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#6736 - 11/16/01 06:42 PM Regulations on CD-ROM
SLC Offline
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Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 185
Texas
I am evaluating alternatives to the CCH and Sheshunoff libraries. Is anyone else aware of similar services that include a monthly CD-ROM containing banking laws and regs and agency publications (manuals, issuances, etc.). I am specifically looking for a CD product rather than internet based.

Thanks!


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General Discussion
#6737 - 11/16/01 06:47 PM Re: Regulations on CD-ROM
sammylou Offline
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Joined: May 2001
Posts: 186
the tundra
I'm not aware of any, but curious why you don't like CCH's CD-ROM product? I use it and love it, plus you get the ABA materials, too. As for Sheshunoff's CD-ROM product, unless they've changed it, I didn't like the search functionality. Just curious about your CCH thoughts.
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The views expressed are not necessarily those of my employer.

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#6738 - 11/16/01 06:50 PM Re: Regulations on CD-ROM
rlcarey Online
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rlcarey
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 83,227
Galveston, TX
America's Community Bankers also publishes a federal guide on CD ROM with monthly updates. I use it and it's pretty good.
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The opinions expressed here should not be construed to be those of my employer: PPDocs.com

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#6739 - 11/16/01 07:45 PM Re: Regulations on CD-ROM
SLC Offline
100 Club
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 185
Texas
I like CCH, I was just wondering what other alternatives there are out there.

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#6740 - 11/16/01 09:10 PM Re: Regulations on CD-ROM
Jeans Offline
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Jeans
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 4
Ardmore, Oklahoma US
We were using the CD based system from IHS which CCH bought out so we received the CCH product for the first time. The Compliance officer says it is harder to use and she can't figure out the search options.

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#6741 - 11/17/01 03:04 AM Re: Regulations on CD-ROM
Andy_Z Offline
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Andy_Z
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 27,748
On the Net
This month's CCH CD didn't even have the commentaries. There is a definite learning curve and you can't bookmark specific sections within a document to go to.

Time will tell if this holds out as a viable product. There was another product, but CCH bought it too. If they combined the best features of the products they bought, they'd have a killer app. If they assume they have the monopoly on this market and don't try to improve it, we're stuck.

------------------
Andy Zavoina
Opinions stated are not necessarily that of my employer.

_________________________
AndyZ CRCM
My opinions are not necessarily my employers.
R+R-R=R+R
Rules and Regs minus Relationships equals Resentment and Rebellion. John Maxwell

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#6742 - 11/19/01 12:58 AM Re: Regulations on CD-ROM
Lucy Griffin Offline

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Lucy Griffin
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 1,544
I get mine straight from the FRB. And because I still like to handle paper (but not travel with it) I also get the reg books. The complete reg books and the CD-Rom service together is less than $500 a year and both come like clockwork. I find that this is enough because anything else I need I get through the Internet -- or bankersonline.com.

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#6743 - 11/19/01 02:10 PM Re: Regulations on CD-ROM
Last Mango Offline
Gold Star
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 293
Too Far From the Beach
I looked at IHS, CCH and ACB’s Federal Guide and selected the ACB product. The other products had more info but the cost savings of the Federal Guide and the availability of the other info on the Internet triggered our purchase of the Fed Guide.

Now, as a member of ACB, your bank will receive the CD as part of your dues package. However, if your bank is not a member, the purchase price is still attractive.

The Federal Guide on CD has all the banking laws and agency rules. You can research for a rule by using an index, contents, or search function. The product also has a bookmark feature. On the downside, the product does not have all of the available opinion letters. For these letters, I use the Internet as a source. Hope this info helps!


Any opinion expressed above is personal, certainly not the opinion of my employer, and may be worth as much as it cost.

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If you keep living straight from the heart, you will know when to stop and to start.

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#6744 - 11/19/01 03:47 PM Re: Regulations on CD-ROM
Anonymous
Unregistered

I had IHS before CCH acquired it. Like it better before, however, the service is good because we get monthly updates. Not real crazy about its State Banking service but its OK. The Brady on Bank Checks is also available on CD...our attorney says he likes it better than CCH. I find it too time consuming. Like Lucy, my favorite resource, however, is the Federal Reserve Regulatory Service and their examination handbooks. I have them bookmarked and so I can find stuff pretty quick. The OCC also has excellent Consumer and Risk Management Handbooks, but there is soooo much info on the internet and on this website, that more and more, I am finding myself looking here first when I put training info together or have to do research.

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#6745 - 11/19/01 04:18 PM Re: Regulations on CD-ROM
Rubaiyat Offline
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Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 1,373
Lido Deck
I have not been impressed with CCH's customer service. In August I received a letter saying I would be contacted by my sales rep and I would be receiving a CD for the new set-up. I did not hear from the sales rep and I did not receive my CD. I contacted CCH and requested the CD which I again did not receive. I made the request a thrid time and finally received it 2 weeks ago, but without the required authorization code. I was told I could get the code on their website, but was not able to. When I called them they said it had not been set up yet but someone would call me back in 1 hour with the code. One week later when I finally heard from my sales rep I still did not have the code. I finally received it in the mail a short time ago.

