Archive for ‘Software’

January 15th, 2010

January Update – Riding the Cloud

by admin

This New Year, our heart goes out to the victims of the Haiti Disaster, what a way to begin the year. The death toll is said to be unimaginable and aid is barely trickling in. Haiti needs your help and your prayers. Read this for more information.

There has been a general outcry from Nigerians all around the world over the inclusion of Nigeria among the terrorist nations of the world. The argument is that one Mutallab does not a terrorist nation make. Then again, the fact remains that since the attempted bombing, we have not heard anything from the President about it. In law, silence is taken to be consent. Does that mean that the President condones the actions of the young man? We think it is more an issue of the President not being in any state to say anything about the fiasco. Which brings us to the question: why is the Vice President not acting for the President right now?

Apparently, this question has weighed heavily in the minds of most right-thinking Nigerians, especially as the President by his long absence, is in direct contravention of the constitutional provision contained in Sections 5 (1) and 148 (1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Bowing under the pressure of several civic groups and patriotic minded Nigerians, including the Nigerian Bar Association, a High Court in Abuja finally granted the Vice President the power to exercise the functions of the President as delegated to him by the President. What does that mean? Though the words seem a bit vague, they in essence mean that the Vice President cannot act in his own initiative but only to the extent that the President allows him to. As preposterous as this is, we can only wait and watch how Vice President Goodluck handles himself.

Cloud computing seems to be the rage these days. Basically, cloud computing is about storing your data on a drive somewhere in the ‘cloud’. Once you have connection to the internet, you have your data. Goodbye external harddrives, goodbye USB flash drives and who cares if the computer crashes? Or at least that is supposed to be the general attitude. However, I have no idea how this will impact on everyday legal practice in terms of security and privacy of data. Can you really put your client’s confidential data out there in the ’sky’ and be sure of it’s safety? Do you even want to take the risk? With Google, one of the lead providers of cloud computing threatening to pull out of China because of restrictions and hacking…yes, hacking, it makes one a bit sceptical. Just recently, Gmail, Google’s mail provider was hacked into; the safety and security of the Cloud remains to be seen.

Writing on security, are you a facebooker and are you worried about your privacy on facebook? Check back here for 5 Tips to keep you secure and private on facebook.

As this is the first month of the year (and the first post), something needs to be said about goal-setting. Too many legal practitioners treat their practice like it is a hobby. If your legal practice is not your primary source of income, then it is alright to treat it that way. But if it is where you pay the bills from, some perception reorganization and prioritizing needs to take place. What would you like to achieve in 2010? How would you go about achieving these? That is Goal Setting. Be realistic in your expectations and do not be afraid to go for what you want.

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Have a lovely weekend!

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December 16th, 2009

Technology – An Inevitable Aspect of a Freelancer’s Success

by admin

Technology – An Inevitable Aspect of a Freelancer’s Success

By Matthew John Williams

Freelancing has emerged out as one of the most successful career trends in modern times. To associate with it, one cannot deny the gift of technological advancement. Technology has eliminated the limitation of time and place to a great extent. A freelancer has now got the privilege of meeting his/her requirements-which perhaps would not have been possible without technology.

Now a day’s Freelance jobs makes freelancer self employed. Self employment brings more confidence to freelancer to make life easier by earning some extra money.

In today’s a large number of people are capable to make careers out of freelancing is technology. Technology allows us to stay connected with the people that help us to get our jobs done, to know and to get our jobs more quickly from remote locations and to dynamic access the information that we need in order to do our work efficiently. But there are so many different kinds of technology over there and new technology & stuff emerging every day that it’s hard to know what you need to have and what you can skip.

Here’s a list of basic technology that every freelancer should have, technology that preferred most for freelances.

Every freelancer should have a telephone to stay connected with people who wants to get in touch. More specifically cell phones that support new technologies like voice mails. And also consider this telephone as a business telephone. This will gives you a flavor of professionalism at your work and help freelancers to keep their business more reliable and streamlined.

It’s very common thing that every freelancer need a computer, it’s the life line of how the job done, more specifically freelancer should have a laptop that has wireless capabilities to get internet service which has reliable, high speeds and continuous service. You can also use your laptop as electronic data storage, information data that you will gather from internet it can be save on your computer, and you can do research on that information when you have time to spent. At last computer or laptop will help you to stay in touch with your clients.

As a freelancer, your data should be safe. Make sure that all of your data is secure by providing hardware and software based firewall. A properly installed and configured firewall will keep hackers away from your important and valuable information. It’s also recommend that you incorporate a backup system in your security center. That is way by which you can save a copy of all of your data on your computer if you loose your information or get corrupted.
Every freelancer should have Fax, Scanner, and Printer to meet technological demands. Freelancer who has a scanner can make use of online fax.

