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TECH SUPPORT on home computers. Lerners has imple- mented a Citrix remote-access system that lets lawyers log on to the fi rm net- work over the internet, open fi les, work on them remotely, and later save changes back to the network. All data passing over the Citrix link is encrypted. The latest mobile data threat comes in the form of USB keys, which are even more easily misplaced than a BlackBerry. If Lerners lawyers absolutely can't use Citrix and don't have a laptop, the IT de- partment will transfer fi les to an encrypt- ed USB key for them. They're instructed — or at least encouraged — to always save fi les back to the key, so they're never sitting unencrypted on a computer. The measures Lerners has taken can EEE PC T he Eee PC is an intriguing idea: a really tiny PC that is extremely easy to use, pro- vides all the basic functions, plus some cool extras, and costs not very much (about $1,000). Asus, the company that makes the Eee PC, intends it for children and other comput- ing newbies, but it's full-featured enough that it might also appeal to experienced users, including lawyers who don't want to carry anything as bulky as a conventional laptop but need more than a PDA. The Eee PC, which runs a variant of the Linux operating system, hits a nice balance between compactness on one hand, and utility on the other. It weighs less than a kilo- gram, yet the keyboard is just big enough to accomodate a stubby-fi ngered touch-typist like me. The seven-inch widescreen LCD screen, while not big enough for extended work ses- sions, is okay for shorter bouts and is vastly superior to a PDA for web browsing and e-mail. While defi nitely a compromise, the machine is still superior to the new ultramobile PCs that run Microsoft's Windows Vista operating system. Their keyboards are too small for touch typing and the screens are even smaller than that of the Eee PC. The fact that the Asus product uses Linux means it can operate effi ciently on a more modest, and thus power-effi cient, processor. The battery will last up to 3.5 hours. The Linux applications are also not familiar Windows programs. They may look like Windows at fi rst glance, but they are not as slick or as full-featured. Still, they provide basic functionality and allow fi les and docu- ments to be imported from Windows computers. The extras? It plays music as well as most PDAs — and better than some. It plays videos (no DVD drive, though), and it comes pre- loaded with Skype, the free internet phone service. Verdict: high cool-quotient, but lots of compromises. www. C ANADIAN Law ye rmag.com FEBRU AR Y 2008 25 exco_LT_Survey_Dec11_06.indd 1 be implemented for other hand-held devices, though not always so easily, and not without add-on software or net- work services. But security is never just a matter of buying technology or fl ip- ping a switch. Some lawyers will resist following security policies if it makes a device even a little less convenient to use. At Lerners, Post admits, resistance is "ongoing." When lawyers kvetch about the incon- venience, he asks them how they would feel if the fi rm's name was splashed all over the front page of The Globe and Mail because of a costly security breach. Most see the point. Gerry Blackwell can be reached at gerryblackwell@rogers.com 11/29/06 1:41:01 PM Gadget Watch