Reach Out and Touch Someone
by Gary Woods

I've done a lot of tech support for people. But when I moved here from Los Angels about 3 years ago I still had some clients that wanted that personal touch but were unwilling to pay my exorbitant portal-to-portal fees. For them I started using a piece of software called LapLink. I installed it on their machines in Los Angeles and then on mine here and with it I could basically do anything I could do if I were there except replace hardware.

It was pretty cool to login to their machines and all of a sudden their desktop was sitting on my screen. I've done virus scans, reconfigured software options and even rebooted their computer remotely. If you need to access your office computer from your home LapLink is great and retails for about $100.

But, if your needs for manipulating files is more heavy duty and you spend a lot of time traveling you should look into GoToMyPC. This local company allows you to wander the globe and check into your office from any computer in the world connected to the Internet even over dialup. The file transfer feature allows you to send and receive files, folders and directories including those on the rest of your home or office network. And the chat feature allows you to carry on a conversation with someone sitting at the remote terminal. GoToMyPC is $19.95 per month and located at https://www.gotomypc.com/.

If you have any suggestions or questions for me please drop me a note at garyandlaury@santabarbaraproperties.com or see my column on the Internet at http://www.santabarbaraproperties.com or call me at (805) 729-0910