Supplemental Documentation for Time Matters 8 SR1A

After you download SR1A for Time Matters, don’t forget to download the supplemental documention and help files.  These can be found on the Time Matters website in the Service Center.  Login to the Service Center and select Service Release Downloads then the link for Service Release 1A.

On the right side of the window are links to several useful files.  The first, SUPDOCS8SR1A.pdf, is supplemental documentation related to Service Release 1A including information on Acrobat 8 integration and the Time Matters Timesheet.  The second set of links is unique to the different versions of Time Matters (i.e. Business, Legal, Accounting, etc.) and is named TM8BM8SR1ADOCL.EXE with the “L” indicating legal.  Download the one appropriate to your firm and save it to your desktop.  Once downloaded, run this file to update the Time Matters help files on your workstations. 

Spammers and Scammers

Isn’t it bad enough that spammers feel the need to overwhelm our email inbox with offer after offer for everything from financial services to other “services.”  Now they have decided to target blogs as well.  I am probably pretty fortunate that I only have to clear out a half dozen comment spam items each day.  Comment spam is where spammers automatically post a comment that is nothing but a series of links to their sites.  Argh!  Give me a break.  Luckily, the WordPress blogging tool is pretty good at weeding them out.  I simply have to delete them – but what a hassle.

Scammers are even worse.  Several times during the last year, my office has received a solicitation in the mail from someplace called Listingcorp.com.  Listingcorp purports to be a service that enhances your search engine ranking – something I have long considered a scam, as true search engine optimization comes from good website coding not some magical listing service.  The scammers at Listingcorp put them all to shame.  Not only is their line of business a scam – their “solicitation” looks a lot like a bill for $65.00.  So much so that it was passed on to my bookkeeper who entered it as a bill to be paid.  Others have reported the same thing and many have paid the fake bill.  Fortunately, I discovered it before it was paid.

Time Matters Releases SR1A for Version 8

For those of you who did not know, Time Matters 8 allows you to check for available updates by selecting Program Updates – Check for Updates from the Help Menu.  If you check today, you will discover that Service Release 1A for version 8 is available for download and install.

SR1A provides four key enhancements:

• Adobe 8 Integration
• Microsoft Office 2007 Integration
• Windows Vista support
• TimeSheet support added for TM Only users

Remember to close all other applications before you install any Time Matters Service Release.  Also, if you choose to utilize the network autoupdate feature, advise your users to exit all applications and reopen Time Matters first.

Better yet, if you have any questions about installing a Service Release, call ITP.  We are here to help and will make the process is quick and painless.

Windows Vista Free Test Drive

Windows Vista should be hitting the shelves in about a week, along with Microsoft’s newest version of Office.  If you’re like most, you’ll wait at least a short while before implementing the products in your office.  However, you can get a sneak preview of the product right in your web browser.

Microsoft has set up a website that allows you to play around with Vista, as well as Office 2007, via a Virtual Machine web browser plugin.  When first connecting to the site, you’ll be prompted to install an ActiveX control.  Once completed, you will be able to use Windows Vista through your web browser.  To launch the session, click on one of the “Test Drive” buttons (related to any of the new features).  Just about all the operating system functions are available via the Start menu, as well as many full applications such as Office 2007.  Speed is a little slow, but there is a lot of graphic content being pushed through the system.

It’s a great way to get a feel for some of the new functions, such as the new searching capabilities, toolbar functionality, etc.  If you haven’t played around with the Office 2007 betas, now’s your chance to try out Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook 2007.

To access the test drive, use the following link:

http://www.windowsvistatestdrive.com/

John

What Is the Best Way to Integrate Email with Time Matters?

I am asked this question quite often.  I might be among the minority of CICs in this regard, but I never recommend Time Matters as the sole email client for my clients.

First off, I would attempt to use Time Matters Professional as a primary email client.  Eventually, even the volume of emails and attachments will overwhelm the system.  I believe this to be true even in firms that a very good at email housekeeping – and most are not.  While it is not quite as likely to develop problems, I also don’t recommend Time Matters Enterprise for the primary email client for a number of reasons.

