Haven, CT

About Answers to Questions
Posts like the one above appear exclusively in Answers to Questions, a weekly newsletter in which TechnoLawyer members answer legal technology and practice management questions submitted by their peers (including you if you join TechnoLawyer). Like all of our newsletters, it's free. You can subscribe here.

In today's issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire, tech expert Jill Bauerle covered an online service that enables you to easily build your own Web site complete with blogging capabilities, a program that converts text documents and e-mail into MP3 files, and a free application that creates a peer-to-peer VPN between any two computers. Don't miss the next issue.

Below you'll find one of the three articles from today's edition:

Web 2.0 as Easy as 1-2-3
By Jill Bauerle
Problem: Your firm needs a Web site and a blog desperately, but you don't want to hire a designer and you don't want to become one yourself. The solution? Squarespace, a service that provides you with a design, template, and secure platform for your Web site and blog in one package — at your own domain name. Squarespace's modular site-building architecture enables you to configure your Web site similar to the way you use My Yahoo! or Google's personalized home page. Once you've designed the structure, pick and choose from hundreds of appearance-managing functions to personalize your site — and change them at any time! For a meta-look at your Web site, click "Site Overview" to track recent posts, traffic and your Google PageRank. Sophisticated, versatile, and stocked with the latest in Web technology, your site will look and work exactly how you envisioned it, maybe even better. Squarespace features a tool for attaching podcasts to a blog entry, short URLs, member accounts for employees to log journal entries or subscribe to e-mail updates, Moveable Type importing, spell checking and anti-spam filters. Your blog page features category headings, printable article links, threaded discussions, RSS subscription, multiple authors, XML-RRC pinging, and timed publishing dates. You can even incorporate Amazon affiliate links to that hot new legal treatise you just published. Your Squarespace blog has a special function for importing and crediting Web sources. Once you set up your Web site, maintain it by logging on as the administrator and editing the content using WYSIWYG or HTML. Prices for a Squarespace Web site start at $7 per month. Learn more about Squarespace.

How to Receive this Newsletter
Published on Wednesdays, TechnoLawyer NewsWire is a weekly newsletter that enables you to learn about new technology products and services of interest to legal professionals. Like all of our newsletters, it's free. Please subscribe now.

In today's issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire, tech expert Jill Bauerle covered an application that converts one Linux PC into two virtual workstations, a utility that blocks unauthorized executable programs from invading your Windows PC, and a free, editable information resource on the Web for tax professionals. Don't miss the next issue.

Below you'll find one of the three articles from today's edition:

Where's the Second Computer?
By Jill Bauerle
Providing a PC in your reception area is a welcome gesture for waiting clients, but if you have a busy reception area, you'll have to furnish two computers, doubling the cost. Not so fast. With Desktop Multiplier, you can transform a single Linux PC into two computers (Linux with Firefox works fine for Web browsing and checking Web-based e-mail). This free software add-on by Userful, developers of public computing software, can save your firm as much as $500 per station in hardware costs and hundreds to thousands in maintenance per year.  The software turns one computer into two virtual workstations — you'll need two keyboards, mice, and monitors. If your firm runs browser-based applications, you might be able to employ Desktop Multiplier beyond your reception area, saving even more money. At home it's an excellent way to "buy" the kids an extra computer. Desktop Multiplier runs on Linux OS and requires 15 MB hard disk space and a minimum of 64MB memory, a dual video card and extra USB keyboard and mouse. Learn more about Desktop Multiplier.

How to Receive this Newsletter
Published on Wednesdays, TechnoLawyer NewsWire is a weekly newsletter that enables you to learn about new technology products and services of interest to legal professionals. Like all of our newsletters, it's free. Please subscribe now.

Coming January 12, 2006 to Answers to Questions: Steven Finell explains how to construct a set of case documents with one click, Brad Jensen reviews Authentidate's Electronic Postmarks and discusses its importance for law firms, Aaron Morris reviews MyWebExPC, a remote access alternative to LogMeIn and GoToMyPC, and Stephen Bickle compares WiFi security to Powerline security while Don Springmeyer discusses his experience with Powerline networking. In addition, this issue features links to 10 additional Posts in the TechnoLawyer Archive. Don't miss this issue.

