Laplink is certainly a product worthy of a look if you are involved in PC support or if you are constantly away from your office PC or Network. As an ex-techie I wish this software had been in my toolbox!

Laplink allows connection of a remote PC to another PC in various ways, from a direct cable connection, through a dial up link using modems, via and infra red connection and also via the Internet.

What is most impressive is it's ability to link to a network and give access to the full compliment of network resources such as fileservers and printers, as you relax in the comfort of your own home or are on-site with clients or remote branch office.

The 'Home Working' benefits are immediately obvious. Downloading data and applications via the 'Explorer' like interface couldn't be easier using the good old Drag and Drop routine. Files can even be synchronised at one end or both thus alleviating the need to re-key data once you are back in the office or home. Plus your colleagues can have instant access to the data you have just collected without the need to merge databases.

The security features are comprehensive enough to restrict unauthorised access to sensitive data on either the host or remote PC's. Some time needs to be spent setting up security features but is easy enough to do once you or the administrator has decided on the level of security required.

A scheduling feature will let you synchronise those data base files in several offices overnight while you are tucked up in bed dreaming of you next salary rise!

The functionality of Laplink 2000 does not stop with file transfer and Host/Remote connectivity but lets you remotely control another PC on the network or over a modem link. This lets you take control of the remote PC to troubleshoot and diagnose problems and also as a training aid allow the technical support guru to demonstrate to the end-user a new process or procedure in any application that can be run on the end-users PC. Wow! The possibilities are endless. This will reduce the amount of travelling and wasted technical resources being out on site resolving problems when they could be at Headquarters resolving lots of remote user problems. What's that phrase that the financial Director uses? Oh yes, 'Cost effective'!

And, yes there is more! A text chat, facility like those on the Internet, will allow the Host and Remote users to discuss problems and ask questions. An audio chat is also included if the two connected PC's have a sound card, speakers and a microphone.

Installation of the software is straightforward and presented us with no problems. We even managed it without recall to the manual, this is just the way I like it and is, in my mind, an indication of 'User friendly Software'.

So with good ease of use and it's potential to solve many remote PC issues and problems from file transfer to remote control I would say this tool is a must for all technical support departments, homeworkers and on-the-road sales forces.