By Gerry Morris
I’ve been a PC aficionado for years. I’ve bought them, built them and used them at my office and at home. I’ve always regarded Apple’s Macintosh line as an interesting novelty, well suited for graphic designers and music editors but not very practical for the law office, mainly because of problems associated with sharing files between Macs and PCs. Another factor hindering the Mac’s usefulness in the law office is the relatively small number of legal applications written to run on the Mac. It is hard to find a case management system or trial presentation software for the Mac. The two leading case management systems I’ve reviewed in this column, Amicus Attorney and Time Matters are available only in PC format. Likewise, InData’s popular Trial Director application and its other products are not available for the Mac.
Things have changed. Two major changes in the Mac platform in the past few years have resulted in the Mac becoming a true competitor for PCs in the law office. The first dramatic change was Mac’s shift to a UNIX based operating system. The specific details are beyond my ability to comprehend but I’m told that the shift to UNIX made it much easier for Macs to undergo the next dramatic change -- the shift from Motorola’s Power PC processor to the Intel line. The iMacs, as the Intel based machines are called, now have the same “brain” as PCs. I have read Internet newsgroup accounts of Windows software actually being loaded on iMac machines and running fine, though Mac users would quickly wonder aloud why anyone would want to do this since the Mac operating system is generally regarded as superior to Windows.
Over the past couple of years I’ve read various articles and occasionally talked to colleagues about the iMac’s ability to seamlessly network with PCs, share files and in general fit in with an existing PC setup. Until recently, I didn’t have access to an iMac populated system to see for myself. In recent months two good friends have started using iMacs attached to their predominately PC networks in their respective offices. One is a relative computer novice while the other is very computer knowledgeable. Both tell me that they will never buy another PC.
They report that setting up and configuring the iMac was easy, almost automatic, and that its integration was into the PC network was flawless. Microsoft makes its flagship Microsoft Office Suite for Macs and all the applications will read from and save to files created by the corresponding PC version of the application. The problem of transferring files between Mac and PC versions of Office is now nonexistent.
The other problem with using a Mac in the law office has also been addressed in a really interesting way. There have been applications commonly known as virtual machines available for the Mac for some time. These programs allow the Windows Operating system and Windows programs to run in a window of the Mac operating system. Before Mac’s shift to Intel processors these programs had to contain a layer of software that translated on the fly the Windows software instructions that are sent to the processor to language that would work with the Motorola Power PC chip. While these programs worked fairly well, (Microsoft even produced one) the extra computer power need to make the translation slowed down the operation of the programs.
Since iMacs use an Intel processor, much less processor overhead is now needed to operate the virtual machine and run Windows in a window on the iMac desktop. Both of my friends use a virtual machine program called Parallels to run windows applications. The applicaiton may be purchased for $79.95 at www.parallels.com . I have had an opportunity to see Amicus Attorney running in a window on an iMac desktop with the aid of Parallels. The performance was remarkable. Windows is booted up in the window just as if it were a separate PC. Amicus Attorney (or any other Windows application) is started in the window. The Windows Application has full access to the network just as if it were a standalone machine. I installed the Palm Desktop and Hotsync application in Windows for my friend and it too worked flawlessly.
My more computer literate friend runs a Windows based billing and accounting program on his iMac as well as Amicus Attorney. He has located Mac drivers for his Fujitsu scanner at www.scantango.com and now uses the iMac as his document entry station for his paperless office.
From my limited personal observations and from the enthusiastic endorsements of my friends it appears to me that the iMac removed the barriers that once made integrating a Mac into the law office network a tedious proposition. My friends and other Mac users rave about the stability of the Mac operating system. They tell me that crashes are non-existent. They also contend that the Mac user interface is far more intuitive and thus, easier to master, than Windows. Apples increased sales is perhaps the best evidence that more users are seeing the iMac as a viable alternative to PCs in the office workplace.
E. G. “Gerry” Morris is a solo practitioner and has practiced law for over 28 years in Austin, Texas. He is certified as a Criminal Law Specialist by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. His firm web site is at www.egmlaw.com. Email your comments and questions to Gerry at tech@egmlaw.com.
Showing posts with label Computers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Computers. Show all posts
February 18, 2007
May 18, 2006
Remote Connections to Your Office Computer
By Gerry Morris
This month’s column draws upon some topics I’ve covered in previous months to address a specific situation. My good friend Debra Bruce, whose column runs along side this one in the Law Practice Management Newsletter, asked me how she could configure her home office network so that an associate at another location could access Debra’s desktop computer over the Internet not only to share files but to actually run programs. The ability to access an office computer over the Internet from a remote computer outside the office is extremely useful. I connect with my office desktop computer from my home computer just about every day. Although this can be accomplished through a fairly complicated VPN (virtual private network) setup like I’ve described in my previous columns it can be done with a fairly simple VPN setup for the astonishing cost of nothing assuming the computer to be accessed is connected to a high speed always on Internet connection such as Roadrunner cable or SBC Yahoo DSL. Also, the computer at your office that you want to allow a remote user to access must be running Windows XP Professional. XP Home Edition doesn’t have the components necessary to set up the type of connection I’m about to describe. The remote computer can be running Windows XP Home Edition or Professional.
I’m going to provide step by step setup instructions but I’m going to refer the reader to some of my previous columns for more detailed information on some of the steps where I’ve covered them before. That way I can stay within my column length limitations. You can see the links to all the previous newsletters at:
http://www.texasbarcle.com/CLE/LMNewsletters.asp .
Step One. Subscribe to a Dynamic IP DNS Service.
Chances are your Internet provider assigns you a dynamic IP address. That means that the unique address on the Internet of your cable or DSL modem changes every so often. In order to find your network system on the Internet an outsider would have to know your current IP address. IP addresses for web sites are associated with alpha numerical names. To find the Microsoft web site, for instance, you type www.microsoft.com into your browser rather than http://207.46.20.60. Either will get you to Microsoft’s web site but www.microsoft.com is easier to remember. Something called a DNS server contains a table that relates the alphanumeric web address to the numeric IP address. There are services that will relate a dynamic IP address to an alphanumeric address by utilizing a piece of software installed on your computer that transmits about every 10 minutes your current IP address to a DNS server where the new IP address is “mapped” to the alphanumeric name you’ve selected for your computer. The software should be installed on the computer that you want to access from outside your home or office. See my April 2005 column for a more detailed explanation of dynamic DNS services. You’ll also find a discussion of a couple of specific dynamic DNS services including www.dyndns.org which is absolutely free. When you get to the Dyndns.org web page click the “Services” link and then “Dynamic DNS.” On that page you’ll find a “How to” document that will explain how to set up the service. You will need to download and install one of the third party clients that automatically send the current IP address to the Dyndns.org DNS server.
Step Two. Configure the Desktop Computer to be Accessed with a Static IP Address.