How to Receive this Newsletter
Published Thursdays, Answers to Questions is a weekly newsletter in which TechnoLawyer members answer legal technology and practice management questions submitted by their peers (including you if you join TechnoLawyer). Like all of our newsletters, it's free. Please subscribe now.

Coming January 10, 2005 to TechnoFeature: Most people do not use drive imaging technology, or they do so incorrectly — both a grave mistake according to attorney and technology consultant Eric Van Buskirk. In this article, Eric walks you step by step through partitioning your hard drive and discusses how to setup a drive imaging routine that eliminates many of the mysteries of Windows troubleshooting. Read on if you've never understood drive imaging — or even if you think you did.

How to Receive this Newsletter
Published on Tuesdays, TechnoFeature is a weekly newsletter that contains in-depth articles written by leading legal technology and practice management experts. Like all of our newsletters, it's free. Please subscribe now.

Coming December 16, 2005 to Fat Friday: Remington Smith suggests a more effective file-naming system, Ross Kodner lets you know how he really feels about Travan tape drives, Diane Hopkins reviews PracticeMaster for e-mail management, William Tait discusses the risks involved for lawyers jumping from PC to Mac, and Jesse Farr writes in with a simple file-naming formula for easy document management. Don't miss this issue.

How to Receive this Newsletter
Published on Fridays, Fat Friday is a weekly newsletter that features a grab bag full of genuinely useful product reviews and tips on a wide variety of topics. Like all of our newsletters, it's free. Please subscribe now.

Coming December 15, 2005 to Answers to Questions: Kristy Binmore reviews pros and cons of the Ricoh Aficio 2045e multi-function copier, Christopher Dellit reviews ProjectLounge, a little-known (among lawyers at least) online collaboration service, Robert Jay Dinerstein reviews the Fujitsu ScanSnap fi-5110EOX2 (and discusses the TWAIN compatibility issue), Daniel Roberts explains why he still considers partitioning your hard drive a good practice, and Stephen Nipper serves up a free solution for Mac-to-PC remote access. Don't miss this issue.

How to Receive this Newsletter
Published Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, Answers to Questions is a thrice weekly newsletter in which TechnoLawyer members answer legal technology and practice management questions submitted by their peers (including you if you join TechnoLawyer). Like all of our newsletters, it's free. Please subscribe now.

Coming December 14, 2005 to Answers to Questions: Jerry Thompson explains how to assess your individual needs when choosing from the many versions of Dragon NaturallySpeaking, Stephen Seldin reviews his experience with Dell's tech support (and shares an interesting tidbit about founder Michael Dell), Scott Bassett explains how to integrate your digital camera with your office network, Ed Walters reviews a legal research service as well as some free resources, and Mark Payne suggests a simple solution for removing ready-made folders in Windows XP. Don't miss this issue.

How to Receive this Newsletter
Published Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, Answers to Questions is a thrice weekly newsletter in which TechnoLawyer members answer legal technology and practice management questions submitted by their peers (including you if you join TechnoLawyer). Like all of our newsletters, it's free. Please subscribe now.

Coming December 9, 2005 to Fat Friday: Lawrence Brownlee discusses the potential risks involved with implementing universal wireless networks, Tom Rowe explains why legal vendors don't sell Mac OS versions of their software (but notes one that does), Christian Connell explains why Treo-craving lawyers should steer clear of Cingular, Michael Schley discusses how he achieved a paperless law firm (now if he could just find a good desktop search tool), and Diane Hopkins discusses the advantages of document management software like WORLDOX over traditional file naming systems. Don't miss this issue.

How to Receive this Newsletter
Published on Fridays, Fat Friday is a weekly newsletter that features a grab bag full of genuinely useful product reviews and tips on a wide variety of topics. Like all of our newsletters, it's free. Please subscribe now.