We had discontinued the State Library a year ago and we have now decided not to renew the Banking Library. I get so much great information from the internet (and from our regulator!) that I don't see the benefit. And the instances when I would not have access to the internet are so few and far between that, to me, it isn't worth the cost to have the CDs.

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--A bad day at sea is better than a good day at work.

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#6746 - 11/20/01 05:50 AM Re: Regulations on CD-ROM
Andy_Z Offline
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Andy_Z
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 27,748
On the Net
I have the CCH, but don't know if I will 6 months from now. I was researching a RESPA escrow item. Silly me, RESPA was omitted from the CD. (Please tell me it was actually repealed.) When I got a message to go online to access it, I thought I'd get into the FRRS and see it there. That isn't there either. And since I don't have an online subscription, that doesn't work.

I sent them a tempered e-mail that said I want a free month for each month the content is not what it should be. At the very least they should be offering free online access to CD users without the content we paid for.

If you are unhappy like I am, you should consider such a request too. Whether they'll do it or not, who knows.

------------------
Andy Zavoina
Opinions stated are not necessarily that of my employer.

_________________________
AndyZ CRCM
My opinions are not necessarily my employers.
R+R-R=R+R
Rules and Regs minus Relationships equals Resentment and Rebellion. John Maxwell

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#6747 - 11/19/01 06:57 PM Re: Regulations on CD-ROM
GML Offline
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GML
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 24
Texas
I have been an IHS user for over 6 years and have loved the service - since CCH got involved, I have not received timely CD updates and the errors on the CD roms are numerous, i.e., mislabeled sections and missing information - we run in a citrix thin-client environment, so we had to do some behind the scenes work to get it to run for me - BUT - I just checked the last CD ROM I received from them and it was April! guess I will be doing one of those heated emails also!

------------------


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#6748 - 11/19/01 07:07 PM Re: Regulations on CD-ROM
SLC Offline
100 Club
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 185
Texas
Thanks everyone for your input. Andy, I also noticed the missing commentaries and called their technical support about it. After a callback, I was told they were working on it.

I agree, there is so much content available on the internet these days. My biggest challenge is that I am traveling with a laptop from client to client and often am working where there is no dedicated line to log onto the internet. If I have to get online, I usually have to wait until the evening and look it up at home. An alternative, I suppose, is to burn my own CD with agency circulars, regs, etc., but that is a lot to keep up with.

Thank you everyone for your input!


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#6749 - 11/19/01 10:01 PM Re: Regulations on CD-ROM
zitch70 Offline
Gold Star
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 331
Edinburg, Texas
I have had the IHS service for six years and have been satisified. However, do to cost a few years ago, I switched to quarterly updates at about a 60% savings. Now that they no longer offer the quarterly updates I will not renew my subscription. Monthly updates on CCH is too much when there is bankersonline daily updates.

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#6750 - 04/16/02 06:43 PM Re: Regulations on CD-ROM
David Dickinson Offline
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David Dickinson
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 18,762
Central City, NE
I wanted to revive this string. I was a "Books On Screen" user until they got bought by CCH. I just got my first CCH CD and don't care for it. This could be becuase it is new to me and I don't know how to use it, but I was wondering about some of you CCH veterans - do you still like it?
What other companies are there to try?
Who likes what and why?

Thanks.
_________________________
David Dickinson
http://www.bankerscompliance.com

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#6751 - 04/16/02 06:57 PM Re: Regulations on CD-ROM
Andy_Z Offline
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Andy_Z
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Posts: 27,748
On the Net
I didn't care for and resisted the change. While not a complete convert (I still like things the old ComQuest had that were lost when IHS bought them) after I trained on it, I better understood it and it is quite usable.

I recommend calling them and getting a no-cost telephone tutorial. They'll run you through the program, show how searches function on their format etc. It helped me a lot.
_________________________
AndyZ CRCM
My opinions are not necessarily my employers.
R+R-R=R+R
Rules and Regs minus Relationships equals Resentment and Rebellion. John Maxwell

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#6752 - 04/16/02 08:05 PM Re: Regulations on CD-ROM
SLC Offline
100 Club
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 185
Texas
I actually really like the CCH software much better than IHS. Especially how easy it is to perform a new search on the results of your previous search. There are some other cool little features, like the "KWIC" button where you can condense the entire document into paragraphs surrounding your search word. Also, the lightbulb key enables you to turn of the highlighting of words in your search as that can be distracting when trying to read the document.

It's the content that is frusterating and I hope they get these bugs worked out and soon. For example, when you open "Frequently Accessed Laws and Regulations" and click on Bank Secrecy Act, you get 12 U.S.C. Sec. 1951 Congressional findings and declaration of purpose. To read the regulation, you have to click on the "Code of Federal Regulations" folder, go to 31 CFR, etc...

