The Other Red Menace
You know, I sort of hate to even go there. I feel compelled, however, by an exchange in the thread below, wherein Armen throws down a gauntlet:
My first thought is that he is trying to bait me. But I can't resist pointing out that Armen is wrong, because, while both companies are cultish, cliquish, and evil, Westlaw is slightly more pleasant. When you weigh all the factors, I think you have to agree.
Patrick said . . . .
ALR saved my ass this summer. Knowing that something is in the Westlaw database, but not knowing how to locate it, is a maddening experience. Especially when you go through that experience at work. I'm pretty thankful I took it.
7/29/2008 11:39 PM
Armen said . . .
You should probably use Lexis then. Plus they have better giveaways. Thoughts on this, Patrick?
7/29/2008 11:42 PM
posted by Patrick Bageant at 11:44 PM
12 Comments:
Patrick, you are not the first person to have unprintable thoughts re Lexis/Westlaw.
I just wish I could find the Boalt Briefs article about the whole thing.
Armen is right. Westlaw is inferior in countless ways and their interface gives me a headache. Also Lexis points are where I start my Christmas shopping.
But, don't bother with ALR to learn the ins and outs of either system. Use their 800 numbers. An "expert" will take you wherever you need to go in the directory. It has saved me hours of searching at work and at school. At school you can even do it through an instant message-type system. That goes away when you start work--I think for confidentiality reasons.
Anyway, both services have this. I find Lexis's to get me where I need to go faster. But either way, I don't think ALR is necessary for learning to navigate these systems. Unless you hope to be one of the "experts" someday.
My $.02:
Lexis is a pile of crap. The layout and design of the system must have been the result of putting 20 chimps in a cage with a computer. Looking at their interface makes my eyes want to vomit. Every time I use it, a little piece of my soul dies.
Westlaw is only slightly better. Only my left eye vomits.
What I can't figure out is how they get away with charging $200+/search and the law firms in this country pay it. IT'S ALL PUBLICLY AVAILABLE INFORMATION!!! How has a superiorly designed free site not been developed (a la Wikipedia/media)?
Shame on us.
Toney,
Firms mark it up and charge the clients. It's the clients, not the firms, that are getting hosed.
Right... I realize that, but at the same time, not having to charge clients for the Lexis/Westlaw fees allows firms to bill clients less, which makes them more appealing as a firm, etc.
It's pretty high-level butterfly effect economics (which I know very little about), but in the end, the firm is paying by not being able to charge less (or charging the same and just pocketing more).
According to Bob Brrng, law graduates are almost unbreakably loyal to whichever database they were first exposed to. That's why Lexis and Westlaw make such an effort brand us during the first semester.
It's true I'm a Westlaw guy. It's also true that they got to me first.
Others?
I'm a shameless Lexis point-whore.
CLR updates?
I'm a Westlaw guy despite Lexis having got to me first. I also prefer Lexis's interface, but ultimately favor Westlaw because of the availability of particular resources.
Used to be a Lexis person, then switched to Westlaw due to the case history charts. Then found about 10 more reasons why Westlaw was better after I fooled around with it for about a year. But, I really miss Lexis's bottom toolbar and hover-over page number feature when I'm in Westlaw. And Westlaw's rewards program is terrible! Easy to see why loyalties are divided.
LRW exchange my first year:
my classmate: "Donna, which should we use - Westlaw or Lexis?"
Donna Petrine: "Well, Westlaw is slightly more intellectual, so you should probably use Lexis."
LOVE that woman!
Buy Cialis, Viagra, Levitra, Tamiflu. Order Generic Medication In own Pharmacy. Buy Pills Central.
[url=http://buypillscentral.com/buy-generic-tamiflu-online.html]Purchase Cheap Viagra, Cialis, Levitra, Tamiflu[/url]. Indian generic drugs. Cheapest drugs pharmacy
Post a Comment
<< Home