There was once a time when the LapLink program took up less than 100KB of disk space and was only useful for transferring files under DOS. These days it comes on a CDROM and offers some of the most impressive PC connectivity features ever seen. And they still can't spell 'Travelling'. Running on any version of Windows from 3.1 to 98, as well as CE and NT 4.0, LapLink Professional is a powerful tool for remote access and file transfer. And it's a piece of pi... cake to use.

Standard PC-to-PC connection is carried out via either serial, parallel or (new to this version) USB ports. You don't get the USB cables in the box - they're £40 extra - in fact you don't even get the yellow parallel port cables. Instead there's a set of blue serial cables, which should suffice for most users. If you're not making a direct physical connection, that's not a problem, since LapLink Professional can also communicate with another PC using a network, modem connection or osmosis (also known as infra-red).

Once connected, the simple control screen allows you quick access to the remote PC, which has to be running LapLink Professional as well. It is possible to synchronise files remotely - you can create your own synchronisation schemes - as well as perform Explorer-esque file transfer operations, use a text chat window to communicate with the remote PC's user and so on. A new feature is print redirection, which lets you print to a printer connected to the remote PC. There are, of course, quite extensive security features to prevent access to restricted files and directories.

Our favourite feature, however, was the ability to control the remote PC. Choosing this option brings up the remote PC's desktop (see screenshot below) from where you can access files, launch programs and so on. Don't expect to run Quake in this way, but well-behaved Windows apps can be run without too much hassle. The remote link, and the necessary transfer of video data, make things a little sluggish, but it's great for resolving configuration problems.

LapLink Professional has to be one of the easiest ways to connect two PCs together. There are no complex setup screens; in most cases you can just click and go, via cable, modem, wireless or even USB link. Transfer files, chat, or control a PC remotely with the minimum of hassle. It's priced to appeal to power users and those IT staff who need to sort out problems on computer-illiterate directors' notebook PCs, but its potential uses extend far further.