If the computer you want to access from outside the office is connected to the cable or DSL modem and not a router you can skip this step. If there is more than one computer sharing the Internet connection via a router the computer that you want to access from outside has to be given a static IP address so it can be found “behind” the router. This is a different IP address than the one discussed above. That one is the Internet address of your cable or DSL modem. The one assigned to your desktop computer identifies it uniquely on your local network. Your network is probably configured so that each computer connected to the router gets a dynamic IP address from the router. However, you can assign a computer a specific IP address as long as it is within the range that would ordinarily be assigned by the router. Here’s a simple way to figure out what IP address to assign your computer. Click the “Start” button and then click “Run.” When the dialogue box appears, type in “cmd” without the quotes. Then click OK. A “DOS window” with a command prompt will appear. At the prompt, type “ipconfig” without the quotes and hit Enter. You’ll see three IP addresses appear. The one that is designated “IP address” is the current IP address of your compute that has been assigned by the router. Write it down. Also write down the “Subnet Mask” and the “Default Gateway” IP addresses. Close the window.
Next, click the “Start” button again. Click “My Network Places” and when the window appears, choose the “View Network Connections” link on the left side. (If you don’t see “My Network Places” click “Control Panel” and click the “Network Connections” icon. You’ll see the same information described below.) Another window will open with icons visible. Right-click the icon that is labeled something like “Local Area Connection” and choose “Properties” from the drop-down menu. When the Properties box appears click on Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) to highlight it. Then click the “Properties” button. Finally, you’ll be presented with a box that has something to do with IP addresses. Click on the button labeled “Use the Following IP address.” Type in the addresses you copied down from the DOS box. The labels will be familiar. Also, it probably will work better if you type in the address for the default gateway as the DNS server address after clicking the button to allow manual entry. If you have trouble reaching web sites after making the changes, go back and choose the setting to find the DNS server address automatically. Close all the settings boxes by clicking OK. When your back to the box labeled “Network Connections” and again right-click the icon for the “Local Area Connection” and click “Disable” from the drop down menu. Wait a few seconds and right click it again. This time click “Enable.” You should now start your web browser and see if you can reach a web site. If you can everything was done correctly. If not try again. You can always go back to the setting allowing your computer to be assigned a dynamic IP address if you want to start over.
Step Three. Direct VPN Traffic Through Your Router to The Desktop Computer.
If the computer you want to reach from outside is connected directly to the modem, you can skip this step. Otherwise, find your documentation for your router. Every router I’ve ever seen has a way to direct certain Internet traffic from the outside to a particular computer. The setup program of the router typically will have one screen that allows you to direct traffic aimed at a particular port (think of it as a door that a particular type of traffic can enter your system through) to one of the computers behind the router on your network. In this case we want to direct traffic entering through TCP Port 1723. That’s the door through which VPN traffic enters. The setup screen will have some method of directing traffic entering through this port to a particular computer identified by its IP address. Direct the traffic from that port to the static IP address of the computer you want to access from outside the office. Unfortunately, since there are so many variations of routers I can’t give a “one fits all” explanation of how to do this. If the router’s manual doesn’t help I would suggest calling the manufacturer’s tech support. It is highly likely that there is a way to do this since it’s a common configuration for VPN’s.
Step Four. Set up Your Computer in Your Office to Accept VPN Connections.
Windows XP Professional has the built in capability to act as a VPN server for connections to the computer upon which it is running. Here’s how you set that up. Again, click the Start menu chose “My Network Places” and then choose “View Network Connections.” Then choose “Create a new connection” on the left side of the window. A setup wizard will appear. Click “Next.” Then click “Set up an advanced connection.” Click next and then choose “Accept incoming connections.” Click “Next” again and choose “Allow virtual private connections.” Go to the next screen and select the user that you want to allow to connect to your computer. If you haven’t created a user account (user name and password) for the person you want to allow to connect to your computer, you have to do so before completing this process. Click next and choose the Internet protocol as the type of networking software that will be enabled. Go to the next screen and click “Finish.”
Step Five. Enable Remote Desktop on the “Server Computer.”
Windows XP Professional has an excellent remote desktop program that accepts a connection by a remote computer and allows the person at the remote computer to basically operate the server computer. To enable this feature on the desktop at your office click the Start menu and chose “Control Panel.” From the Control Panel chose the “Performance and Maintenance” link if you are in the “Category View.” Then click the “System” link. (If your control panel is configured for the “Classic View,” double click on the “System” icon. When the System box appears choose the “Remote: tab.” On that screen below “Remote Desktop” select “Allow users to connect remotely to this computer.” If the user that you want to connect remotely does not have full access (administrative privileges) on your desktop, click the “Select remote users” button and follow the instructions to allow the user access. Close everything and your set to go on the office computer.
Step Six. Configure the Remote Computer to Connect to the Computer at Your Office.
Some of this will be familiar. On the computer outside of your office that will connect to the one inside your office click “Start,” “My Network Places,” “View network connections” and “Create new connection.” Start the wizard, and this time at the second screen chose “Connect to the network at my workplace.” At the next screen choose “Set up my connection manually.” At the next screen choose the option for a broadband connection. (This assumes that the remote computer is also connected via a broadband connection that is always on. If not choose the appropriate setup routine in the wizard.) At the next screen type in the label you want to use to identify the icon that will eventually be associated with the connection. (A name for the icon you’ll click on to start the connection.) At the next screen choose not to have windows dial a connection. At the next screen type in the Internet address of your office network that you’ve chosen on Dyndns.org or whatever service you’ve chosen. Go to the next screen and click “Finish.” To test the connection click the “Start” menu and chose “Connect to.” In the drop down menu you should see the name of the connection you just created. Click it and you should be prompted to enter a user name and password. Here enter the user name and password for the remote user and click “Connect.” You should see the connection progress and finally see a message showing that the connection has been completed.
Step Seven. Configure the Remote Computer for Access.
On the computer that will be used to connect to the computer at your office you must configure the Remote Desktop client. On that computer click the “Start” menu, choose “All Programs” and then “Accessories.” Under “Accessories” choose “Communications” and then “Remote Desktop Connection.” When you start the application you’ll be prompted for a computer name. Type in the static IP address you assigned to your desktop computer at work. With the connection from Step Six above established click “Connect.” You’ll then be prompted for a user name and password. Enter the user name and password for the remote user. You should shortly see the desktop (screen) from the computer at your office appear on the remote computer. You’ll be able to control the office computer from the remote computer and do anything you could do sitting at the computer in your office.
The above routine will work most of the time. However, if there is firewall software on the office computer it may interfere and prevent a connection. The built in Windows firewall should be configured automatically during the above routine to allow a remote connection. If you have another brand of firewall software consult the product documentation to allow VPN connections.
I’ve set up several systems to allow remote access using the above steps. Occasionally, I’ve encountered a problem I just couldn’t solve. I’ve always suspected the problem was related to some type of firewall at the ISP level. I haven’t run into a problem lately. Give it a try and hopefully, everything will work fine.
E. G. “Gerry” Morris is a solo practitioner and has practiced law for over 27 years in Austin, Texas. He is certified as a Criminal Law Specialist by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. His firm web site is at www.egmlaw.com. Email your comments and questions to Gerry at tech@egmlaw.com.
