TechnoLawyer

Regarding TechnoLawyer member Ramon Pagan's observation about Federal Courts not permitting phones being a drawback to using a device like the Treo 600, TechnoLawyer member Buzz Bruggeman responds: "I have had 2 Treos, both the 600 and the 300.  I travel all over the country, and the only places the 600 doesn't work is in areas where no one else's phones work either.  I have never had a problem.  As for Federal Courts, I have stopped even trying to bring my phone into a Federal Courthouse -- not worth the hassle. The Federal Courts are generally unhappy that the 19th Century is over."

About Quips
A Quip is a brief member contribution for which we don't have room in our Answers to Questions or Fat Friday newsletters. Instead, Quips appear first in TechnoGuide, and later here in TechnoLawyer Blog. TechnoGuide, which is free, also contains exclusive content. You can subscribe here.

After years of permitting anonymous reviews, Internet retail giant Amazon has changed its policy. It now requires reviewers to keep a credit card on file, and encourages the use of their real name. Of course, TechnoLawyer has required its members to provide their full name and e-mail address when contributing Posts since the very beginning. I guess Amazon realized what we've known all along -- the more anonymity you remove, the more reliable member contributions become.

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.

TechnoLawyer member Robert Rowlett recently asked for time-billing software recommendations for a new solo practice.  TechnoLawyer member Roy Ackerman suggests PCLaw, writing: "Get your hands on PCLaw. It is the simplest program to use and rather cheap. It will let you track your time (even internet browsing to look up case info), coordinates with your Outlook, and meets accounting standards."

About Quips
A Quip is a brief member contribution for which we don't have room in our Answers to Questions or Fat Friday newsletters. Instead, Quips appear first in TechnoGuide, and later here in TechnoLawyer Blog. TechnoGuide, which is free, also contains exclusive content. You can subscribe here.

Regarding TechnoLawyer member Stanley Jaskiewicz's search for software capable of creating organizational charts, TechnoLawyer member Ron Fox writes: "Inspiration, which is a concept brainstorming program, appears to have the features you are looking for.  It was developed as for use by teachers and students in classrooms and is very reasonably priced."

About Quips
A Quip is a brief member contribution for which we don't have room in our Answers to Questions or Fat Friday newsletters. Instead, Quips appear first in TechnoGuide, and later here in TechnoLawyer Blog. TechnoGuide, which is free, also contains exclusive content. You can subscribe here.

Given all the discussion lately of replacing Windows with Linux, TechnoLawyer member Ed Dodds suggests that those interested check out CodeWeavers, which makes a product called CrossOver Office that can run Windows applications, such as Microsoft Office, in Linux.

About Quips
A Quip is a brief member contribution for which we don't have room in our Answers to Questions or Fat Friday newsletters. Instead, Quips appear first in TechnoGuide, and later here in TechnoLawyer Blog. TechnoGuide, which is free, also contains exclusive content. You can subscribe here.

Regarding TechnoLawyer member Jeff Scott Olson's quest for spam filtering software, TechnoLawyer member Dave Markowitz suggests using the Mozilla e-mail client, which has a built-in whitelist.  "In Mozilla 1.6, go to Tools/Junk Mail Controls and check "Do not mark messages as junk mail if the sender is in my address book."

About Quips
A Quip is a brief member contribution for which we don't have room in our Answers to Questions or Fat Friday newsletters. Instead, Quips appear first in TechnoGuide, and later here in TechnoLawyer Blog. TechnoGuide, which is free, also contains exclusive content. You can subscribe here.

Regarding the long-running thread on how to save Web clippings, TechnoLawyer member Steven McNichols writes: "I strongly recommend SnagIt for Web clipping and manipulating downloaded images. It's very sophisticated."

About Quips
A Quip is a brief member contribution for which we don't have room in our Answers to Questions or Fat Friday newsletters. Instead, Quips appear first in TechnoGuide, and later here in TechnoLawyer Blog. TechnoGuide, which is free, also contains exclusive content. You can subscribe here.

TechnoLawyer Les Proctor has the following to say about Dennis Kennedy's TechnoFeature "Do-It-Yourself Knowledge Management: Ten Practical Steps": "This is a well-done and useful article. I discovered and used many of the steps over the years by trial and error. It's a shame that it isn't required reading for new lawyers as early as law school." This article is, of course, available in the TechnoLawyer Archive.

About Quips
A Quip is a brief member contribution for which we don't have room in our Answers to Questions or Fat Friday newsletters. Instead, Quips appear first in TechnoGuide, and later here in TechnoLawyer Blog. TechnoGuide, which is free, also contains exclusive content. You can subscribe here.

TechnoLawyer member Steven McNichols has a tip for those of you who live in constant fear of screwing up your finely-tuned PC or deleting important files by mistake: "One easy way to solve problems with installation of any software is to install a program like GoBack, which lets you return your computer to the state it was in before the problem developed. GoBack also lets me overcome my own mistakes like accidentally erased files. It has saved my booty many times."

About Quips
A Quip is a brief member contribution for which we don't have room in our Answers to Questions or Fat Friday newsletters. Instead, Quips appear first in TechnoGuide, and later here in TechnoLawyer Blog. TechnoGuide, which is free, also contains exclusive content. You can subscribe here.

Regarding a recent review of Fujitsu ScanSnap scanner, TechnoLawyer member Douglas Herdman writes: "My experience with this scanner is just as positive. There is presently a $100 rebate when the machine is purchased from an authorized Fujitsu dealer. PCNation is such a dealer."

About Quips
A Quip is a brief member contribution for which we don't have room in our Answers to Questions or Fat Friday newsletters. Instead, Quips appear first in TechnoGuide, and later here in TechnoLawyer Blog. TechnoGuide, which is free, also contains exclusive content. You can subscribe here.