The end of two eras means changes ahead for most law firms.

Eras come and go with Pentium-like speed in the computer world. So say goodbye to WordPerfect and hello--if you haven't already--to the picture-dominated computer commands created by Macintosh and adopted by Microsoft. Your law firm should be warmed up and ready to move along the road of change. Firms that do not keep up with technology may well be left behind.

Living in a world without WordPerfect may seem preposterous if you've been tapping away on the popular MS-DOS word-processing software program since you were a computer neophyte. But I give Microsoft Word for Windows the clear edge in the legal market for several reasons.

Here's the story: In the early 1980s--particularly after the IBM PC was introduced in August 1981--WordStar was the dominant word-processing applications program in the law office market. In fact, most of us thought the folks at WordPerfect were fighting a losing battle by trying to compete. However, WordStar vendor MicroPro Corp. seemed to get complacent. Over the years, WordStar literally disappeared from the law office and was replaced by the DOS version of WordPerfect.

The future of WordPerfect seemed assured in 1994 when Novell, the dominant computer networking company in the world, purchased WordPerfect Corp. The pairing of the networking giant and WordPerfect's word-processing program with its suite of software products was a natural. (See Software Mega-Merger May, Be Boon to Law Offices, TRIAL, Dec. 1994, at 85.)

Meanwhile, Windows had been on the scene for some years, but the 3.x series of software was still not reliable enough for most law firms. And it was almost impossible, even for the most technically oriented person, to install on local area networks (LANs).

Then there were cost concerns to consider. Until recently, the price of 486-style computers or Pentium-based systems--which are required in order to get the speed and performance from Windows that law offices demand--was just too high for most firms.

Windows 95 Comes to Market

Then Windows 95 arrived last August --a versatile and easy-to-use version of Windows with a graphical user interface (GUI) that looks and acts like the Macintosh. At the same time, the cost of a Pentium-based computer has fallen substantially, as have the costs of other hardware devices, such as huge hard-disk drives, high-speed modems, and multi-speed CD-ROMs.

(I recall that my first hard drive in the mid- 1980s cost about $2,500 for 10 megabytes of storage. Today, a gigabyte hard drive costs about $250 and offers 100 times the storage for one-tenth the cost. Likewise, my first modem cost $450. Now, high-speed 28.8 bps modems are available for under $200, and CD-ROM disk drives that used to cost well over $1,000 are priced in the $100 to $300-plus range, depending on the manufacturer and speed.)

All of this is to say that, for most of us, a more powerful operating system--Windows 95--would cost only a few hundred dollars, whether you are upgrading from Windows 3.x or buying the entire Windows 95 operating system if you were still an MS-DOS user. (See Litigation Support Software: Tool for Trial Preparation, TRIAL, Jan. 1996, at 65.)

The Word on Word

In February, an Ottawa, Canada, software company agreed to acquire WordPerfect Corp. from Novell, allowing Novell to focus on its networking capabilities. Thus, the benefits from the 1994 merger of WordPerfect and Novell will be lost once the divestiture becomes final.

In addition, Microsoft Corp. has come up with newer versions of Word, its word-processing program, and its own suite of products that includes the spreadsheet program Excel, the database program Access, and the presentation graphics program PowerPoint--all operating in the Windows 3.x and Windows 95 operating system environments. (Because Microsoft is the vendor of DOS, Windows 3.x, and Windows 95, the company has a clear advantage in introducing new products quickly and also in providing tight integration among its software products.

Now, a word about Apple Computer. Apple has recently licensed its operating system to other companies, clearing the way for "clones" to enter the market. This move has lowered the price of Mac-based computers--which most commentators believe is an effort that amounts to "too little, too late." This should be good for Mac users, but Apple has a very small share of the overall computer market, and, months ago, it once again abandoned its focus on law offices. This was the second time in Macintosh's history that it had "romanced" the legal market and then left it waiting at the altar.

Even though Macintosh technology may still be superior in some areas--graphics, desktop publishing, and overall communications capabilities--and even though I have been an enthusiastic Mac booster for years, I have come to the conclusion that die future of law office computing lies with Windows 95 and Microsoft Corp.

We've Got the Power

The arrival of Windows 95 means that lawyers will have much more versatile and powerful software to work with. If you and I were software developers today, what operating system would we develop software for? Because Windows is the dominant operating system, we would clearly create new products for the Windows environment first. Indeed, the greater power of Windows 95 translates into software that is speedier, has more features, and is easy to use. Thus, we can expect new case-management, litigation-support, and personal-information management software that will be simple and fun to use.

Although WordPerfect's 5.1 version retained the greater share of the MS-DOS market, and even though WordPerfect 6.1 for DOS is an excellent product--and the same can be said for the newer version of WordPerfect for Windows--I still give Microsoft Word for Windows the edge.

It took me years to give up Wordstar and start using WordPerfect for DOS. Although I've been using Windows 3.x for some time now, I never liked it very much, nor did I think I could do without a Macintosh system.

However, sharply reduced prices on IBM-style computers, Apple Computer's fickle attitude toward the legal market, excellent products from Microsoft Corp., and now the proven capabilities of Windows 95 mean it's time for a change for most lawyers. I'm not saying you should scrap what you have or that what you already have won't serve you well for some time. What I am saying is that the eras of WordPerfect and the Macintosh seem to have passed.

I'm now using Windows 95 and other Microsoft products. I have found not only that I like them but that giving up my Mac was much easier than I expected.

Want to challenge my views or discuss yours? Leave a message for me in the small office practice or automation forums on ATLA NET, and I'll respond promptly. Or, as always, send me e-mail at "[e-mail]."

Paul Bernstein is a CPA, practicing attorney, and law office automation consultant in Chicago. He can be reached on the Internet at [e-mail]. The opinions expressed in this column are the author's and do not reflect an endorsement of any product by TRIAL or ATLA.