This month’s column draws upon some topics I’ve covered in previous months to address a specific situation. My good friend Debra Bruce, whose column runs along side this one in the Law Practice Management Newsletter, asked me how she could configure her home office network so that an associate at another location could access Debra’s desktop computer over the Internet not only to share files but to actually run programs. The ability to access an office computer over the Internet from a remote computer outside the office is extremely useful. I connect with my office desktop computer from my home computer just about every day. Although this can be accomplished through a fairly complicated VPN (virtual private network) setup like I’ve described in my previous columns it can be done with a fairly simple VPN setup for the astonishing cost of nothing assuming the computer to be accessed is connected to a high speed always on Internet connection such as Roadrunner cable or SBC Yahoo DSL. Also, the computer at your office that you want to allow a remote user to access must be running Windows XP Professional. XP Home Edition doesn’t have the components necessary to set up the type of connection I’m about to describe. The remote computer can be running Windows XP Home Edition or Professional.
I’m going to provide step by step setup instructions but I’m going to refer the reader to some of my previous columns for more detailed information on some of the steps where I’ve covered them before. That way I can stay within my column length limitations. You can see the links to all the previous newsletters at:
http://www.texasbarcle.com/CLE/LMNewsletters.asp .
Step One. Subscribe to a Dynamic IP DNS Service.
Chances are your Internet provider assigns you a dynamic IP address. That means that the unique address on the Internet of your cable or DSL modem changes every so often. In order to find your network system on the Internet an outsider would have to know your current IP address. IP addresses for web sites are associated with alpha numerical names. To find the Microsoft web site, for instance, you type www.microsoft.com into your browser rather than http://207.46.20.60. Either will get you to Microsoft’s web site but www.microsoft.com is easier to remember. Something called a DNS server contains a table that relates the alphanumeric web address to the numeric IP address. There are services that will relate a dynamic IP address to an alphanumeric address by utilizing a piece of software installed on your computer that transmits about every 10 minutes your current IP address to a DNS server where the new IP address is “mapped” to the alphanumeric name you’ve selected for your computer. The software should be installed on the computer that you want to access from outside your home or office. See my April 2005 column for a more detailed explanation of dynamic DNS services. You’ll also find a discussion of a couple of specific dynamic DNS services including www.dyndns.org which is absolutely free. When you get to the Dyndns.org web page click the “Services” link and then “Dynamic DNS.” On that page you’ll find a “How to” document that will explain how to set up the service. You will need to download and install one of the third party clients that automatically send the current IP address to the Dyndns.org DNS server.
Step Two. Configure the Desktop Computer to be Accessed with a Static IP Address.
If the computer you want to access from outside the office is connected to the cable or DSL modem and not a router you can skip this step. If there is more than one computer sharing the Internet connection via a router the computer that you want to access from outside has to be given a static IP address so it can be found “behind” the router. This is a different IP address than the one discussed above. That one is the Internet address of your cable or DSL modem. The one assigned to your desktop computer identifies it uniquely on your local network. Your network is probably configured so that each computer connected to the router gets a dynamic IP address from the router. However, you can assign a computer a specific IP address as long as it is within the range that would ordinarily be assigned by the router. Here’s a simple way to figure out what IP address to assign your computer. Click the “Start” button and then click “Run.” When the dialogue box appears, type in “cmd” without the quotes. Then click OK. A “DOS window” with a command prompt will appear. At the prompt, type “ipconfig” without the quotes and hit Enter. You’ll see three IP addresses appear. The one that is designated “IP address” is the current IP address of your compute that has been assigned by the router. Write it down. Also write down the “Subnet Mask” and the “Default Gateway” IP addresses. Close the window.
Next, click the “Start” button again. Click “My Network Places” and when the window appears, choose the “View Network Connections” link on the left side. (If you don’t see “My Network Places” click “Control Panel” and click the “Network Connections” icon. You’ll see the same information described below.) Another window will open with icons visible. Right-click the icon that is labeled something like “Local Area Connection” and choose “Properties” from the drop-down menu. When the Properties box appears click on Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) to highlight it. Then click the “Properties” button. Finally, you’ll be presented with a box that has something to do with IP addresses. Click on the button labeled “Use the Following IP address.” Type in the addresses you copied down from the DOS box. The labels will be familiar. Also, it probably will work better if you type in the address for the default gateway as the DNS server address after clicking the button to allow manual entry. If you have trouble reaching web sites after making the changes, go back and choose the setting to find the DNS server address automatically. Close all the settings boxes by clicking OK. When your back to the box labeled “Network Connections” and again right-click the icon for the “Local Area Connection” and click “Disable” from the drop down menu. Wait a few seconds and right click it again. This time click “Enable.” You should now start your web browser and see if you can reach a web site. If you can everything was done correctly. If not try again. You can always go back to the setting allowing your computer to be assigned a dynamic IP address if you want to start over.
Step Three. Direct VPN Traffic Through Your Router to The Desktop Computer.
If the computer you want to reach from outside is connected directly to the modem, you can skip this step. Otherwise, find your documentation for your router. Every router I’ve ever seen has a way to direct certain Internet traffic from the outside to a particular computer. The setup program of the router typically will have one screen that allows you to direct traffic aimed at a particular port (think of it as a door that a particular type of traffic can enter your system through) to one of the computers behind the router on your network. In this case we want to direct traffic entering through TCP Port 1723. That’s the door through which VPN traffic enters. The setup screen will have some method of directing traffic entering through this port to a particular computer identified by its IP address. Direct the traffic from that port to the static IP address of the computer you want to access from outside the office. Unfortunately, since there are so many variations of routers I can’t give a “one fits all” explanation of how to do this. If the router’s manual doesn’t help I would suggest calling the manufacturer’s tech support. It is highly likely that there is a way to do this since it’s a common configuration for VPN’s.
Step Four. Set up Your Computer in Your Office to Accept VPN Connections.
Windows XP Professional has the built in capability to act as a VPN server for connections to the computer upon which it is running. Here’s how you set that up. Again, click the Start menu chose “My Network Places” and then choose “View Network Connections.” Then choose “Create a new connection” on the left side of the window. A setup wizard will appear. Click “Next.” Then click “Set up an advanced connection.” Click next and then choose “Accept incoming connections.” Click “Next” again and choose “Allow virtual private connections.” Go to the next screen and select the user that you want to allow to connect to your computer. If you haven’t created a user account (user name and password) for the person you want to allow to connect to your computer, you have to do so before completing this process. Click next and choose the Internet protocol as the type of networking software that will be enabled. Go to the next screen and click “Finish.”
Step Five. Enable Remote Desktop on the “Server Computer.”
Windows XP Professional has an excellent remote desktop program that accepts a connection by a remote computer and allows the person at the remote computer to basically operate the server computer. To enable this feature on the desktop at your office click the Start menu and chose “Control Panel.” From the Control Panel chose the “Performance and Maintenance” link if you are in the “Category View.” Then click the “System” link. (If your control panel is configured for the “Classic View,” double click on the “System” icon. When the System box appears choose the “Remote: tab.” On that screen below “Remote Desktop” select “Allow users to connect remotely to this computer.” If the user that you want to connect remotely does not have full access (administrative privileges) on your desktop, click the “Select remote users” button and follow the instructions to allow the user access. Close everything and your set to go on the office computer.
Step Six. Configure the Remote Computer to Connect to the Computer at Your Office.
