Several tech-smart lawyers and consultants were asked what technology magazines one should read to stay up with technology issues. I thought you’d be interested in the variety of titles mentioned. I’m sure good publications were omitted, so don’t take any ommision as significant.

Law Technolgoy News is a no-brainer. It is free in either a print or electronic version. Subscribers have access to the searchable archives. Readers get to enjoy the words and editorial decisions of its Editor-in-Chief Monica Bay. Some have called her the most influential person in legal technolgoy matters. I’ll just say I wouldn’t know how to judge that, Monica, but you are certainly in the Top Ten.

Smart Computing in Plain English was mentioned as a great publication for all levels of technology understanding and expertise. I hate to sound like I am selling the magazine, but you can try three months at no risk, cancelling if you don’t like the publication or paying $29 to get the remaining nine issues if you do. Subscribers get access to the online archives, a messsage board to post questions and answers, a Personal Library to organize favored articles and "free online access to Smart Computing’s sister magazines: PC Today, Computer Power User, First Glimpse, and Reference Series." The first two of these magazines were noted in our discussion as well.

I did have to note that like Generalissimo Francisco Franco, Law Office Computing is still dead. RIP. But even after a year the site is still up and there is still access to some archived articles.

PC Magazine and PC World were both mentioned, with those expressing a preference giving the nod to PC World.

Maximum PC was mentioned as well.

Well, of course, this discussion was focused on magazines printed on paper. But I can’t move on without again noting the ABA Law Practice Management Section’s two great, free e-zines: Law Practice Today and Law Technology Today, which I mentioned earlier this week now has a really cool new podcast on legal technology.  Plus the ABA General Practice, Solo and Small Firm Division has the Technology eReport. And did you know that TechRepublic now boasts of over 25,000 articles?

Finally, Catherine Sanders Reach of the ABA’s Legal Technolgoy Resource Center noted that, in addition to the magazines and e-zines, there were sites you had to have handy for those "need-to-know" moments. Her "big three" in this category were Webopedia, How Stuff Works and Whatis.