ASCII: The 8-Track of Electronic Transcript Technology?

The legal industry is known as one resistant to change. For instance, many legal professionals still consider Word Perfect 5.1 as the word processing “Mecca.” The same can be said of receiving transcripts electronically; the standard for transcripts in many lawyers' minds is ASCII. The use of this antiquated format for transcript distribution led to the innovation of technology to better control how transcripts are viewed. Now, greater benefits are available to both the transcript author and the customers who use this technology for transcript dissemination and viewing. Just as DOS was replaced with Windows, improved electronic transcript technology has supplanted the use of ASCII transcripts.

A Brief History of ASCII

ASCII is one of those ubiquitous acronyms that find its way into everyday discussion even though its meaning is largely unknown. It is an acronym for American Standard Code for Information Interchange. Developed by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) in the late 1960s, ASCII is arguably the most basic of the standards set for data exchange. As computers can only understand numbers, ASCII converts letters, digits and symbols into different numerical combinations that allow data to flow easily among various data processing systems. ASCII standards have been revised twice since its initial introduction. (For a complete description of ASCII and ASCII standards, visit the American National Standards Institute Web site at www.ansi.org.)

When introduced to lawyers by the court reporting industry, ASCII provided the first electronic method for distribution of a draft or final transcript in a medium other than paper. Although far from perfect, ASCII revolutionized the way in which transcripts could be disseminated by the court reporter. Joseph N. Spinozzi, a partner with New York-based DocuServe Group remembers: “When our customers received their first transcript, in ASCII format, they could not believe it. Lawyers and legal support staff were relieved of the burden of transporting paper transcripts to courts and to depositions. Customers were so excited about receiving their transcripts electronically, that they overlooked the shortcomings of ASCII.”

Flexibility v. Integrity – the Pitfalls of ASCII

Once the newness of ASCII wore off, end users began to quickly recognize the problems associated with receiving a transcript in ASCII format. For instance, ASCII does not have a viewer specific to its format, but is viewed through a computer's word processing software (ie, Word, WordPerfect, Works, etc.). Because of this flexibility, and the basic nature of the code, ASCII documents are unable to keep formatting intact when opened. Instead, an ASCII transcript shapes to whatever rules are in place in its opening software. This specifically presents an issue in documents where formatting and exactness is essential, such as the line and page numbering found in transcripts. The result of utilizing an ASCII transcript is that it does not provide an accurate representation of the original paper product for authentication and other legal purposes.

Paul Rayborn, a federal official reporter from the Northern District of Florida found that he had attorneys “grumbling about an ASCII transcript not being a 'perfect copy' of the original record filed with the clerk.” Attorneys tended to blame the imperfections of the transcript sent in ASCII format on the sender; specifically, the court reporter. “I wasn't very successful in telling my customers that the problems with an ASCII transcript was with the code, and not my work product. They just assumed that it was something I did,” Rayborn explains.

ASCII also lacks security features normally associated with other formats. As ASCII files are normally opened using word-processing software, the document is easily altered using the tools available with that same word-processing software. In transcripts, where accuracy and integrity is essential, the continued usage of ASCII is problematic.

ASCII is pervasive in all industries, not just the legal and court reporting industries. Similarly, Portable Document Format (PDF), another industry neutral technology, has been introduced as an alternative to ASCII transcripts. The PDF printing, searching and formatting capabilities overcome many of the ASCII obstacles, however they often have larger file sizes and impede quick transmission of transcripts via Internet (eg, PACER) and e-mail servers.

Technology Changes the Face of Electronic Transcripts

New electronic transcript dissemination and viewing technologies have been developed specifically to aid the court reporter in e-mailing a better quality transcript. One such innovation, the E-Transcript Viewer, was created to securely and accurately send and view electronic transcripts. This technology performs like an envelope wrapped around an ASCII, making it user-friendly and interactive while protecting its integrity. After finalizing a transcript, the court reporter simply imports the ASCII file into software on their desktop. Special properties, such as password protection and lockout codes can be applied. The finished product is an encrypted, virus-protected, digitally signed electronic transcript. This transcript can be safely and securely e-mailed to customers in either .EXE format, for those end users without firewall protection, or in .PTX format, which is accepted through firewall technology.