Some of this will be familiar. On the computer outside of your office that will connect to the one inside your office click “Start,” “My Network Places,” “View network connections” and “Create new connection.” Start the wizard, and this time at the second screen chose “Connect to the network at my workplace.” At the next screen choose “Set up my connection manually.” At the next screen choose the option for a broadband connection. (This assumes that the remote computer is also connected via a broadband connection that is always on. If not choose the appropriate setup routine in the wizard.) At the next screen type in the label you want to use to identify the icon that will eventually be associated with the connection. (A name for the icon you’ll click on to start the connection.) At the next screen choose not to have windows dial a connection. At the next screen type in the Internet address of your office network that you’ve chosen on Dyndns.org or whatever service you’ve chosen. Go to the next screen and click “Finish.” To test the connection click the “Start” menu and chose “Connect to.” In the drop down menu you should see the name of the connection you just created. Click it and you should be prompted to enter a user name and password. Here enter the user name and password for the remote user and click “Connect.” You should see the connection progress and finally see a message showing that the connection has been completed.
Step Seven. Configure the Remote Computer for Access.
On the computer that will be used to connect to the computer at your office you must configure the Remote Desktop client. On that computer click the “Start” menu, choose “All Programs” and then “Accessories.” Under “Accessories” choose “Communications” and then “Remote Desktop Connection.” When you start the application you’ll be prompted for a computer name. Type in the static IP address you assigned to your desktop computer at work. With the connection from Step Six above established click “Connect.” You’ll then be prompted for a user name and password. Enter the user name and password for the remote user. You should shortly see the desktop (screen) from the computer at your office appear on the remote computer. You’ll be able to control the office computer from the remote computer and do anything you could do sitting at the computer in your office.
The above routine will work most of the time. However, if there is firewall software on the office computer it may interfere and prevent a connection. The built in Windows firewall should be configured automatically during the above routine to allow a remote connection. If you have another brand of firewall software consult the product documentation to allow VPN connections.
I’ve set up several systems to allow remote access using the above steps. Occasionally, I’ve encountered a problem I just couldn’t solve. I’ve always suspected the problem was related to some type of firewall at the ISP level. I haven’t run into a problem lately. Give it a try and hopefully, everything will work fine.
E. G. “Gerry” Morris is a solo practitioner and has practiced law for over 27 years in Austin, Texas. He is certified as a Criminal Law Specialist by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. His firm web site is at www.egmlaw.com. Email your comments and questions to Gerry at tech@egmlaw.com.
March 18, 2006
New Options in the Computer Market
By Gerry Morris
Deciding which computer to buy has never been easy. Since IBM first licensed its PC architecture and clones were born, there’s been a dizzying variety of processors, hard drives, RAM, ports, multimedia configurations and, of course, software from which to chose.
However, for the past couple of years it seems as though processors didn’t fundamentally change except that the clock speeds kept increasing. There was no great leap in performance as there was from the 286 to the 386 to the 486 to Pentium. Instead AMD and Intel engaged in a race for the fastest processor without adding much more than speed and on-chip cache size.
In the past few months though, some new technology has once again increased the choices among processors beyond their clock speeds. Both AMD and Intel have introduced 64 bit processors and dual core 64-bit processors once again making the answer to the question “What computer should I buy?” more difficult to answer. The following are some considerations that might help.
First, here is a very basic explanation of how the new processors differ from their immediate predecessors. Pentium processors and the competing products from AMD are 32 bit processors. That means that they receive and process 32 bits of data per each clock cycle. As the speed of the processor goes up the speed with which the computing processes are performed goes up proportionately because more calculations are performed per unit of time. However, there are limits to how fast processors can be made to run. Heat is one major problem. As processor speed increases, so does the heat generated. Another limitation is the size of the chip. The smaller the processor chip the less distance the data has to travel and the faster it can be processed. For various reasons processor chips are about as small as they can get with current technology. However, if the data bus is increased from 32 to 64 bits, the speed with which computing functions can be performed theoretically doubles without increasing the clock speed because the processor now works with twice as much data at one time.. For a more pointy-headed explanation of 32 vs. 64 bit processors, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/64-bit.
Dual core processors actually contain two processors on one chip. The processors work together to share the processing load. Dual processor motherboards have been around for a while. Dual core chips are a cheaper and more efficient dual processor solution. The advantage is that more computing functions can be performed with lower clock speeds thereby avoiding the heat problem and other hurdles associated with higher clock speeds.
To tap the full potential of the 64 bit processor, software must be designed to take advantage of the chips ability to process data in 64 bit chunks. As has been the case since the inception of the PC, processors have evolved faster than software has been developed to take optimal advantage of them. While Microsoft has released a 64 bit version of Windows XP, there are very few applications designed to utilize the 64 bit architecture. But, the processor and operating system are backward compatible with 32 bit applications. Tests show that the new processors run the old applications as fast as or faster than their immediate 32 bit predecessors so there ’s no performance downside in purchasing a 64 bit machine ahead of the curve.
Dual core processors offer an immediate performance increase simply because two processor cores can do more in less time than one. These machines are fast with applications or tasks that are processor intensive such as graphics, games, multimedia and large data bases. Basically, if an application requires the computer to sit and “think” for long periods of time with little disk activity, a dual core processor will show an immediate improvement. The speed increase will be even more pronounced after 64 bit software becomes more widely available. The new iMacs from Apple feature Intel dual core processors with an operating system and native software designed to take full advantage of the architecture. These machines are blazing fast.
Given the choice between the current generation of computers with 32 bit processors and the new 64 bit single or dual core models what should you buy if you’re in the market for a new computer? The most important consideration is still “What will the computer be used for?”
Most of the machines in my office are used for word processing and running the workstation application of my case management software. Right now and probably for at least the next couple of years there is no 64 bit version of Microsoft Word or Amicus Attorney. Even after these applications become available in a 64-bit version the 32 bit version will continue to do the job for some time. These applications simply don’t require a lot of processor power. I recently purchased another ‘low end” Dell computer with an Intel Celeron processor for use as a workstation. This relatively slow computer is more than adequate for that purpose.
I also recently purchased a Compaq laptop with an AMD 64 bit processor. I got this computer, not because of the 64 bit architecture, but because it was otherwise a good buy. Although this unit is as fast as its 32 bit competitors with similar clock speeds, it came loaded with the Windows XP Home Edition operation system rather than the 64 bit version of XP. Accordingly, it is still relegated to 32 bit operation for most of its computing functions. This illustrates my point. Without software capable of taking advantage of their full capability 64 bit processors are “ dumbed down” basically to the level of their 32 bit predecessors.
If increased processor speed is what you crave, the dual core chips will deliver that immediately as long as the operating system will handle multiple processors. Windows XP Professional with the appropriate updates and hot fixes will handle the dual core processors as will the XP 64 bit version of XP. Windows Server 2000 and Server 2003 will operate with dual processor servers albeit recognizing them as two and one processors respectively in counting them against the maximum number of processors supported. The processor itself and the operating system handle the task of allocating computer functions between the two cores so the computer overall performs faster.