First, it was simply not designed for it.  Time Matters has done an outstanding job of developing an email client but, let’s face it, there are other programs that were designed for email and do a better job.  Second, I like to keep my case management system free of junk and, unfortunately, a lot of the email received every day is just that.  Lastly, the integration between Time Matters 8 and Outlook does everything I want it to do, especially when I am using Time Matter Document Management.

For this reason, I recommend my clients use a system in which Outlook serves as the email client for incoming emails but also turn on the MAPI email link in Time Matters.  Emails arrive in Outlook and are sent to Time Matters via TM Connect along with their attachments, which are then saved via Time Matters Document Management before being deleted from the email.  Once I have used TM Connect, I can reply to the email from Time Matters (via the MAPI link) or Outlook, it is related to its attachments, and I can access it from the Email list or sublist.

This method uses the best of both programs.  Outlook can hold a large number of emails in the Inbox and the non-Matter related emails stay there rather than filling up the Time Matters Inbox.  Only the important emails end up in Time Matters and, once there, can take advantage of the case management features I need.

Google Checkout

Google is once again rolling out a new service.  Called “Google Checkout,” it is meant to go head-to-head with Ebay’s favorite payment system, Paypal.

To make signup more tempting, Google is offering pretty nice discounts at a number of online vendors if you pay using Google’s checkout service.  Probably the most attractive is their deal with Buy.com.  If you’re unfamiliar with Buy.com, it is a relatively large online vendor that carries some of the same items as Amazon.com (lots of books, games, videos and electronics).

Google has been running the promotion for $10 off any $30 purchase for awhile.  Now they’ve added a $20 off any $50 purchase.  And to top it off, Buy.com has pretty competitive pricing on most items.  In fact, many books on Buy.com are cheaper than Amazon.  They also offer free shipping on orders over $25.

What does all this mean?  You’ll find deals like this one:

http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=202743519

It’s a 1 gigabyte Kingston Secure Digital memory card.  Buy.com sells it for $50.  Using the $20 coupon will bring it down to $30 immediately.  There’s also a $30 rebate, so the final cost is $0.  Free shipping, no tax charged (at least in Wisconsin).

If you’re looking to pick up a few books, spend $50, use the $20 off to bring it down to $30.  Again, free shipping, no tax.  And, as I mentioned, their book prices are about the same as Amazon, so you’re already getting a great discount.

It’s easy to use Google Checkout.  On the vendors’ websites you’ll see the promotion to check out using Google.  When you click on it, the $20 will automatically be deducted at the Google checkout.  Also note that you can use this as many times as you’d like!  I’ve placed three orders using the system and have not run into any issues.

Another personal favorite of mine is Shop4Tech.com.  Despite the name, it is a reputable site that has been around for years.  Great deals on DVD media and memory.

For a list of all the stores using Google checkout at the moment, you may click on the link below:

http://www.google.com/checkout/holiday/merchants.html

If you have any questions, please feel free to shoot me an e-mail or post here.  The discount is supposedly a holiday promotion, so you’ll want to jump on any deals you find quickly.

Wisconsin Small Firm, Solo and Technology Conference Recap

Another successful year at revamped and renamed Wisconsin Small Firm, Solo and Technology Conference.  I had the honor to present on the subject of email with Art Saffran and Rick Borstein.  Art discussed organizing and searching email as well as spam prevention.  Rick discussed email archiving in the new Adobe Acrobat 8.0.  I spoke on a grab bag of email subjects including hosting and blacklist as well as organizing email in case management systems and document mangement systems.  More on our presentation.

There was lots of traffic at the ITP booth with many old friends dropping by.  If I had to name a few areas that people were particularly interested in, I would say remote access and billing systems – especially PCLaw.  Over the next few days I will post some thoughts on both of these subjects.

