Hi All,

Below is a review of some computer software I noticed in the New York
Times.  I hope folks will pardon my incomplete understanding of the outcome
of the work on EITAAC but I'm curious to know if a result would be that
accessibility of software like this would be evaluated before purchased by
the federal government?


    Telecommuting Right From the Box
By John Breeden II
Government Computer News
Thursday, February 25, 1999; Page E06

My work clothes for this review consisted of a giveaway T-shirt, sweat
pants and bunny slippers, and it wasn't even casual Friday. I tested
Symantec Corp.'s pcTelecommute package at home.

The General Services Administration has been promoting telecommuting for
years, but we've yet to see substantial savings in federal office rents or
a reduction in highway congestion. Still, working from home has made
inroads at a number of agencies, as well as at private businesses. Whether
their employees telecommute occasionally or regularly, they need the right
tools. I can recommend pcTelecommute.

Installation was a breeze. I was up and running at home before I would
typically have arrived at work. Rolling out of bed and walking a few feet
to my home PC certainly cut down on commuting time.

The pcTelecommute suite has two functions. The first sets up a virtual
office; the second keeps in touch with your office network.

On the virtual office side, pcTelecommute tracks incoming calls. If you
have caller ID on your home telephone and a caller-ID-capable modem, each
call will display on your monitor as it rings. You can designate a list of
priority callers and have all others switched to your home answering machine.

You do, however, need a dedicated phone line to make full use of the
program. The package includes good instructions for making your PC, fax
machine, telephone and answering machine share one line. Symantec includes
a dual RJ-11 phone connector.

You can get away with not having a fax machine because pcTelecommute's
fax-management software is powerful. Besides viewing incoming faxes, you
can easily send faxes from your PC and attach files that will print out at
the recipient's end. I tested this portion of the software by exchanging
documents between my home fax machine and one at work. Documents and
attachments came through correctly at both ends.

A big plus: The software's contact manager works with the faxing portion of
the program. You can set up lists of people under different categories so
that everyone in a certain category will receive a fax. In essence,
pcTelecommute makes your home computer work as a fax server.

To satisfy supervisors that you have been busy during the day, the software
logs all incoming calls and outgoing faxes and can quickly generate a
report of these activities.

This first part of the suite alone would be valuable for telecommuters, but
the second part is what makes it truly functional. It keeps your home PC
files synchronized with your office files, provided the office computer is
left turned on, is connected to a modem or the office network and has the
appropriate software installed.

I found it easy to keep files on my office PC updated while working on them
at home. When I was about to shut down, pcTelecommute automatically
prompted me to send updates to files I had opened. I could then choose to
synchronize some or all of the files before quitting.

A remote-control function lets you run programs installed on your work
computer but not on your home PC. I tested this with Microsoft Word, as I
use Corel WordPerfect at home. Although the feature works, performance
depends on the connection speed.

Short of an ISDN or cable modem connection, which some federal
telecommuters are lucky enough to have, I recommend a 56-Kbps modem. I also
tested pcTelecommute with a 36.6-Kbps modem, and it predictably worked more
slowly.

For agencies considering telecommuting, pcTelecommute is an excellent
out-of-box experience. Included is a book by June Langhoff, "The
Telecommuter's Advisor," which I recommend to new telecommuters.

The book briefs you on how to set up space for telecommuting, how to deal
with co-workers back at the office who think you're not busy enough, and
how to keep domestic needs from interfering with your job. It's a good read
and a nice extra, like the phone jack, that shows Symantec wants its users
to succeed.

Committed employees will find pcTelecommute a fast and painless way to get
a virtual office up and running. It helps you do your job efficiently
without ever having to take off your slippers.

To respond, send e-mail to [log in to unmask] or visit the Government Computer
News Web site at www.gcn.com.

pcTelecommute

Symantec Corp.

Cupertino, Calif.

Telephone: 1-800-441-7234


Web address:

www.symantec.com

Pros:

+ Easy to install

+ Synchronizes files with office computer

+ Acts as fax server

+ Can generate daily activity reports for managers

Real-life requirements:

Windows 95, 98 or NT, 16 megabytes of memory, 166-megahertz processor, 56K
modem for fast performance, CD-ROM drive for installation, Caller
ID-capable modem for monitoring calls and faxes, dedicated phone line for
maximum benefit.


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