Web Hosts & Uptime

Here is a great chart of web hosts downtime:

% Available - Downtime/year
98% - 7.30 days
99% - 87.6 hrs
99.9% - 8.76 hrs
99.99% - 53 mins
99.999% - 5.25 mins
99.9999% - 31 secs
99.99999% - 3.1 secs

When web hosts promise you 99% or even 99.9% uptime, realistically they a promising you a headache.

Knock on wood, we have been well above 99.99% downtime for the past year (that is around 4 minutes per month).  Our only downtime has been late night reboots to install required patches / security fixes.

by Peter Boyd in General, Knowledge, PaperStreet on May 24, 2007   -    Be the First to Comment
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Best Practices: Email Signatures for Law Firms

I always hate it when I cannot find the contact info of someone I am trying to call immediately.   Even more annoying is when they ask you to call, but no where in the email thread is a phone number.  Yes, I can usually look up their info on the web, but why waste that extra 30 seconds.

Basic Signatures

Make it easy for people to find you, put your contact info in every single response.  Every standard email program has a signature field you can fill out.  Use it.

You should put your signature in the initial sending and every reply.  Keep it simple, with your name, business, phone, website, and perhaps your fax/email.  Nothing fancy is needed, but putting it in every reply makes it super easy for someone to contact you once they get your email.

Disclaimers

I know as lawyers, we love to disclaim.  However, is something like this really needed?

CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This e-mail transmission (and/or the attachments accompanying it) may contain confidential information belonging to the sender which is protected by the attorney-client privilege. The information is intended only for the use of the intended recipient. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or the taking of any action in reliance on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited. Any unauthorized interception of this transmission is illegal. If you have received this transmission in error, please promptly notify the sender by reply e-mail, and then destroy all copies of the transmission.

IRS CIRCULAR 230 NOTICE:  To ensure compliance with recently enacted U.S. Treasury Department regulations, we hereby advise you that, unless otherwise expressly stated, any and all tax advice contained in this communication has neither been written nor intended by the sender or this firm for the use of any taxpayer for the purpose of evading or avoiding tax penalties that may be imposed pursuant to U.S. law.  Furthermore, unless otherwise expressly indicated, the use of any tax advice contained in this communication has neither been written nor intended by the sender or this firm for the purpose of promoting, marketing, or recommending a partnership or other entity, investment plan or arrangement to any taxpayer, and such taxpayer should seek advice on the taxpayer’s particular circumstances from an independent tax advisor.

Seriously, WTF? I know that the IRS dipped its ugly head into the email arena last year when it published the Circular 230 and tax lawyers now have to put that into their emails.  Of course, didn’t anyone complain at that time?  Did no lawyer or IT person speak up and say this is ridiculous?

Since we have a lot of lawyers as clients, I see there signatures on a daily basis.  It surprises me that a lot of firms use that (or some slight variation) as their email signature.  This is a waste of resources and waste of time for several reaons.

First, has anyone ever really read the full disclaimer?  I venture to guess that perhaps a law clerk or junior associate who wrote this initially read it, and perhaps the partner who approved it, but no one else has.  No client, no opposing counsel, nor anyone else has ever read the disclaimers. So why use them if no one will read them?  Does it really protect the firm?  I am pretty sure that the disclaimer will not protect anyone in a court of law.  Can you just imagine this scene:

“Sorry your honor, I did not mean to send this confidential email to the ATLA listserve.  Can you please protect my client’s confidential business secret.  I did have this two paragraph disclaimer at the bottom of the email.  Everyone should have known by that to not forward the email on to their friends.”

Ridiculous.

Second, the disclaimers have a nasty habit of triggering spam filters.  I have seen it time and time again, where law firms call wondering why their email is not getting to their clients.  It’s because their clients are businesses and don’t want to be hit with spam.  Often, the language in the disclaimer is what triggers the spam filter to block the message.  Of course, perhaps it’s doing the client a service by blocking lawyer comments.

Finally, that message takes up 20 KB just on its own. I love it when I get an email from someone that says something short like “OK” and its followed by the large disclaimer.  Now 20 KB is really not a lot of disk space for a single email, but if you multiply that by all the lawyers sending emails in the world every day, and you start to add up to some bandwidth savings:

1 Million Lawyers X 50 emails per day X 20KB = 1,000,000,000 KB of info in just disclaimers.  That is 976,562 MB, or 953 GB per day of wasted space.  Nearly 1 TB of information per day is just being wasted.  Of course, this is the legal community, so waste of time / resources is not something new.

Anyways, if you must put the disclaimer in your email by law, then please do so.  However, keep your confidential disclaimers short and sweet.  Finally, make sure that your contact info at least proceeds all disclaimers.

by Peter Boyd in Knowledge, Organization, PaperStreet on May 24, 2007   -    Be the First to Comment
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Domain Name Switch: Problems with Email or Web Site Not Revolving

At PaperStreet we launch about a web site a week (or eight in the past two weeks if you are counting). One of the most common issues with a new web site launch, on a new web server, is for the client to not be able to see the new site immediately.

It takes anywhere from 5 minutes to 72 hours for a domain name DNS info to propagate across the internet. Most often it happens immediately or within a few hours. Sometimes it takes a bit longer.

