Who Has the Fastest Computer in Your Office?
Years ago, when I was a computer consultant. I would see secretaries, paralegals and support staff with under powered machines, while the boss man would have the fastest, shiniest box on the market. What does he use that monster machine for? “Nothing. Every now and then he’ll check e-mail.”
So let me get this straight. The person who uses the most computing horsepower has the slowest computer and the person who uses his computer the least has the fastest most expensive one? Yep.
Who uses the computers in your office the most? And do they have the tools they need to succeed?
I think these days lawyers, secretaries and legal assistants have comparable desktop technology. Lawyers do a lot more of their own computer work than in the old days (5-10 years ago) and secretaries do a lot less, in my opinion. The one exception I can think of is printers - most lawyers don't even have one, or if they do, they have old cast-offs, while their secretaries have the high-powered machines. Help-desk employees probably have more sophisticated equipment, but I don't know that for sure.
LawGirl,
I agree with you. Back in my day, the lawyers had 486 computers on their desktops while the staff had to deal with 286 computers.
I think the technology has evened out to a degree. However....in my mind, it's not a matter of the equipment so much as it is a matter of attitude of the lawyers/management.
You are right on that lawyers are slowly becoming more tech savvy, though. The younger generation has grown up with computers.
Well, if your point is that lawyer/management's overdeveloped sense of privilege, entitlement and hierarchy frequently leads to absurd (and inefficient) results, well, you'll get no argument from me.
I guess that *is* my argument. As a lawyer/boss, I would phrase it a little more diplomatically. But yep, that's my pony without the pretty clothes.