Firewall Friendly Files

Everyone has seen the recent news reports about malicious e-mail viruses and how to protect computers from them. Even prior to this most recent outbreak, law firms implemented firewalls that would block the entry of any .EXE file via an e-mail message. Because this file extension is also used for legitimate executable files, such as software applications, network security compatible options for electronic transcript delivery were required. Today's electronic transcript technology provides two file extensions to choose from to accommodate the recipient's security policies.

An electronic transcript received as an .EXE file has the E-Transcript Viewer software embedded, allowing users to view, search, print full-sized and condensed transcripts and print a transcript word index. A .PTX version of an electronic transcript does not include the viewer and is therefore not an executable. In other words, .PTX files can safely pass through network security. To view a .PTX file, users must have the E-Transcript Viewer installed on their computers. It can be quickly and safely downloaded from the Internet, similar to the Adobe PDF Viewer. The transcript viewer powers the view, search and print functions of the electronic transcript.

Because of the innovative features incorporated into this new technology, it has become the preferred method for transcript dissemination for judges, attorneys and support staff. With a click of the mouse, end users can easily open the e-mailed transcript. Like PDF, it is equipped with its own viewer, eliminating the need for additional software. End users can quickly search the transcript text using the hyperlinked word index, or easily cut and paste relevant portions of the transcript into their word-processing document for reference. The new electronic transcript maintains the same line and page integrity as the original paper transcript, and it can be viewed from anywhere. Although end users do not need special software to use the features, these transcripts can easily import into most transcript management software packages. Spinozzi, who now sends E-Transcript files to all of his clients, believes that “in the digital era we live in, instant access to information is the key to success and client happiness. The same clients that embraced ASCII disks now cannot live without these electronic transcripts. We tell our clients access to information is power, but instant access is the winning edge.”

Not all that long ago, people thought nothing could be better than the 8-track tape, advances in technology changed that perception. The same is true with the usage of ASCII for transcript distribution and viewing. Examples of today's electronic transcripts are available by visiting the RealLegal Web site (www.reallegal.com), or by asking court reporters to provide transcripts that are compatible with the latest in E-Transcript Viewer technology.

The legal industry is known as one resistant to change. For instance, many legal professionals still consider Word Perfect 5.1 as the word processing “Mecca.” The same can be said of receiving transcripts electronically; the standard for transcripts in many lawyers' minds is ASCII. The use of this antiquated format for transcript distribution led to the innovation of technology to better control how transcripts are viewed. Now, greater benefits are available to both the transcript author and the customers who use this technology for transcript dissemination and viewing. Just as DOS was replaced with Windows, improved electronic transcript technology has supplanted the use of ASCII transcripts.

A Brief History of ASCII

ASCII is one of those ubiquitous acronyms that find its way into everyday discussion even though its meaning is largely unknown. It is an acronym for American Standard Code for Information Interchange. Developed by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) in the late 1960s, ASCII is arguably the most basic of the standards set for data exchange. As computers can only understand numbers, ASCII converts letters, digits and symbols into different numerical combinations that allow data to flow easily among various data processing systems. ASCII standards have been revised twice since its initial introduction. (For a complete description of ASCII and ASCII standards, visit the American National Standards Institute Web site at www.ansi.org.)

When introduced to lawyers by the court reporting industry, ASCII provided the first electronic method for distribution of a draft or final transcript in a medium other than paper. Although far from perfect, ASCII revolutionized the way in which transcripts could be disseminated by the court reporter. Joseph N. Spinozzi, a partner with New York-based DocuServe Group remembers: “When our customers received their first transcript, in ASCII format, they could not believe it. Lawyers and legal support staff were relieved of the burden of transporting paper transcripts to courts and to depositions. Customers were so excited about receiving their transcripts electronically, that they overlooked the shortcomings of ASCII.”

Flexibility v. Integrity – the Pitfalls of ASCII

Once the newness of ASCII wore off, end users began to quickly recognize the problems associated with receiving a transcript in ASCII format. For instance, ASCII does not have a viewer specific to its format, but is viewed through a computer's word processing software (ie, Word, WordPerfect, Works, etc.). Because of this flexibility, and the basic nature of the code, ASCII documents are unable to keep formatting intact when opened. Instead, an ASCII transcript shapes to whatever rules are in place in its opening software. This specifically presents an issue in documents where formatting and exactness is essential, such as the line and page numbering found in transcripts. The result of utilizing an ASCII transcript is that it does not provide an accurate representation of the original paper product for authentication and other legal purposes.