If you have a freelance business, it is mandatory to have a corporate website where you can show your portfolio to your clients. And it’s strongly recommended that freelancers have a search engine optimized website.

A growing freelance business needs a professional email address. Free e-mails like Gmail, hotmail are not very professional. This means that using your business website’s domain name as your email address is more professional.

To work in specific domain requires specific software. Even for general purpose a freelancer should consider working with the following softwares:

Microsoft Office: A full office package that includes word, excel, outlook, PowerPoint is the minimum requirement for a freelancer to perform daily operations.

Accounting software: In order to keep track of the financial matters accounting software is a must.
Database software: Maintenance of the large number of files in an organized manner makes database software inevitable.

Marketing software: Marketing software enables a freelancer to send newsletters, keep contacts organized and also increase marketing

Matthew Williams is the contributing writer of Freelancemanagementbank. He is specialized in writing articles about freelancer.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Matthew_John_Williams
http://EzineArticles.com/?Technology—An-Inevitable-Aspect-of-a-Freelancers-Success&id=3299035

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July 20th, 2009

Unveiling Windows 7 (I)

by Henry


Microsoft is at it again. Barely 2 years after the release of the long awaited Operating system, Vista (code-named Longhorn), it has announced the release of a successor:Windows 7. Unlike its predecessor Windows Vista, which saw users face compatibility issues in trying to migrate from Windows XP, Windows 7 promises a seamless transition, says senior vice president, Bill Veghte. Bill Gates has stated in an interview with newsweek that new OS will be geared towards improving its performance and they intend doing so by locating and fixing inefficient block of code that will help enhance certain areas of the Operating System.

NEW FEATURES

After learning of the Release candidate version of the new O.S (available for download), I had it installed on my laptop and from the desktop after booting, it’s easy to see the changes right from the new Taskbar with its large icons (which can be customized) replacing the Quick Launch bar in Vista to the new Jumplists that allow for easy access to common tasks like reopening files opened previously in that application. The Quick Launch tool bar has been integrated into the task bar by enabling the pinning of applications directly on it. Obviously the task bar is the most eye-catching change you notice once you get the system running. The Show desktop button formerly on the Quick Launch bar has been moved to the far right of the Task bar right after the clock. Clicking the button immediately minimizes all windows and clicking again restores them.

Start-up and shut-down times have also improved and this is great news as I also observed that my battery life also improved. Power Management in Windows 7 is really commendable. The new OS comes with Internet Explorer 8 and Windows media Player 12. It also reintroduces games (Internet Backgammon, Internet Spades, Internet Checkers) that were removed from Windows Vista.

REMOVED FEATURES

Certain features once part of Windows vista are no longer included in Windows 7. Such applications include Windows Ultimate Extras, Windows Calender and Inkball. Others are offered as a free package called Windows Live Essentials and applications under this package include: Windows mail, Movie Maker and Windows Photo Gallery.

In part two of this series I look at the Hardware requirements, the different Versions and the cost of the OS. Overall I’ve done my best in a nutshell to outline my experience of the new Operating System – the new features, the changes and the removals. In intending to keep this simple, only the really basic features and changes were given account of here. It’s a tad bit unfair to jump to conclusions regarding how the OS will be rated all round as there seems to be the notion of Microsoft coming up with Service Pack upgrades after security loopholes get to be exploited. Let’s hope the release of Windows 7 signals the start of a new era of enjoying full stable releases. I look forward to your comments and feedback regarding your experience with Windows 7, the features you love the most, the ones you wish were done away with or better still what more features you’d love to be integrated to the ‘final, I hope’ release to be out on October 22 by Microsoft.

Henry Fimibama is an IT specialist and software developer. For more information, send a mail to info@thenigerianlawyer.com
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July 13th, 2009

Microsoft Office to go online — for free – Big Tech

by admin

Microsoft Office to go online — for free – Big Tech. This is probably violating my posting policy but when I read this on CNN.com I had to re-read it several more times before I could believe it. Then when it sank in, I knew I just had to share!

I’ve written here before about the efficacy of using open source in place of pirated copies of Microsoft Office (as Lawyers and citizens of the world, we should know better!). This is a good opprotunity for you to dispose of that copy you have which did not ‘pass the validation test’. If it is online, and it is free, please try and hook up. Pirated copies are not just outdated, they could earn you a sabbatical in prison.

It is going online today. Check www.microsoft.com for more information.

