Computer Glitch & WIFI in the Registry

Yesterday, we took some steps to increase the security of our computers. Unfortunately, we made them so secure that we were unable to log on any of our public access terminals this morning. It took about two hours to get the problem resolved, but with so little recording activity, hardly anyone seemed to be effected by it. Our internal computers continued to work and the Internet was not disrupted at all. I apologize to anyone who was inconvenienced by this. Speaking of computer security, one morning last week while walking through the record hall, my passing glance at the screen of a title examiner's notebook computer caught a glimpse of something that looked like our website being displayed. Curious, I asked the title examiner if he was accessing our website with a wireless Internet connection (I could already see that he wasn’t plugged into our network – that really would have gotten my attention). Without identifying the WIFI connection he was using (we don’t have one), he explained how useful it was to have Internet access on his own computer while here at the registry, especially for saving document images that could be printed later back at his office. That’s certainly cheaper than paying us $1 per copy for stuff he would otherwise print from our public access system. Several months ago, we purchase a very inexpensive wireless hub to do some experimentation, but that made the security folks very nervous (that’s there job), so we shelved the project until appropriate safeguards can be established. Still, within the next year, I see us activating a registry-based, free WIFI connection that will allow registry users with their own notebook computers access to our website from within the registry.