Futurelawyer

How To Become A Successful ChatGPT Prompt Writer.

In this brave new world, the user who is able to coax usable analysis and information from ChatGPT will be the most successful. Be careful out there, as there are a lot of people trying to make money pretending they are ChatGPT gurus. In my experience, you will become better by just using the thing, and learning as you do. There are some structural devices that will help you, however. The attached checklist is a good way to begin. Tell ChatGPT who, what, when, where and why. Tell it what tone you want it to use. Ask yourself the questions on the attached list and then ask ChatGPT to give an answer. I have printed a copy of the attached prompt idea list to keep handy. So, I have provided it in photo format. You can type it out and print it yourself if you like. I didn't write it, but, if you browse around, you will find many lists like it.

Make Your Windows Computer Work Like You Want It To.

Microsoft Power Toys. Power Toys is a Microsoft utility that contains many ways to customize your Windows computer. Want to make your machine yours? The Power Toys tools are the way. You can resize screens, make windows show always on top, quickly mute video conferences (avoids embarrassment), create keyboard shortcuts, launch apps instantaneously with a key combination, rename files in bulk, and a host of other cool functions. Install it. Play with it. Enjoy power and toys. What more could you want?

O Ye Of Little Faith - The Kindle Scribe Is Already Getting Updates.

I got an email this morning from Amazon, highlighting the first updates to the Kindle Scribe. Naysayers have been complaining that the note taking features were not as robust as the other EInk pads out there; but, the combination of basic note taking with the Kindle library made me and others buy it. Well, Amazon is already upgrading the note functions, and the first update is available already. The email this morning said the following:

Your Kindle Scribe is getting new brush types and new notebook subfolder capabilities

New features are ready starting today.

What's new?

Different writing tools for your different writing needs are ready to go. Try the new fountain pen for beautiful calligraphy, switch to marker to emphasize your notes, or use the new pencil for sketching. Also, keep your notes organized with new subfolder capabilities.

The updates will automatically download and install on your Kindle Scribe when connected wirelessly. 

For my more impatient friends, the updates can be downloaded manually now.

In the coming months, Kindle Scribe will add lasso copy/paste tools, improved notebook organization and navigation, and the ability to send documents to Kindle Scribe directly from within Microsoft Word (Microsoft 365 subscription required).

I am loving my Scribe even more.

Stardock Start 11 - Control Your Windows 11 Interface.

Stardock Start 11. One of the first programs I install when I get a new computer is Start 11 from Stardock. I hate the tiled interface, and I bought this little $5 program when Windows 7's efficient lower left interface went away some years ago. It is still only $5.99, and it transforms the way I interact with the computer. Microsoft ruined the beautiful, simple lower left menu buttons when it went with the ugly tiles. Of course, interfaces are a highly personal thing, and Stardock recognizes that, giving you the option to pick and choose how your menu system looks and works. For six bucks, your regain control over your computer use. Thanks, Stardock.

#TBT - NSFW - Aunt Chippy Tells Us How To Wrap A Package.

Note: Fair warning. If profanity bothers you, do NOT watch this video. Aunt Chippy is as frustrated wrapping Xmas gifts as the rest of us. I was wrapping gifts this morning, and it occurred to me that I am not a gift wrapping genius. So, I took a break, and am watching Aunt Chippy for ideas.

 

You Live In Your Keyboard. Don't Be A Wimp. Get A Razer.

Razer Black Widow Ultimate. Long, long ago, computer keyboards were large beasts, with mechanical keys and deep travel, and they made a satisfying click when the keys were pressed. They were loud, obnoxious, and a touch typists dream. Then, over time, weaselly little keyboards came into fashion, driven by the need to maximize space in portable notebook computers. We accomplished touch typists, joined by a burgeoning army of teens playing video games, demanded that a modern keyboard be developed that focused on the speed and accuracy of mechanical keyboards. In 2016, I purchased a Razer Black Widow Ultimate, and have used it ever since. It is, hands down, the best keyboard made, and I joined it with a Razer Death Adder mouse. They are USB wired devices (no wimpy bluetooth connection required), and I love them. However, the other day, I spilled a glass of water, and the keyboard stopped working. I was going to throw it out, and purchase another Razer keyboard; but, in a flash of insight, decided to see if it could be saved. Diane's hairdryer, I thought, might dry out the keyboard, and I crossed my fingers while blowing hot air over the board. Amazingly, after a couple of minutes, the keyboard sprang to life, and I was back typing at a speed that once beat every person in my typing class in high school. I was so motivated that I did a deep clean of the board, and it now looks and works like new. You live in your keyboard. Get a Razer.

InBox Zero - It's Aspirational.

I cringe sometimes when I see InBoxes with thousands of unread emails. Since most lawyers practice law in their inboxes these days, every email carries risk and reward. Careful pruning of the sublime and the ridiculous is required when tasks can be essential or useless. The discipline required to reach InBox Zero is essential to a competent lawyer's life. I do it by dealing with email on a regular basis during the day. I immediately delete ads, spam, and other non essential communications. If an email requires action, and I don't have time or energy to deal with it right away, I have created a folder I call Pending, which I delve into whenever time permits. During a vacation week like this Thanksgiving vacation, the Pending folder can sometimes get large. However, this isn't much different than the old days, when we would accumulate piles of paper correspondence that had to be postponed. Archival stuff, like case or software purchases, etc. I save in Folders named for the case or software. Of course, InBox Zero is an impossible goal, and, like excellence, it is something to be sought after; but, never achieved. So, Ms. Lawyer, get organized and solo on.

Cool Things Your Android Phone Can Do That You Aren't Doing.

Tips For Android Settings. Android has matured into the best operating system for phones, and it can do a lot of stuff you haven't known about. Some of the coolest tips:

1. Turn Wi-Fi on Automatically

2. Use Less Data

3. Start Driving Mode Automatically

4. Manage What Apps Can Do on Your Phone

 

There are many more tips in this useful article. Check it out.

The Secret To Marriage Is Keeping Her Occupied.

Give your spouse a smartphone, and you will be able to watch football without interruption for the rest of your life. Life tips from the FutureLawyer. You're welcome.

Chrome Is New Again.

Chrome: What's New. We live our lives in our web browser. Google Chrome, my browser of choice, is the background of my life every day. I still use native Windows software for some basic tasks, such as WordPerfect for document creation, Kofax Power PDF for document distribution and Court filings, legacy Windows software like ProDoc document assembly and time and billing software. But, for everything else, I am in the cloud, and I manage my way around inside the Chrome browser. Google is always making Chrome better; and, while I have tried other browsers along the way, when Chrome got bloated and slow (or so it seemed at the time), I have always come back, and Chrome has always improved. If, like millions of others, you are a Chrome user, you should check out what's new, and make sure you are rocking the latest version. There are new ways to organize tabs, and tabbed browsing has greatly increased my speed. Too many tabs? You can search them in a search box now. You can now add passwords in Google Password manager even if you aren't at the site. You can perform an online safety check from within the browser. There are many other things you can do in the browser, and, since you live in it all day and all night, it is worth looking around. Be safe and careful and productive out there.