A friend of mine has just recommended a bit of software.

She uses it so that her clients can access her pc to view the document she's working on, without having to email it back and forth.

There's a free version available to download. She's going to send me an invite this evening so I have trial it with her. I'll let you know what I think.

Anyway this is the site https://secure.logmein.com/products/free/

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Kels

www.kellycairns.co.uk

I use logmein and love it. I set most of my clients up with the free version, but the paid version does have some nice extra features, like remote printing and file sharing.

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Rebecka Melson ~ Virtual Business Services

I use logmein. I can't say I love it but it is free so I use it. The downside is that the screen is small, and if you enlarge it, you don't have access to your system tray at the bottom of the computer you are working from. I say that because when I am logged onto a client's desktop from my own, I like to access my own browser because it is faster so I flip between my desktop and the client's desktop. But when I do that, the client's desktop is small and sometimes it is difficult for me to read and to type even at the largest setting.

Also, it times out early for me, and I haven't found how to set that for a longer period of time so I find that I am logging in more often then I wish to. Sometimes, the keys don't always work on the client's desktop and you have to play around with the control button and click on the desktop to get it working again.

I had a client who paid for the Pro version, which allowed printing but we had trouble getting that to work as well. I ended up sending the files through email to print from my own computer. Also, photos and videos don't seem to come through very well. They seem delayed and distorted...but I never played with any settings to see if that could work better.

I don't complain about it being free and it does offer access to the client's desktop, provided they remember to leave the computer on, which was a bit frustrating when I ready to work but the client had shut down the computer or her computer was doing something else the prevented me from logging on.

Primarily I use it in my home. I have it set on my desktop computer and my laptop so if I want to work in another room on the laptop, I can access my desktop which has all the files I need.

I always wondered about transfering viruses from one computer to the other through remote access software as well.

Another thing to consider is that you can only work as fast as the client's computer allows. One of my clients had a slower computer and I had to access ACT!, which also ran slowly. When I did the same tasks on my own computer, which is maxed out on memory and has a large drive, I got the tasks done much faster. So take that into consideration when you quote the client how long you think the tasks will take you to complete. It may take longer using remote software and they may be unhappy about that. I'd test-drive it first.

Good Luck!

well I've just had a long session with my friend using logmein, and I have to say it's quite impressive. I logged onto her computer and opened up a word document on the laptop and we had a funny conversation in word.

I think it will be a useful tool for me! I only wish I had known about it with my last client, we were forever emailing new versions of documents, when I could have sat for half an hour in front of HIS pc showing him what I was doing.......

it will even work for my grandfather who is constantly asking how to do the simplest things on his computer lol

it gets a big thumbs up from me!

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Kels

www.kellycairns.co.uk

I checked it out. It seems quite pricey. It wouldn't be very affordable unless you have many clients on whose' computers you would use it.

I use the free version and find it extremely helpful to use my desktop while on my laptop. You can make the screen larger so you really can't even tell you're on another computer.

It sounds like a very nice utility. Do you know if it is compatible with Vista?

well I got vista and didn't have any problems x

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Kels

www.kellycairns.co.uk

What about security problems? Do you know if your computer be vulnerable to virus, etc?

I use it with some clients, and also with my son's computer. There will be times when I'm working on something or other, and he starts to have problems with his computer. Or he needs me to review something and give permission. It's quick and easy, and free, which is great.