TechnoLawyer

In today's issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire, tech expert Jill Bauerle covers a free online task management tool, voicemail software for Skype, and a multifaceted instant messaging client. Don't miss the next issue.

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

Better than a String Around Your Finger
By Jill Bauerle
Lost your to-do list? Overwhelmed by the number of task management tools out there? Take a deep breath and log onto Remember the Milk. A Web-based, user-friendly tool, Remember the Milk helps you visualize your most important tasks without getting lost in sub-menus and multiple screens. The "Overview" page lets you see what's due today and tomorrow, what's overdue, and what the week ahead looks like. The "task cloud" literally puts all of your task headings like "bills" and "calls" in a bubble and sizes each them according to how task-heavy they are. So if you have to make five phone calls and pay one bill, "calls" will loom menacingly in the task cloud, eclipsing "bills." Different lists for work, personal, etc. help you to separate the various facets of your life and prioritize accordingly. A special feature of Remember the Milk enables you to keep track of time the way that we humans typically conceive it — today, tomorrow, a week from now — and change a due date from "tomorrow" to "1 week from tomorrow" in one click. Reminders come in many forms, including e-mail, instant messages, and SMS. You can e-mail tasks to your Remember the Milk account and automatically create a new list using your subject line. Other highlights of this program include "smart lists" that help you prioritize tasks, a contact list of other Remember the Milk users to whom you can send reminders, list sharing and public lists, iCal synchronization, an "undo" button, recurring tasks, keyboard shortcuts, and an archive for old lists that you're not ready to delete. Once you get a taste of Remember the Milk, you could became as zen about your work load as the smiling cow on the corner of the screen. Remember the Milk is free. Learn more about Remember the Milk.

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.

I'll be in Chicago this week. I won't have time to attend TechShow because I'm giving a presentation at MarketingSherpa's Email Marketing Summit, but I will attend several TechShow-related events in the evening. I'll be at LexThink Lounge Wednesday afternoon and The Dinner Thursday night. I hope to see you at one of these events! (Both events are sold out.)

About TechnoEditorials
A TechnoEditorial is the vehicle through which we opine and provide tips of interest to managing partners, law firm administrators, and others in the legal profession. TechnoEditorials appear first in TechnoGuide, and later here in TechnoLawyer Blog. TechnoGuide, which is free, also contains exclusive content. You can subscribe here.

I deemed 2006 the year of mobile video. It looks like I was half right — video hasn't yet taken off in the legal profession, but it has elsewhere. One of the most vexing issues with video concerns embedding it into your site or blog. As with every technical hurdle, startup companies have rushed to fill the void. Last week, DVGuru reviewed several of these solutions, but just as importantly, those of us who commented on the article provided many other suggestions. If you have any interest in video, I recommend reading this article and the comments.

About TechnoEditorials
A TechnoEditorial is the vehicle through which we opine and provide tips of interest to managing partners, law firm administrators, and others in the legal profession. TechnoEditorials appear first in TechnoGuide, and later here in TechnoLawyer Blog. TechnoGuide, which is free, also contains exclusive content. You can subscribe here.

Coming April 21, 2006 to Fat Friday: Steven McNichols recounts his experience entering the legal profession at age 49, Robert Browning shares the details of his dual-monitor setup while Bernard Mac Arthur discusses alternatives to multiple monitors, Stephen Hayes discusses WordPerfect from a security perspective and explains the safest way to transmit a document, and Bob Walsh says what few dare to say about Word. In addition, this issue features links to 7 additional Posts in the TechnoLawyer Archive. 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 April 20, 2006 to Answers to Questions: Business Development Manger for Adobe Legal Rick Borstein offers up a hot tip for bates stamping PDF files, solos Mark Rosen and Larry Vollintine review QuickBooks (Premier and Pro Editions, respectively) for time-billing, Geoff Ormrod suggests a fix for those having problems upgrading Dragon NaturallySpeaking, and Thomas Shigo challenges technology resellers to provide some straight talk about Dragon NaturallySpeaking (and other legal technology solutions). 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 April 18, 2006 to TechnoFeature: Still using version 1.0? How quaint. If you have not yet upgraded to the latest version of your trial presentation software (or still use posterboard and a pointer at trial), listen up! In this two-part series, veteran trial presentation consultant Timothy Piganelli discusses the latest and most innovative features of today's trial presentation software. In Part 1, Tim explores Sanction and TrialDirector. In Part 2, he explores TimeMap and Visionary.

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.

In today's issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire, tech expert Jill Bauerle covers a Web-based utility that stores and organizes your Web clippings, an eBay search engine for smarter and safer shopping, and an all-inclusive Web-based calendar and contact application to keep you and your world in sync. Don't miss the next issue.