If I were in the market for a server or a computer to be used as a server for my case management system I would consider paying the extra price of a dual core processor. The system I have works fine but a processor speed increase would be noticeable. Also, the video editing I do requires a great deal of processor time. The increased processor capability would be welcomed there. Otherwise, a dual core processor would be overkill for me. As prices come down, as they inevitably will for new technology I will either purchase or build a new computer with a dual core processor for video editing.
To summarize, the average 32-bit machine is still more than adequate for most applications in a law office but the 64-bit machines are the coming thing. If it’s otherwise a good deal I wouldn’t hesitate to buy one of the 64-bit units now. They aren’t much more than the comparable 32 bit models. However there simply isn’t any 64 bit software currently available for my needs. I will eventually replace my computers with 64-bit models but the total cost of buying a computer bundled with software is less than buying the computer and software separately so I’ll wait for the software to come available before making a wholesale changeover. I’ll probably build or buy a dual core processor computer in the near term for video editing and will eventually replace my server with one.
However, if you want the best, newest, fastest computer available the dual core models are the way to go. Also, for the first time, the Mac has really started to catch my eye. I’ll write more about that later.
E. G. “Gerry” Morris is a solo practitioner and has practiced law for over 27 years in Austin, Texas. He is certified as a Criminal Law Specialist by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. His firm web site is at www.egmlaw.com. Email your comments and questions to Gerry at tech@egmlaw.com.
Deciding which computer to buy has never been easy. Since IBM first licensed its PC architecture and clones were born, there’s been a dizzying variety of processors, hard drives, RAM, ports, multimedia configurations and, of course, software from which to chose.
However, for the past couple of years it seems as though processors didn’t fundamentally change except that the clock speeds kept increasing. There was no great leap in performance as there was from the 286 to the 386 to the 486 to Pentium. Instead AMD and Intel engaged in a race for the fastest processor without adding much more than speed and on-chip cache size.
In the past few months though, some new technology has once again increased the choices among processors beyond their clock speeds. Both AMD and Intel have introduced 64 bit processors and dual core 64-bit processors once again making the answer to the question “What computer should I buy?” more difficult to answer. The following are some considerations that might help.
First, here is a very basic explanation of how the new processors differ from their immediate predecessors. Pentium processors and the competing products from AMD are 32 bit processors. That means that they receive and process 32 bits of data per each clock cycle. As the speed of the processor goes up the speed with which the computing processes are performed goes up proportionately because more calculations are performed per unit of time. However, there are limits to how fast processors can be made to run. Heat is one major problem. As processor speed increases, so does the heat generated. Another limitation is the size of the chip. The smaller the processor chip the less distance the data has to travel and the faster it can be processed. For various reasons processor chips are about as small as they can get with current technology. However, if the data bus is increased from 32 to 64 bits, the speed with which computing functions can be performed theoretically doubles without increasing the clock speed because the processor now works with twice as much data at one time.. For a more pointy-headed explanation of 32 vs. 64 bit processors, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/64-bit.
Dual core processors actually contain two processors on one chip. The processors work together to share the processing load. Dual processor motherboards have been around for a while. Dual core chips are a cheaper and more efficient dual processor solution. The advantage is that more computing functions can be performed with lower clock speeds thereby avoiding the heat problem and other hurdles associated with higher clock speeds.
To tap the full potential of the 64 bit processor, software must be designed to take advantage of the chips ability to process data in 64 bit chunks. As has been the case since the inception of the PC, processors have evolved faster than software has been developed to take optimal advantage of them. While Microsoft has released a 64 bit version of Windows XP, there are very few applications designed to utilize the 64 bit architecture. But, the processor and operating system are backward compatible with 32 bit applications. Tests show that the new processors run the old applications as fast as or faster than their immediate 32 bit predecessors so there ’s no performance downside in purchasing a 64 bit machine ahead of the curve.
Dual core processors offer an immediate performance increase simply because two processor cores can do more in less time than one. These machines are fast with applications or tasks that are processor intensive such as graphics, games, multimedia and large data bases. Basically, if an application requires the computer to sit and “think” for long periods of time with little disk activity, a dual core processor will show an immediate improvement. The speed increase will be even more pronounced after 64 bit software becomes more widely available. The new iMacs from Apple feature Intel dual core processors with an operating system and native software designed to take full advantage of the architecture. These machines are blazing fast.
Given the choice between the current generation of computers with 32 bit processors and the new 64 bit single or dual core models what should you buy if you’re in the market for a new computer? The most important consideration is still “What will the computer be used for?”
Most of the machines in my office are used for word processing and running the workstation application of my case management software. Right now and probably for at least the next couple of years there is no 64 bit version of Microsoft Word or Amicus Attorney. Even after these applications become available in a 64-bit version the 32 bit version will continue to do the job for some time. These applications simply don’t require a lot of processor power. I recently purchased another ‘low end” Dell computer with an Intel Celeron processor for use as a workstation. This relatively slow computer is more than adequate for that purpose.
I also recently purchased a Compaq laptop with an AMD 64 bit processor. I got this computer, not because of the 64 bit architecture, but because it was otherwise a good buy. Although this unit is as fast as its 32 bit competitors with similar clock speeds, it came loaded with the Windows XP Home Edition operation system rather than the 64 bit version of XP. Accordingly, it is still relegated to 32 bit operation for most of its computing functions. This illustrates my point. Without software capable of taking advantage of their full capability 64 bit processors are “ dumbed down” basically to the level of their 32 bit predecessors.
If increased processor speed is what you crave, the dual core chips will deliver that immediately as long as the operating system will handle multiple processors. Windows XP Professional with the appropriate updates and hot fixes will handle the dual core processors as will the XP 64 bit version of XP. Windows Server 2000 and Server 2003 will operate with dual processor servers albeit recognizing them as two and one processors respectively in counting them against the maximum number of processors supported. The processor itself and the operating system handle the task of allocating computer functions between the two cores so the computer overall performs faster.
If I were in the market for a server or a computer to be used as a server for my case management system I would consider paying the extra price of a dual core processor. The system I have works fine but a processor speed increase would be noticeable. Also, the video editing I do requires a great deal of processor time. The increased processor capability would be welcomed there. Otherwise, a dual core processor would be overkill for me. As prices come down, as they inevitably will for new technology I will either purchase or build a new computer with a dual core processor for video editing.
To summarize, the average 32-bit machine is still more than adequate for most applications in a law office but the 64-bit machines are the coming thing. If it’s otherwise a good deal I wouldn’t hesitate to buy one of the 64-bit units now. They aren’t much more than the comparable 32 bit models. However there simply isn’t any 64 bit software currently available for my needs. I will eventually replace my computers with 64-bit models but the total cost of buying a computer bundled with software is less than buying the computer and software separately so I’ll wait for the software to come available before making a wholesale changeover. I’ll probably build or buy a dual core processor computer in the near term for video editing and will eventually replace my server with one.
However, if you want the best, newest, fastest computer available the dual core models are the way to go. Also, for the first time, the Mac has really started to catch my eye. I’ll write more about that later.
E. G. “Gerry” Morris is a solo practitioner and has practiced law for over 27 years in Austin, Texas. He is certified as a Criminal Law Specialist by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. His firm web site is at www.egmlaw.com. Email your comments and questions to Gerry at tech@egmlaw.com.
