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Old software, new tricks: keeping a law office equipped with the latest technological gizmos is an expensive - and nearly impossible - task. Before you consider that next system upgrade, make sure you're getting everything you can out of the software you already have.

Article Excerpt
Windows runs your computer, and Word and WordPerfect are the programs you use to type documents. Internet Explorer helps you get around the Internet, and PowerPoint is what you use to do courtroom presentations. We all know what these programs are and what they do, but you may not know all that they can do for you.

Most lawyers never use the software programs installed on their computers for more than the basic tasks they can perform, nor do they ever try to discover some of the other things the programs can do to make their computing lives easier. That's a mistake.

All software programs have shortcuts designed to make using them easier. For example, you can customize most software programs by fight-clicking on their toolbars and selecting Customize. This will give you a dialogue box with lists of various program features. Highlight the particular feature you want to put on the toolbar by left-clicking on it, then drag and drop it wherever you want it on your toolbar. Putting commonly used shortcuts on your toolbar will put the feature right in front of you and save you a great deal of time.

Here are some other tips on how to get more functionality from common software products you already have. But don't stop there. Instead, dive in and explore your software to find even more shortcuts on your own.

Windows XP

How much time do you spend searching your computer for program icons you use all the time? Instead, put those icons at your beck and call.

Take control of the taskbar. If the taskbar at the bottom of your desktop is overflowing with icons you never even look at, you can easily tame that beast. Although Windows XP automatically hides the icons it deems to be inactive, you can tell it to always hide or display whichever icons you select.

* Right-click on the Start menu.

* Select Properties.

* Click on the Taskbar tab.

* Click Customize to see a list of all your current and former taskbar icons.

* Hold the cursor over the icons and use the drop-down menu to change the ones you want to Always Hide or Always Show.

Place icons on your desktop. You can also place a shortcut to any program or file on your desktop.

* Locate the program or file icon in My Computer (available in the Start menu).

* Right-click on it and select Send To.

* Highlight Desktop (create shortcut), and a shortcut to the program or file will appear on the desktop.

Create your own application toolbar. Put the icons...

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