Macs in Law Offices

[DMALEK]

Hi all,

I'm doing a little informal research for an attorney friend of mine
about life with a Macintosh. Specifically, we're interested in
anyone's comments good or bad related to using a Mac in legal
practice. For example, are PCs or Macs superior for certain tasks
specific to a law practice? If so, what are those tasks? If you
have any experience using small networks, which are superior (PC,
Mac, or a combination of the two)? I'm just trying to get a feel for
the relative advantages and/or disadvantages of a very small PC
network using IBM compatibles or Macs in a small legal practice. Any
help, comments, or suggestions you could give me would be greatly
appreciated.

Thanks very much,

David
DMA...@AOL.COM

[Henry J. Murphy]

On 27 Jun 1994 20:49:13 -0400, dma...@aol.com writes:

I personally have the PC superior in the law office for a number of reasons:
1. With the emergence of Windows 3.1 programing the ease of use argument
really does not apply anymore.
2. The cost and availability of software, including rules of Court forms on
disk, in the PC arena is a factor.
3. Deposition or Discoveries, as we call them in Canada, are transcribed by
moust Court reporters on a PC because of the cost of hardware and if your
lawyer friend is into litigation this is a factor.
4. Entry level for a secretary in a small office should be minimum 386SX with
4 meg ram and 120 meg hard drive, running windows. This allows her to jump
in windows from WordPerfect, to Timeslips, to Q&A for client database with
ease.
These are my thoughts.

Henry Murphy
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MURPHY Moncton, N.B. Canada
COLLETTE Voice (506) 856-8560
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~~~~~~~~ Email mu...@nbnet.nb.ca

[Ben Fetherston]

In <2v01h3$b...@panix.com> mu...@nbnet.nb.ca (Henry J. Murphy) writes:

>On 27 Jun 1994 20:49:13 -0400, dma...@aol.com writes:

> I personally have the PC superior in the law office for a number of reasons:
>1. With the emergence of Windows 3.1 programing the ease of use argument
>really does not apply anymore.

As a lawyer in an office using both Windows and Macs, I can't disagree
more. The user interface of Macs is still more intuitive and easier for a
new user to learn than with Windows. In addition, Windows, because it is
an "add on" type of software, is much slower.

>2. The cost and availability of software, including rules of Court forms on
>disk, in the PC arena is a factor.

I have had no problems with this due to Apple File Exchange. I get all
of the state bar association forms in DOS format, open Apple File
Exchange, convert the files and I'm in business.

>3. Deposition or Discoveries, as we call them in Canada, are transcribed by
>moust Court reporters on a PC because of the cost of hardware and if your
>lawyer friend is into litigation this is a factor.

As indicated above, Apple File Exchange eliminates any perceived problem.

>4. Entry level for a secretary in a small office should be minimum 386SX with
>4 meg ram and 120 meg hard drive, running windows. This allows her to jump
>in windows from WordPerfect, to Timeslips, to Q&A for client database with
>ease.

The Apple Quadra 610 running System 7 can out perform and under price
this 386SX system. In addition, the Mac can do multitasking much better.
For example my secretary can be printing, do word processing and switch
to timekeeping or calendar applications while continuing to print,
without any detectable degradation of performance. I have yet to observe
any thing like this in our Windows systems here in the office.
--
bfe...@teleport.COM Public Access User --- Not affiliated with TECHbooks
Public Access UNIX and Internet at (503) 220-1016 (2400-14400, N81)

[Henry J. Murphy]

On 1 Jul 1994 15:22:39 -0400, bfe...@teleport.com writes:
>
>In <2v01h3$b...@panix.com> mu...@nbnet.nb.ca (Henry J. Murphy) writes:
>
>>On 27 Jun 1994 20:49:13 -0400, dma...@aol.com writes:
>
>> I personally have the PC superior in the law office for a number of reasons:
>>1. With the emergence of Windows 3.1 programing the ease of use argument
>>really does not apply anymore.
>
>As a lawyer in an office using both Windows and Macs, I can't disagree
>more. The user interface of Macs is still more intuitive and easier for a
>new user to learn than with Windows. In addition, Windows, because it is
>an "add on" type of software, is much slower.
>
>>2. The cost and availability of software, including rules of Court forms on
>>disk, in the PC arena is a factor.
>
>I have had no problems with this due to Apple File Exchange. I get all
>of the state bar association forms in DOS format, open Apple File
>Exchange, convert the files and I'm in business.

HANK: Apple file exchange is add on software and as such is a complicating
factor rather than a simplifying one. Whenever you convert from on format to
the other even on the same platform you lose something. Formating is not
perfect and a transcript that was 78 pages on one program can be 85 on the
other. Time is money and simplicity is even more money.

>
>>3. Deposition or Discoveries, as we call them in Canada, are transcribed by
>>moust Court reporters on a PC because of the cost of hardware and if your
>>lawyer friend is into litigation this is a factor.
>
>As indicated above, Apple File Exchange eliminates any perceived problem.

Hank: same as above.>

>>4. Entry level for a secretary in a small office should be minimum 386SX with
>>4 meg ram and 120 meg hard drive, running windows. This allows her to jump
>>in windows from WordPerfect, to Timeslips, to Q&A for client database with
>>ease.
>
>The Apple Quadra 610 running System 7 can out perform and under price
>this 386SX system. In addition, the Mac can do multitasking much better.
>For example my secretary can be printing, do word processing and switch
>to timekeeping or calendar applications while continuing to print,
>without any detectable degradation of performance. I have yet to observe
>any thing like this in our Windows systems here in the office.

hank: if you don't know the system don't comment. I don't know McIntosh that
well. HOWEVER doesn't the ultimate answer depend on what the rest of the legal
community in your area is using. If its PC than thats where the help is when
you're discussing this at the local braserie (bar in the US).
HANK

[Char Roberts]

It's a tough call since both machines can do a fine job. What we
found, though, was that it was very difficult to find temp sctys
trained on anything other than WordPerfect DOS/Windows. This may
have changed since we first decided to go with PCs about 3 years
ago, but it ended up being the deciding factor for us at that time.
We have no regrets and have never had a complaint (pun intended) about
our system from regular employees or temporaries.

--Char

DMALEK (dma...@aol.com) wrote:
: Hi all,

: I'm doing a little informal research for an attorney friend of mine
: about life with a Macintosh. Specifically, we're interested in
: anyone's comments good or bad related to using a Mac in legal
: practice. For example, are PCs or Macs superior for certain tasks
: specific to a law practice? If so, what are those tasks? If you

............... etc

[MikeL52]

In article <2uns29$5...@panix.com>, dma...@aol.com (DMALEK) writes:

>we're interested in anyone's comments good or bad related to using a Mac
in legal practice.<

I have used a Mac in my law practice since 1987, and would not have
anything else. Many of my partners have PC's and are limited to using just
a few programs because of the increased training time needed for DOS or
Windows programs.
Do not believe the propaganda about Windows being as easy to use as the
Mac. We have to keep people on staff to provide tech support for the PCs.
The Mac users take care of themselves, and do so in less time and with
more efficiency.

Mike