Many of the Commentaries are missing in the "Frequently Accessed Regulations" section, but sometimes you can usually find them in the "Federal Reserve Regulations" folder. Sometimes the Commentaries are not separately identified, but if you go to the last section of the regulation, it is included there.

Technical support can only help with software questions and none of them I have talked to has any clue about any of the content.

I've evaluated other products (to remain nameless unless you send me an e-mail) which were not up to snuff IMO, so I guess we'll stick with them.

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#6753 - 04/16/02 08:14 PM Re: Regulations on CD-ROM
Rick Tryon Offline
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Rick Tryon
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 169
Clinton IN, USA
I use AllRegs, simply because my bank already had a subscription with them when I started working here. I have no experience with other such products. I think Allregs is a little bland, but functional. Has anyone used AllRegs that can compare it to CCH?
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Opinions expressed here are mine, not necessarily my employers. This is not legal advice.

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#6754 - 04/17/02 02:27 AM Re: Regulations on CD-ROM
David Dickinson Offline
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David Dickinson
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 18,762
Central City, NE
Didn't the ABA used to have a Regs on CD product? Is this still around? (maybe that was the old Comquest that Andy mentionned?)
_________________________
David Dickinson
http://www.bankerscompliance.com

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#6755 - 04/17/02 03:13 AM Re: Regulations on CD-ROM
JMB Offline
Member
JMB
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 59
Michigan
I was also on a search for a substitute product about two months ago. Unfortunately, I did not find anything. The CCH product is not what IHS was, and may never be. The consensus is that CCH has bought everything that was worth anything at all.

We met with our local CCH rep on Monday to discuss the various issues (we have three licenses.) He admitted that they probably tried to convert way too quickly and are still trying to recover. I'll never forget going on the road without the commentary for Reg Z because it had not yet been converted, but they didn't tell us.

From the Monday meeting, I am guessing that the internet version is the future of the product, and that will not help those of us who are on the road. Everyone always asks why we do not have the internet version - and it is less expensive.

The good news is that the rep would like to put users that have recommendations for the product in touch with the editor. If you are interested, let me know, when I hear something I will pass on your name.

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#6756 - 04/17/02 01:00 PM Re: Regulations on CD-ROM
RVFlyboy Offline
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RVFlyboy
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,991
Soaring over Georgia
Well for purposes of havings the regs and commentary with you when on the road, in my opinion you can't beat Andy Zavoina's regs and commentaries in DOC format for the Palm. In this format, the main Regs and Commentaries that I most often refer to are in my pocket almost everywhere I go. They are readable using any Palm-based document reader program (such as I-Silo). It has already saved me from more than a few headaches.
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Jim Bedsole, CRCM, CBA, CFSA, CAFP
My posts - my opinions

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#6757 - 04/17/02 01:35 PM Re: Regulations on CD-ROM
1 Peter 5:7 Offline
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1 Peter 5:7
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 1,339
TX
I've decided I'm not renewing my CCH internet subscription this year. I was using the IHS/later CCH CD-ROM product when it suddenly wouldn't work anymore. CCH blamed my use of Windows 95 (I know, I know) for the problem, and offered to switch me over to the internet version. But I found both versions just harder to use than the old IHS product. I'm now using resources like OCC's CD Efiles, BOL website, and the OCC issuances webpage. And these meet 98% of my research needs. Fortunately I don't travel much anymore or I'd be crying too for a good CD product. My Bankers Systems rep told me in January they are working on the rollout of a CD research product, but haven't heard any more about it. Sure looks like there's an entreprenurial opportunity for someone to offer a nuts-and-bolts simple-to-use CD-ROM research product at a competitive price. But I guess if IHS couldn't do it, then maybe the Palm route is the way we'll all have to go. Maybe the entrepreneur ought to be looking there.
_________________________
Opinions are mine not my employer's, and should not be taken as legal advice.

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#6758 - 04/17/02 02:34 PM Re: Regulations on CD-ROM
Andy_Z Offline
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Andy_Z
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 27,748
On the Net
Short of learning more about the CCH version and deciding if it meets your needs, look waaaaay up to Lucy's post and you can get the FRRS on CD. That will have a lot of what is required.

ComQuest was taken by IHS which was taken by CCH. Several kewl features were lost in those conversions. I still miss hi-liting text and adding sticky notes where I wanted to remember things.

The advantage I see to CCH is I have the Reg. O manual, ABA Compliance Magazine, Privacy information, Federal Register and some other features that are keyword searchable and at my finger tips.

And I don't want this on the Web unless I have wireless connectivity. I enjoy having these resources on my laptop in a hotel, in my backyard, while watching the kids play or over at my in-laws (really a lot while at my in-laws). When you are deep into Reg. Z, RESPA or Reg. CC, people don't ask you what you're reading, for fear that you'll start to explain it.

Sorry for the side bar. Back to David's question. I still recommend exploring the CCH possibilities with their free telephone training. Then look at the limited options.
_________________________
AndyZ CRCM
My opinions are not necessarily my employers.
R+R-R=R+R
Rules and Regs minus Relationships equals Resentment and Rebellion. John Maxwell

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