Paul Rayborn, a federal official reporter from the Northern District of Florida found that he had attorneys “grumbling about an ASCII transcript not being a 'perfect copy' of the original record filed with the clerk.” Attorneys tended to blame the imperfections of the transcript sent in ASCII format on the sender; specifically, the court reporter. “I wasn't very successful in telling my customers that the problems with an ASCII transcript was with the code, and not my work product. They just assumed that it was something I did,” Rayborn explains.

ASCII also lacks security features normally associated with other formats. As ASCII files are normally opened using word-processing software, the document is easily altered using the tools available with that same word-processing software. In transcripts, where accuracy and integrity is essential, the continued usage of ASCII is problematic.

ASCII is pervasive in all industries, not just the legal and court reporting industries. Similarly, Portable Document Format (PDF), another industry neutral technology, has been introduced as an alternative to ASCII transcripts. The PDF printing, searching and formatting capabilities overcome many of the ASCII obstacles, however they often have larger file sizes and impede quick transmission of transcripts via Internet (eg, PACER) and e-mail servers.

Technology Changes the Face of Electronic Transcripts

New electronic transcript dissemination and viewing technologies have been developed specifically to aid the court reporter in e-mailing a better quality transcript. One such innovation, the E-Transcript Viewer, was created to securely and accurately send and view electronic transcripts. This technology performs like an envelope wrapped around an ASCII, making it user-friendly and interactive while protecting its integrity. After finalizing a transcript, the court reporter simply imports the ASCII file into software on their desktop. Special properties, such as password protection and lockout codes can be applied. The finished product is an encrypted, virus-protected, digitally signed electronic transcript. This transcript can be safely and securely e-mailed to customers in either .EXE format, for those end users without firewall protection, or in .PTX format, which is accepted through firewall technology.

Firewall Friendly Files

Everyone has seen the recent news reports about malicious e-mail viruses and how to protect computers from them. Even prior to this most recent outbreak, law firms implemented firewalls that would block the entry of any .EXE file via an e-mail message. Because this file extension is also used for legitimate executable files, such as software applications, network security compatible options for electronic transcript delivery were required. Today's electronic transcript technology provides two file extensions to choose from to accommodate the recipient's security policies.

An electronic transcript received as an .EXE file has the E-Transcript Viewer software embedded, allowing users to view, search, print full-sized and condensed transcripts and print a transcript word index. A .PTX version of an electronic transcript does not include the viewer and is therefore not an executable. In other words, .PTX files can safely pass through network security. To view a .PTX file, users must have the E-Transcript Viewer installed on their computers. It can be quickly and safely downloaded from the Internet, similar to the Adobe PDF Viewer. The transcript viewer powers the view, search and print functions of the electronic transcript.

Because of the innovative features incorporated into this new technology, it has become the preferred method for transcript dissemination for judges, attorneys and support staff. With a click of the mouse, end users can easily open the e-mailed transcript. Like PDF, it is equipped with its own viewer, eliminating the need for additional software. End users can quickly search the transcript text using the hyperlinked word index, or easily cut and paste relevant portions of the transcript into their word-processing document for reference. The new electronic transcript maintains the same line and page integrity as the original paper transcript, and it can be viewed from anywhere. Although end users do not need special software to use the features, these transcripts can easily import into most transcript management software packages. Spinozzi, who now sends E-Transcript files to all of his clients, believes that “in the digital era we live in, instant access to information is the key to success and client happiness. The same clients that embraced ASCII disks now cannot live without these electronic transcripts. We tell our clients access to information is power, but instant access is the winning edge.”

Not all that long ago, people thought nothing could be better than the 8-track tape, advances in technology changed that perception. The same is true with the usage of ASCII for transcript distribution and viewing. Examples of today's electronic transcripts are available by visiting the RealLegal Web site (www.reallegal.com), or by asking court reporters to provide transcripts that are compatible with the latest in E-Transcript Viewer technology.