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

Bye Bye Bookmarks
By Jill Bauerle
Too many bookmarks in your browser? Forgot why half of them are even there? Time for an account with Clipmarks. Whether you're researching a case, comparison shopping, or keeping track of celebrity gossip, Clipmarks is a Web-based utility that provides a permanent URL for storing and organizing Web clippings. Unlike a bookmark, which just takes you back to an entire page, a Clipmark enables you to "clip" a certain portion of a page and apply "tags" to that clip for easy retrieval. In short, it enables you to create a searchable database of everything you find on the Web. After creating your account and installing the required Firefox extension or Internet Explorer toolbar, the Clipmarks editing symbols appear in your browser. As you mouse over text on a Web page, just click on the paperclip symbol embedded in your toolbar and automatically enter editing mode. This tool actually "clips" text by copying paragraphs or photos into a Clipmarks folder once you click on the "Save" button. You can keep multiple clippings in one file. Each folder contains a link to the original Web page (in case you need to refer to the original source) plus searchable title, tags, and comments. Other tools include an e-mail button to share your clips, a bookmark button that sends your clips to services such as del.icio.us or BlinkList, and "cliprolling" (an RSS feed of your clip tags). On Clipmarks' home page, a "word cloud" shows the most popular topics in real time. Clipmarks offers four views: "Mine," "Public," "Board," or "Hot." For each clip you create, you have the option of marking it public or private. Check out what everyone else is clipping in "Public." See who's commenting on your clips in "Board." Or look at popular clips in "Hot." One possible use for Clipmarks is to draw attention to articles you've published on the Web. Who knows, maybe your clips will become the next hot topic! Clipmarks is free. Learn more about Clipmarks.

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.

Davis Foster, Review: QuickFlash for Secure Intraoffice Instant Messaging

TechnoLawyer member David Waddle asks:
"Okay, I know I may be a little late to the party but I have just discovered Instant Messaging. I use Yahoo Messenger and I am going to look at MSN Messenger; this is because different friends use one of the two types. I wondered why companies do not use these IM services for informal internal communication — or do they? Am I just out of step with the rest of the world? Or is there a major drawback that I am unaware of? I realize that IM does not replace e-mail but it does cut down on some needless e- mails and phone calls."

Manuel A. Quilichini responded:
"IM has become a very valuable tool, and I convinced the company to adopt it for higher management and some mid- level managers.  After some resistance, Microsoft's Messenger was deployed, and it has been a success.... My experience with IM is that I could not operate without it, so I recommend you give it a try. You can always deactivate this feature if you feel it does not meet your expectations."

Kurt L. Schoettler wrote:
"There are some companies that do provide messaging software that can be installed and run on a network for internal communications.  However, keep in mind if you are using programs like Yahoo, AIM, MSN Messenger or similar public IM software these conversations are going outside your firm (unlike an internal e-mail that stays on your internal servers). Would you want — or better yet can you afford — the potential of someone eavesdropping or the service provider having access to what could be considered confidential communications?..."

At this 5 person office we use a program called QuickFlash by Arm.  This provides an internal alternative to IM services, along with some other functionalities (Do Not Disturb, as an example).  I have used this software for well over 5 years.  A check of the task manager shows that it uses 1,304 kb of RAM, so has no real impact on the available RAM.  I have always been pleased with its features, and simplicity, and like the idea of keeping the communications in house.

Davis Foster

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.

Dean Birch, Including Dates in File Names: A Contrarian View

In his TechnoFeature, Where Are My Files?, Jeffrey Lisson writes:
"The best electronic file system should mimic the paper file, so no one has to learn a new way of doing things. The goal is simplicity and ease of use. So each client would have his or her own folder. Each folder would have subfolders for discrete matters. Each matter would have subfolders for the documents involved. Sound complicated? It's not...."

Anthony Cary responded:
"I concur generally with Lisson's recommendations, but the routine inclusion of document dates in file names is also very important: .... I feel strongly that every file produced should have its production date appended at the end of its file name."

Sam B. Craig wrote:
"In our client files we use a document naming structure as follows: [Date of doc][Type of doc][subject].  For example "05-0121 LTR Smith counteroffer." This sorts documents by date within the folder, which allows the file to reflect the advancement of the case. We prefer this to having the date last, which does not allow for easy date sorting. By having 3-letter codes capitalized (e.g., LTR, MOT, COM, ANS, etc.) the doc types are easily discerned as well. This coding also leaves more room for descriptive terms...."

In brief response to attorney Craig's comment on file names, why include the date in the name when almost all software can sort by file date if you so desire?  All you do is click on the date column.  That way certain types of documents are left together (Client letters, etc.), regardless of date, but can be easily sorted by file date.  This works fine unless you make a change to the document.  Then the date will be changed to the date of the modification.  But we don't change documents after they've been prepared and sent out.  We typically name files "Client.ltr-1.wpd" and "Client.ltr-2.wpd, so they are grouped together, and then in order of preparation within that subcategory.  We also use names like "Sales Contract-Draft-1.wpd" and "Sales Contract-Draft-2.wpd".  I concede, however, that using the date at the end would be more accurate, but I just don't like the extra typing!  I prefer names that contain the type of document I am looking for, rather than a date.  Although a date sort does come in handy once in a while.

Dean W. Birch, Esq.
Gatlin & Birch, P.A.
Tampa, FL

[Publisher's Note: Dean makes a good point, but placing the date in a file name is a good idea for files associated with a particular date. For example, we include the date of publication in the name of our newsletter files. Sometimes people do make changes to documents after the fact so relying on the operating system or even a document management system has its limitations. — Neil J. Squillante]

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.

Coming April 10, 2006 to IP Memes: You'll learn about Apple's identity crisis, how a Supreme Court case involving eBay could impact patent reform efforts, which food product has India and Pakistan on the same page, and about Starbucks' Hollywood ambitions.

How to Receive this Newsletter
Published on Mondays, IP Memes is a biweekly newsletter that explores emerging technology-related intellectual property issues — or "memes" as we call them. Like all of our newsletters, it's free. Please subscribe now.