September 18, 2005
Buying Computers – What to Consider
By Gerry Morris
My colleagues often ask me, “What computer should I buy?” With all the different brands and configurations available it can get confusing. Here are some general suggestions of things to consider.
I’ll talk first about desktop computers, but a lot of the same considerations also apply to laptops. When deciding on a computer, the first question to consider is, what will be its function? Will it be a server or workstation? Then ask, what software will be required to perform that function? For instance, if the desktop computer will be a server, what operating system will it run? (Windows Server 2003, Linux, etc). What other server based software will be on the machine? (Amicus Attorney Administrator, Microsoft Exchange Server, etc.). If the computer will be used as a workstation, what software will be required for it to perform its intended functions. What operating system will it run? (Windows XP Home Edition, Windows XP Professional Edition, Mac OS X, etc). What office suite will be used? (Microsoft Office, WordPerfect, etc). What other applications will be installed on the machine? (Amicus Attorney, Time Matters, Quickbooks, etc.)
It is important to determine the software the computer will run so that the hardware can be bought to match the software applications’ requirements. Each software application will have minimum and recommended requirements listed in its accompanying, literature, on the manufacturer’s web site, and probably on the outside of the box if purchased retail. For instance Microsoft states the system requirements for Server 2003 Standard Edition to be as follows:
PC with a 133-MHz processor required; 550-MHz or faster processor recommended (Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition supports up to four processors on one server)
128 MB of RAM required; 256 MB or more recommended; 4 GB maximum
1.25 to 2 GB of available hard-disk space
CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive
VGA or hardware that supports console redirection required; Super VGA supporting 800 x 600 or higher-resolution monitor recommended.
Of course, for the server to be of any use in an office network it has to be connected to the other computers via an Ethernet network. So, a network interface card (NIC) would be a must.
Other software running on the server might require a more powerful processor, more RAM or significant hard drive space. If your electronic document files are going to reside on the server, you would want significantly more hard disk space. Amicus Attorney X, Amicus’ web based case management application, requires a processor with a speed of at least 1.5 GHz but the recommended processor speed is at least 2 GHz. I can tell you from my experience with the demo version of this product, it will not function well with a processor slower than recommended.
However, servers ordinarily don’t require any more than garden-variety graphics capability. Just about any Super VGA card and monitor combination will do. This is the place to utilize your older monitors that you’ve replaced with flat panel displays.
One consideration with servers is the type of backup you’ll be using. On option to consider is RAID array that creates a redundant hard drive. Basically, the server has two identical hard drives that are written to simultaneously. If one fails the other carries on. You simply replace the failed drive and the system creates another duplicate of the healthy drive. I’ve lost three hard drives on my server in the last three years. Each time, the system continued to operate on the healthy drive and I simply replaced the faulty drive as soon as I could.
A RAID array may be created by special hardware sometimes available on the motherboard. RAID controller cards can be added but it’s preferable to buy a computer with a RAID controller included on the motherboard. Windows Server 2000 and 2003 allows a redundant RAID array to be created through the software. I use this capability on my server. On my desktop, I use an Adaptec PCI RAID controller card. The difference is what happens when a disk fails. On my desktop, I get a message that a disk has failed and the system continues to operate on the healthy disk. If I shut the computer down it will continue to boot on the good disk. I can replace the crashed disk, restart the computer, delete the reference in the card’s bios to the old disk and create a new disk array including the new disk. (This sounds complicated but it only takes a few keystrokes guided by a menu.) The computer then restarts and the healthy disk is duplicated to the new disk restoring redundancy.
With the Windows Server 2000 RAID array, if the number one disk fails (my terminology) the computer won’t boot until I swap the controller cables on the drives. This takes about 30 seconds. The computer will then boot normally. When I replace the bad drive there is a menu in the server software that guides me through restoring redundancy. There are ways to get around having to swap cables. If the motherboard allows the system to boot from the second hard drive, a simple bios change will accomplish the same thing. There is a way to create a floppy disk that can be booted from, that will change the boot sequence from one disk to the other. I’ve never bothered to create the disk. Changing the cables is pretty simple.
I highly recommend a redundant RAID array for servers. It’s the best first line of defense to data loss due to hardware failure. You should also plan some other type of backup for your irreplaceable data. There are a lot of options: tapes; CDs, DVDs, removable or portable drives or offsite storage via the Internet. I’ll discuss some off these options in more detail in a later column. What I use, in addition to my redundant RAID array, is a Maxtor II USB hard drive connected directly to my server. I use the backup software included with Server 2000 to conduct automated daily differential backups of my data. A differential backup includes all files changed since the last full backup. About once a month I conduct a full backup. I then back up the backup file to a DVD and take it home. I also back up a differential backup file about once a week and take it home. That way, if my office burns down, I’ll have my data current to within a week. Ideally, I should copy the differential backup files to a DVD more often.
Getting back to the basic system, I recommend finding the sweet spot on the processor speed price grid. When a faster processor is introduced into the market, it initially has a hefty price tag much higher than the ones from about two releases ago. When later models best it, its price declines. A computer with the newest fastest processor may be several hundred dollars higher than last year’s fastest processor. For instance, checking the price list of a discount retailer of processors recently, I found that the price for an Intel 3.8 GHz processor was $669 while an Intel 3.4 GHz was $299 and a 3.0 GHz version was $194. Unless I really needed the processor speed for some process intensive application (I don’t have one in my law office) I wouldn’t pay an additional $370 for .4 GHz more performance. However, I might kick in another $105 for the jump between 3.0 and 3.4 MHz although I really wouldn’t need that much power either. When you compare the prices computers that only differ in processor speed you’ll see what I mean.
Increases in the amount of RAM in a computer will often affect performance more profoundly than small increases in processor speed. I recommend exceeding the amount of RAM recommended for your software. A good starting place is 512 MB. Add more if the software recommends 512 MB.
The same considerations apply for buying desktop workstations except that esthetics may play a role if the computer will be used in the public eye. Flat panel screens are more attractive and easier on the user than CRTs. They also take less space on the desktop.
In the Windows environment there is a choice of two versions of Windows XP: Professional Edition and Home Edition. Professional Edition is about $100-150 more on a new computer. One of the important differences between the two is their network capability. If you are working in a network environment that requires you to log onto a domain, you have to have Windows XP Professional Edition. Also, if the Workstation will be used as a server for your network, Professional Edition is the way to go. Home Addition limits the number of simultaneous network connections to five.
When purchasing a new computer it’s a lot cheaper to buy the office suite (Microsoft Office, Wordperfect Office, etc) already installed. Its about twice as expensive to by a version of Microsoft Office off the shelf as it is to purchase it in conjunction with a new computer.
If the workstation will be used for something like capturing and editing video or editing digital photos, pay particular attention to the video card requirements of the software. These functions require higher-grade video hardware with special capabilities. For basic word processing however, video requirements are low.
I use basic no frills Dell computers for workstations. Word-processing, accounting, and even scanning simply doesn’t require high-end equipment. I recommend spending the savings on a top of the line scanner.