If you are ever having issue with a single computer, or single network that simply wont update to the new site, or simply won’t send email to the new server, then do this command on that effected computer:

1. Click Start > Run

2. Type the following and hit enter:

c:/> ipconfig /flushdns
3. That is it. It should clear the DNS cache of the computer and the computer will then re-query the internet to see where traffic should be pointed.

Thanks!

by Peter Boyd in Coding, PaperStreet on May 19, 2007   -    Be the First to Comment
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Google Local Search Results

Now that Google Local search results are part of the main listings, it is wise to make sure that all businesses have submitted their addresses to Google.

To do so, simply go here.

by Peter Boyd in Optimization, PaperStreet on May 18, 2007   -    Be the First to Comment
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PaperStreet Selected to Create New Web Site for Harris, Creech, Ward & Blackerby, P.A.

The PaperStreet design team will be working hard to create a brand new web site for Harris, Creech, Ward & Blackerby, P.A.The new site will allow users to easily navigate through information while promoting the firm’s unique image. Soon you will be able to check it out for yourself!

Harris, Creech, Ward & Blackerby, P.A. is a full service law firm founded in 1990 to provide outstanding representation and service to clients, primarily in defense of professional and personal liability claims.

Harris, Creech, Ward & Blackerby is recognized and well respected in the defense of physicians, hospitals and other health care providers against malpractice liability suits. Applying that strength and expertise, the firm defends other professionals, businesses and organizations against liability claims of all kinds, including professional liability, products liability and employment related claims.

by Raúl José in Design, Legal, PaperStreet on May 16, 2007   -    Be the First to Comment
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PaperStreet to Redesign site for TurboVision Inc.

PaperStreet is ready to put its creative team to work on crafting its newest masterpiece: the redesigned site of TurboVision Inc. The new site will be accessible and efficient, but will also have the professional style that is inherent in all PaperStreet creations. Check back soon to see it for yourself!

TurboVision was founded in 1992 and helps its customers achieve a competitive advantage by carrying out, directing and/or guiding innovative new product strategic planning, technology development, new product design and validation, product cost reduction, and new manufacturing process development for heavy-duty industrial and aircraft gas turbines and other turbomachinery.

Each of the approximately 30 members of the TurboVision staff typically has about 30-40 years of experience in a particular field and is a leader who pioneered the design, development, marketing, manufacturing or repair of gas turbines. They have played key rolls in the design of the highest efficiency aero engine in the world, and the highest efficiency heavy duty power generation unit in the world. They also have extensive experience in designing units that must operate in very erosive / corrosive environments such as units that pump blast furnace gas.

by Raúl José in Business, Design, PaperStreet on May 16, 2007   -    Be the First to Comment
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PaperStreet to Redesign DisabilityAttorney.net

PaperStreet is proud to announce that Mike Murburg, P.A. has entrusted them with the redesign of his site, disabilityattorney.net. Mr. Murburg is another returning client. A year ago, PaperStreet optimized his content and turned disabilityattorney.net into a highly ranked legal website.

Mike Murburg, P.A. is Florida disability law firm dedicated to the zealous representation of its clients. It is the mission of the firm to responsibly represent the injured and disabled and to pursue their rights and to obtain the fullest amount of compensation that the law will allow.

by Raúl José in Design, Legal, PaperStreet on May 16, 2007   -    Be the First to Comment
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Texas Injury Lawyer – Gregg Price

Sulphur Springs’ injury attorney Gregg Price has launched a new website for his firm.

Gregg Price’s firm is based on single and unwavering purpose. That sole purpose is to help the people they serve and to protect their rights under the law. His practice areas include:

• Personal Injury & Wrongful Death
• Medical Injuries
• Vehicle Accidents

Contact him now to discuss your case and your options. Check out his recent cases to better understand why he is the injury lawyer for you.

by Raúl José in Legal, PaperStreet on May 16, 2007   -    Be the First to Comment
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Page Rank Explained Visually

This is a great post about Google’s PageRank.

While PageRank always seems to be outdated, it is a good general way of viewing a sites overall popularity.  Of course, popularity does not necessarily mean high rankings.

PaperStreet.com is currently at a PR 6 and most of our clients range from 4 to 6.  However, we have some top ranked sites with a PR of 2 and even 3.  I also know that some PR 7 and higher sites rank lower for certain keyword phrases.

It just all depends on the quality of the site’s content and the keyword phrases that you are targeting.

by Peter Boyd in Optimization, PaperStreet on May 15, 2007   -    Be the First to Comment
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Nashville DUI Lawyer – DUItrouble.com

Lee Martin, a Tennessee DUI Defense Attorney, has launched a new web site for his law office.

For over 10 years, Lee Martin’s practice has primarily focused on defending those accused for driving under the influence. Because of his expertise in the field, Martin has crafted an incredible DUI defense using several elements. These are:

• Mistakes of the Police
• Things the state does not want you to know about your case.
• DUI Checklist
• 8 Mistakes Most Lawyers Make

Have you been charged with driving under the influence? Contact Lee Martin now so that he may begin working on your defense.

by Raúl José in Legal, PaperStreet on May 15, 2007   -    Be the First to Comment
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