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June 13th, 2009

Making Partnerships Work: The Internet as a Law Office

by admin

I came to Transcorp Hilton for the 4th Business Law Conference of the Nigerian Bar Associations’ Section on Business Law full of expectations; secure in the knowledge that I would get the opportunity to network in a big way and also learn new ways of making the marriage between Law and Technology more seamless and less stressful. The first surprise I got was at the Sponsored stands. There were at least two Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) providers with their stands, ready to do business. That should not be shocking as SaaS seems to be the new facebook. However, this is Nigeria, so my shock may be excused. I do believe though, that the timing is more than just coincidence as I had been looking into SaaS the week before. Let me share some of my findings with you.

Webopedia defines SaaS as a delivery method that provides access to software and its functions remotely as a Web-based service. SaaS allows organizations to access business functionality at a cost typically less than paying for licensed software since SaaS pricing is based on a monthly fee. In simple English, SaaS is a complete office. Online. A partnership between technology and management. As a Law Office, it provides everything from Case Management, to File Storage and even litigation support. SaaS is the lawyer’s IT nirvana. The beauty of this service is that no additional hardware is needed, software licensing fees are more or less eliminated and it is much cheaper than paying an in-house IT person or firm.

There are two forms of SaaS; it may either be in the form of software which is installed in your computer or software hosted on the internet, in which case you have a freer hard drive.

As magnificent as SaaS sounds, it has been greeted with a lot of suspicion and reservation. This is not entirely unfounded. We are talking about Law, one of the world’s most (if not the world’s most) conservative professions; one in which the principle of client confidentiality is sacrosanct. The lawyer is the custodian of the client’s secrets. The internet was not created with security of information in mind; what happens if a client’s file is hacked? These are questions that are still being answered.

Nevertheless, the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages as the question of breach of client confidentiality is still that of supposition. If you are not comfortable with SaaS on the internet like the services offered by NetDocuments.Com, your practise might want to explore SaaS installed in your computer. It is a hassle free, more organized and environmentally friendly way of practising the legal profession.

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March 29th, 2009

5 Software Tools Every Lawyer Needs (I)

by admin

A Word processor: every lawyer needs a word processor, for documents, legal letters and other forms of written communication. The popular word processor in Nigeria is Microsoft Word and if you have the money, it is a fantastic choice. To cut corners, many people use pirated copies; this is illegal. However, for the not-so-rich legal practitioner, there is a free alternative; the StarOffice 8. I have used it and I can recommend it. It has the Writer for word processing, the Impress for presentations and slide shows and other features as well. One sweet feature of the Writer is the fact that you can easily convert your documents to PDF.

Adobe/Acrobat Reader: This is a software for electronic file sharing. According to the website, it is the only file viewer that can open and interact with all PDF documents. If you do not have this, please stop and download it now! Just click on the icon. It is a safe mode of saving documents and more people are opting for it plus it’s totally free. There is no point saving your documents in PDF format if you cannot even read it!

PDF – Word Converter: After a document has been saved in the pdf format, you might want to convert it back to word especially if you do not have the word file of that document (like if it’s SOMEONE ELSE’s document*). This can be done with a pdf – word converter. There are many premium versions, but I got this free version from FutureLawyer.Com and it worked for me. CAVEAT: it will slow down your computer to an almost stand still while it is converting your document.

Antivirus: The first choice is Norton Antivirus. But that is also the costly choice. Yes, there is a free antivirus. If you have not already guessed it, I am an unapologetic freebie. I love free software, especially open source. I use Avast Home Edition and though it is brutal, I am yet to lose any file. I have stuck by Avast for a while now because my laptop was at crash point and almost over the brink; Avast brought it back so this is definitely a personal recommendation.

Email: What I personally recommend is that you buy your own domain name and a hosting service so that you can get an email address with yourname@yourdomainname.com like Sharon@thenigerianlawyer.com. Failing that, if you must use a free email service, strive for one which has a professional aura such as Gmail and hotmail. Trust me lawyer@hotmail.com sounds better than lawyer@crazyglitch.com … get my drift?

This is the first in a series of posts. If you have any questions or suggestions, please leave a comment.

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October 29th, 2008

Some Useful Stuff for Lawyers

by admin

Words are a Lawyer’s tool therefore it is no surprise that when it comes to technology, what is uppermost in a Lawyer’s mind is how it may further enhance and elucidate those words.

Microsoft word plays a remarkable role in the Lawyer’s professional life. Although a few people are defecting to other free word processors like Star Writer, Microsoft Word still remains the prevalent word processor of choice, at least in Nigeria.

The aim of The Nigerian Lawyer is to enhance the fluidity between Law Practise and Technology; we will concentrate on Microsoft Word. Microsoft Word is a word processor which most Nigerian Lawyers have more than a passing acquaintance with. The majority of the functions are familiar to us such as saving a document, working with margins and fonts and other overt functions. However there are quite a few which even Word veterans might find novel.

In his article on Pcmag.com, Neil J. Rubenking mentioned 8 of these easily overlooked tools. Read the article here.

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