Vista, Longhorn Server, and Microsoft Software Protection Platform

Microsoft recently announced that Vista, its new desktop operating system, and Longhorn, its new server platform, will both include a new anti-piracy technology called Microsoft Software Protection Platform. The Business Software Alliance’s most recent report estimates that 35% of software installed around the world is pirated.

The new platform will require users to register their copy of Vista or Longhorn or face limited functionality. This is nothing new. Microsoft has attempted to place similar limits since the release of XP. The new platform might more aptly be described as an “expanded” limitation. Among the features likely to be disabled are Aero, the new graphics capability in Vista. More persistent “You are using an unlicensed copy of Windows” messages are also likely.

Microsoft will apparently continue to allow unlicensed users to receive security updates. Pirated or legal, compromised copies of Windows put everyone at risk and create bad press for Microsoft.

For more information, please see Microsoft White Paper on Software Protection Platform.

How NOT to block spam

Everyone hates sifting through electronic piles of junk mail.  At best, it’s a huge waste of time.  At worst, you can inadvertently open a message that can infect your system with a virus or spyware.  An entire industry has grown out of the desire of individuals and corporations to stop the flood of junk.

While this is generally a good thing, it’s possible to go too far in the wrong direction.

There are a large number of services out there that compile lists of IP addresses of known spammers.  These lists can be useful as part of an overall spam prevention strategy.  When you use one of these services, the service will block messages from IP addresses in their “blacklist.”  However, it’s extremely important to examine where services obtain and how they generate these lists.

What happens if a service you’re using to block spam has a few incorrect IP addresses?  Anyone sending you an e-mail from one of those IP address will have it bounced back.

Now what happens when a service decides to take an entire block of 500 IP addresses and ban them because someone with an IP close to yours has been spamming?  You will be unable to send messages to anyone subscribing to the list. 

What if you switch to a new Internet provider and the IP address you’re now using was previously assigned to a spammer, so is blocked?  Same result – you will be unable to send messages to anyone subscribing to the list until you jump through their hoops to get it removed.

A number of these services are established by groups of individuals as “volunteer” organizations.  Most recently we ran into a large one called “SORBS” (Spam and Open Relay Blocking System).  There’s an excellent Wikipedia article describing the service here:

SORBS entry on Wikipedia

One of our clients that uses TDS DSL recently starting running into issues sending messages to certain domains.  It turns out SORBS decided to add approximately 500 TDS IP addresses to its blacklist.  Our client did not spam, nor did they have an open relay.  They were just unlucky that someone else with an IP address close to theirs did.  Instead of simply blocking the single IP address causing the issue, SORBS arbitrarily added an entire block of addresses owned by TDS to their system.  In fact, huge companies such as Hotmail, Yahoo and Google have had to deal with incorrect listings on SORBS.

To remove your IP from SORBS is not always an easy matter.  If you Google SORBS you will find many stories of how difficult it can be.  Because SORBS is run by volunteers, and it is a privately maintained list, they answer to no one.

While the goal is noble, SORBS seems to be a company that has pushed too far in the wrong direction.  In fact, some of these organizations are starting to get into legal trouble over these issues.  It’s hard to decide who to root for in situations such as these:

Spamhaus domain name may be suspended

Spamhaus is similar to SORBS in that they maintain a list of IP’s that are supposedly used by spammers.  I have not had the pleasure of dealing with Spamhaus, but based on the article above, it sounds extremely difficult to have your IP removed.  In this case the “spammer” actually won an $11.7 million judgment because Spamhaus would not remove them from their list.  Whether the plaintiff in this particular case actually is not a spammer is debatable.

What’s the solution?  People that utilize services such as SORBS and Spamhaus need to run additional checks against the IP addresses on the list.  It’s never a good idea simply to rely on a single source.  There are plenty of services out there.  In fact, DNSStuff.com will display hundreds of lists when you use the site to determine whether your IP is listed on any services.

In addition, the services need to be more responsive to valid user requests for removal from the list. 

Finally, they need to avoid applying overbroad policies when an IP address that is spamming is found.

If you have any questions at all, you can e-mail me at john@itprosusa.com.