Give Me Liberty

Customer Profile

My college professor once said, "If the work can be done easier without a computer, don't use a computer."

That was back in 1972, when personal computers did not exist and only large organizations could afford such a huge expense. Imagine hearing someone say that about computers today!

We've come a long way since those early years of chilly, wire-crammed rooms and dinosaur-sized computers. It's amazing to witness such rapid advances in technology.

And, as a systems administrator for Los Angeles Superior Court, I have the unique opportunity to see technology advancing in the courtroom first hand.

Unlike the slow-paced courtrooms of the past, today's trial proceedings can now be communicated directly from the mouths of participants to the judge's notebook computer, the counsel's workstation and the Internet.

During the infamous O.J. Simpson trial, my department was asked to find a portable computer for Judge Lance Ito. Due to the enormity and scope of the case, we required a powerful notebook PC that would be able to handle large amounts of information and withstand the rigors of "the trial of the century."

After evaluating a number of brand-name notebook PCs, we finally settled on the powerful Gateway 2000 Liberty portable PC. The sleek little computer not only featured a powerful 100MHz Intel 486 processor, large hard drive, secondary cache and a fax/modem, its clear 10.4" color display and lightweight design were just what we were looking for.

Throughout the extensive television coverage of the nine-month-long trial, you may have noticed the Liberty notebook sitting on Ito's desk. Besides being a constant companion in the courtroom, it also accompanied him on the road and at home. He was very impressed with its performance.

As you can well imagine, there were plenty of uses for the Gateway Liberty during the trial. The external floppy and CD-ROM drives hooked up easily to install and run all sorts of software applications, and Ito had no problems using the PCMCIA fax/modem to connect to the court reporter's "Real Time" transcription system and online research systems like "LEXIS" and "LAW DESK." And when he needed to search thousands of pages of transcript, the speedy Intel processor did the job in no time flat.

"Windows booted up at blazing speeds," said Ito. "And I love the screen on this machine."

After putting this portable PC through it's paces, I also found it to be a truly good product. Although newer and faster Pentium processor-based notebook computers are currently on the market, the Liberty notebook holds its own. For the price and capability, it's a great deal!

I would like to thank Gateway 2000 for giving us the opportunity to evaluate this powerful notebook. Although we hope never to encounter a hectic trial like the Simpson case again, we are sure to rely on Gateway computers for years to come.

Although the court is not in a position to endorse any product, in our opinion the Liberty is top-notch.

Joe Hannawi
Systems Administrator
Los Angeles Superior Court (Criminal Operations)
Los Angeles, California