Government on the Net

Government on the Net

CD-ROMs
Legal Research
Online Legal Services

Government on the Net is a book/CD-ROM combination that serves as a very detailed and easy-to-use guide for searching government resources on the Internet and commercial online services. You can search in excess of 2,000 government resources, featuring agencies from the United States General Accounting Office to the U.S. Department of Justice.

The material included in the book and CD-ROM is detailed and up-to-date. Although the book is very informative, I preferred the CD-ROM, from which I could search any topic and find either hot links that took me immediately to the desired location or information on how to gain access to the desired online service

For example, I searched for information on the District Court in my area. In three clicks, I found information on how to access the Middle District of Georgia. In the reference, I found that I would have to register with PACER and obtain a login and password. I was given the phone number, baud rate, terminal emulation and fee information. There was also a comments section that told me how current the information would be. The final entry was a "What's There" section that told me I could access civil and criminal document reports, among other information.

Accessing a government Web site is even faster -- I simply clicked on the provided link.

When Thomas Jefferson helped create our democracy, he envisioned informed citizens partaking in the affairs of government. Thanks to the Internet and this CD-ROM/book combination, that dream is more attainable than ever.

Nolo Press
(800) 992-6656
www.nolo.com
Windows, Macintosh

$39.95

Reviewed by Milton Hooper, computer
specialist, U.S. Attorney's Office, Macon, Ga.

Aug/Sep '98 Issue

PROS
Detailed, up-to-date information; instant Web access.

CONS
Searchable CD-ROM almost makes book irrelevant.

VERDICT
Would make our forefathers proud.