When purchasing a notebook or laptop computer, in my judgment, its even more important to determine what the computer’s mission will be (i.e. where, and how the computer will be used). For instance the notebook best suited for carrying around in a briefcase all day long primarily for note taking and data access will be quite different from the one best suited to function as a desktop replacement. Still another model will be the choice for multimedia editing and viewing. The different manufacturers of notebook computers basically balance the relationship between, size, weight, battery life and features and computing capacity to come up with their various models to fulfill different roles.
I use a notebook computer when I travel to carry my data from my paperless office with me, to connect to the Internet to use my browser and retrieve my e-mail, and to draft documents. I also use it at home for those same functions when I work there. If I were looking for a computer today, there are several ultra light computers on the market.
The lightest computers, The Sony VAIO T Series, Toshiba Portege’ R100, IBM Thinkpad X series, etc. weigh about 3 lbs or less but compromise computing power and features. Some, for instance the Portege’ and some Thinkpad models, have an external DVD drive. I’ve had a notebook with an external optical drive before and found it to be a hassle. The other obstacle to buying a featherweight computer is the price. In todays market, basically the lighter the computer the higher the price. About two years ago I looked at the available options and I decided to opt for a heavier (4.5 pound) but still small Averatec 3200. The Averatec retailed for about $1,000. Microsoft Office was unavailable from Averatec so I had to purchase it separately.
The one complaint I’ve had with the Averatec computer is battery life. I’m lucky to get over 2 hours when working on a document. I cannot watch an entire DVD on one charge. Great advances have been made in battery life. IBM now boasts that its Thinkpad X series notebooks can run for 8.5 hours on one charge. Sony comes in at about 6 hours or so. Averatec has an ultralight model that goes for 4.5 hours. If I were shopping today for a light laptop I would probably again opt for one that has an internal DVD drive. I’d take a look at the Averatec 1000, the Dell Inspiron 700m (with the optional extended life battery for 5.5 hours operation) or the Sony VAIO T Series.
If size and battery life are not considerations, there are a lot of models to choose from. Just take a look at the advertisements in the Sunday paper. Compaq/HP have several models available at various prices, as do Toshiba, IBM, Averatec, Dell, and others. In what I’ll call the “best price” category of notebook, you should shop for processor speed, included RAM and installed software, just as you would when buying a desktop. Another consideration (on any notebook) is connectivity. With the proliferation of WiFi hotspots, you’ll want a built in WiFi antenna. Bluetooth capability is nice, but simple enough to add with a $25 USB adapter. The “best price” notebooks will function well as a desktop replacement for most tasks in a law office. You’ll get a little weary of lugging them around if you want to take them outside of the office much.
Specialty notebooks, such as those with multimedia capabilities, TV tuners, video editing and capture functions have become more prevalent in the market in the past couple of years. Usually, these notebooks are the largest and heaviest ones with high grade video screens and sound systems. Toshiba has quite a few choices in this end of he market. These machines simply don’t fit what I do with a notebook computer but I’ m sure they’re fun to play with and quite functional for some.
The bottom line with notebooks is you have to shop to see what’s available today. In the past I’ve recommended Sony VAIOs because at that time I thought Sony had the best product in the ultra portable market. A few months later, IBM released new models and I came to the conclusion that Big Blue had the lead. Then Dell released a new model followed by Toshiba. On any given day I couldn’t say who has the best product. To some extent it’s a matter of personal taste and, of course, budget. Speaking of budget, Averatec seems to consistently offer the lowest prices on ultra portable computers albeit with some compromises on performance. Happy shopping.
E. G. “Gerry” Morris is a solo practitioner and has practiced law for over 27 years in Austin, Texas. He is certified as a Criminal Law Specialist by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. His firm web site is at www.egmlaw.com. Email your comments and questions to Gerry at tech@egmlaw.com.
My colleagues often ask me, “What computer should I buy?” With all the different brands and configurations available it can get confusing. Here are some general suggestions of things to consider.
I’ll talk first about desktop computers, but a lot of the same considerations also apply to laptops. When deciding on a computer, the first question to consider is, what will be its function? Will it be a server or workstation? Then ask, what software will be required to perform that function? For instance, if the desktop computer will be a server, what operating system will it run? (Windows Server 2003, Linux, etc). What other server based software will be on the machine? (Amicus Attorney Administrator, Microsoft Exchange Server, etc.). If the computer will be used as a workstation, what software will be required for it to perform its intended functions. What operating system will it run? (Windows XP Home Edition, Windows XP Professional Edition, Mac OS X, etc). What office suite will be used? (Microsoft Office, WordPerfect, etc). What other applications will be installed on the machine? (Amicus Attorney, Time Matters, Quickbooks, etc.)
It is important to determine the software the computer will run so that the hardware can be bought to match the software applications’ requirements. Each software application will have minimum and recommended requirements listed in its accompanying, literature, on the manufacturer’s web site, and probably on the outside of the box if purchased retail. For instance Microsoft states the system requirements for Server 2003 Standard Edition to be as follows:
PC with a 133-MHz processor required; 550-MHz or faster processor recommended (Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition supports up to four processors on one server)
128 MB of RAM required; 256 MB or more recommended; 4 GB maximum
1.25 to 2 GB of available hard-disk space
CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive
VGA or hardware that supports console redirection required; Super VGA supporting 800 x 600 or higher-resolution monitor recommended.
Of course, for the server to be of any use in an office network it has to be connected to the other computers via an Ethernet network. So, a network interface card (NIC) would be a must.
Other software running on the server might require a more powerful processor, more RAM or significant hard drive space. If your electronic document files are going to reside on the server, you would want significantly more hard disk space. Amicus Attorney X, Amicus’ web based case management application, requires a processor with a speed of at least 1.5 GHz but the recommended processor speed is at least 2 GHz. I can tell you from my experience with the demo version of this product, it will not function well with a processor slower than recommended.
However, servers ordinarily don’t require any more than garden-variety graphics capability. Just about any Super VGA card and monitor combination will do. This is the place to utilize your older monitors that you’ve replaced with flat panel displays.
One consideration with servers is the type of backup you’ll be using. On option to consider is RAID array that creates a redundant hard drive. Basically, the server has two identical hard drives that are written to simultaneously. If one fails the other carries on. You simply replace the failed drive and the system creates another duplicate of the healthy drive. I’ve lost three hard drives on my server in the last three years. Each time, the system continued to operate on the healthy drive and I simply replaced the faulty drive as soon as I could.
A RAID array may be created by special hardware sometimes available on the motherboard. RAID controller cards can be added but it’s preferable to buy a computer with a RAID controller included on the motherboard. Windows Server 2000 and 2003 allows a redundant RAID array to be created through the software. I use this capability on my server. On my desktop, I use an Adaptec PCI RAID controller card. The difference is what happens when a disk fails. On my desktop, I get a message that a disk has failed and the system continues to operate on the healthy disk. If I shut the computer down it will continue to boot on the good disk. I can replace the crashed disk, restart the computer, delete the reference in the card’s bios to the old disk and create a new disk array including the new disk. (This sounds complicated but it only takes a few keystrokes guided by a menu.) The computer then restarts and the healthy disk is duplicated to the new disk restoring redundancy.
With the Windows Server 2000 RAID array, if the number one disk fails (my terminology) the computer won’t boot until I swap the controller cables on the drives. This takes about 30 seconds. The computer will then boot normally. When I replace the bad drive there is a menu in the server software that guides me through restoring redundancy. There are ways to get around having to swap cables. If the motherboard allows the system to boot from the second hard drive, a simple bios change will accomplish the same thing. There is a way to create a floppy disk that can be booted from, that will change the boot sequence from one disk to the other. I’ve never bothered to create the disk. Changing the cables is pretty simple.
I highly recommend a redundant RAID array for servers. It’s the best first line of defense to data loss due to hardware failure. You should also plan some other type of backup for your irreplaceable data. There are a lot of options: tapes; CDs, DVDs, removable or portable drives or offsite storage via the Internet. I’ll discuss some off these options in more detail in a later column. What I use, in addition to my redundant RAID array, is a Maxtor II USB hard drive connected directly to my server. I use the backup software included with Server 2000 to conduct automated daily differential backups of my data. A differential backup includes all files changed since the last full backup. About once a month I conduct a full backup. I then back up the backup file to a DVD and take it home. I also back up a differential backup file about once a week and take it home. That way, if my office burns down, I’ll have my data current to within a week. Ideally, I should copy the differential backup files to a DVD more often.
Getting back to the basic system, I recommend finding the sweet spot on the processor speed price grid. When a faster processor is introduced into the market, it initially has a hefty price tag much higher than the ones from about two releases ago. When later models best it, its price declines. A computer with the newest fastest processor may be several hundred dollars higher than last year’s fastest processor. For instance, checking the price list of a discount retailer of processors recently, I found that the price for an Intel 3.8 GHz processor was $669 while an Intel 3.4 GHz was $299 and a 3.0 GHz version was $194. Unless I really needed the processor speed for some process intensive application (I don’t have one in my law office) I wouldn’t pay an additional $370 for .4 GHz more performance. However, I might kick in another $105 for the jump between 3.0 and 3.4 MHz although I really wouldn’t need that much power either. When you compare the prices computers that only differ in processor speed you’ll see what I mean.
Increases in the amount of RAM in a computer will often affect performance more profoundly than small increases in processor speed. I recommend exceeding the amount of RAM recommended for your software. A good starting place is 512 MB. Add more if the software recommends 512 MB.
The same considerations apply for buying desktop workstations except that esthetics may play a role if the computer will be used in the public eye. Flat panel screens are more attractive and easier on the user than CRTs. They also take less space on the desktop.
In the Windows environment there is a choice of two versions of Windows XP: Professional Edition and Home Edition. Professional Edition is about $100-150 more on a new computer. One of the important differences between the two is their network capability. If you are working in a network environment that requires you to log onto a domain, you have to have Windows XP Professional Edition. Also, if the Workstation will be used as a server for your network, Professional Edition is the way to go. Home Addition limits the number of simultaneous network connections to five.
When purchasing a new computer it’s a lot cheaper to buy the office suite (Microsoft Office, Wordperfect Office, etc) already installed. Its about twice as expensive to by a version of Microsoft Office off the shelf as it is to purchase it in conjunction with a new computer.
If the workstation will be used for something like capturing and editing video or editing digital photos, pay particular attention to the video card requirements of the software. These functions require higher-grade video hardware with special capabilities. For basic word processing however, video requirements are low.
I use basic no frills Dell computers for workstations. Word-processing, accounting, and even scanning simply doesn’t require high-end equipment. I recommend spending the savings on a top of the line scanner.
When purchasing a notebook or laptop computer, in my judgment, its even more important to determine what the computer’s mission will be (i.e. where, and how the computer will be used). For instance the notebook best suited for carrying around in a briefcase all day long primarily for note taking and data access will be quite different from the one best suited to function as a desktop replacement. Still another model will be the choice for multimedia editing and viewing. The different manufacturers of notebook computers basically balance the relationship between, size, weight, battery life and features and computing capacity to come up with their various models to fulfill different roles.
I use a notebook computer when I travel to carry my data from my paperless office with me, to connect to the Internet to use my browser and retrieve my e-mail, and to draft documents. I also use it at home for those same functions when I work there. If I were looking for a computer today, there are several ultra light computers on the market.
The lightest computers, The Sony VAIO T Series, Toshiba Portege’ R100, IBM Thinkpad X series, etc. weigh about 3 lbs or less but compromise computing power and features. Some, for instance the Portege’ and some Thinkpad models, have an external DVD drive. I’ve had a notebook with an external optical drive before and found it to be a hassle. The other obstacle to buying a featherweight computer is the price. In todays market, basically the lighter the computer the higher the price. About two years ago I looked at the available options and I decided to opt for a heavier (4.5 pound) but still small Averatec 3200. The Averatec retailed for about $1,000. Microsoft Office was unavailable from Averatec so I had to purchase it separately.
The one complaint I’ve had with the Averatec computer is battery life. I’m lucky to get over 2 hours when working on a document. I cannot watch an entire DVD on one charge. Great advances have been made in battery life. IBM now boasts that its Thinkpad X series notebooks can run for 8.5 hours on one charge. Sony comes in at about 6 hours or so. Averatec has an ultralight model that goes for 4.5 hours. If I were shopping today for a light laptop I would probably again opt for one that has an internal DVD drive. I’d take a look at the Averatec 1000, the Dell Inspiron 700m (with the optional extended life battery for 5.5 hours operation) or the Sony VAIO T Series.
If size and battery life are not considerations, there are a lot of models to choose from. Just take a look at the advertisements in the Sunday paper. Compaq/HP have several models available at various prices, as do Toshiba, IBM, Averatec, Dell, and others. In what I’ll call the “best price” category of notebook, you should shop for processor speed, included RAM and installed software, just as you would when buying a desktop. Another consideration (on any notebook) is connectivity. With the proliferation of WiFi hotspots, you’ll want a built in WiFi antenna. Bluetooth capability is nice, but simple enough to add with a $25 USB adapter. The “best price” notebooks will function well as a desktop replacement for most tasks in a law office. You’ll get a little weary of lugging them around if you want to take them outside of the office much.
Specialty notebooks, such as those with multimedia capabilities, TV tuners, video editing and capture functions have become more prevalent in the market in the past couple of years. Usually, these notebooks are the largest and heaviest ones with high grade video screens and sound systems. Toshiba has quite a few choices in this end of he market. These machines simply don’t fit what I do with a notebook computer but I’ m sure they’re fun to play with and quite functional for some.
The bottom line with notebooks is you have to shop to see what’s available today. In the past I’ve recommended Sony VAIOs because at that time I thought Sony had the best product in the ultra portable market. A few months later, IBM released new models and I came to the conclusion that Big Blue had the lead. Then Dell released a new model followed by Toshiba. On any given day I couldn’t say who has the best product. To some extent it’s a matter of personal taste and, of course, budget. Speaking of budget, Averatec seems to consistently offer the lowest prices on ultra portable computers albeit with some compromises on performance. Happy shopping.
E. G. “Gerry” Morris is a solo practitioner and has practiced law for over 27 years in Austin, Texas. He is certified as a Criminal Law Specialist by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. His firm web site is at www.egmlaw.com. Email your comments and questions to Gerry at tech@egmlaw.com.
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