Attaching both PCs to a network would, of course, solve the file transfer problem, as would buying larger-capacity storage devices like an external Zip drive or a CD-RW drive. But those are expensive solutions. Here are some cheaper alternatives.

COMPRESS IT. For moving files that are only marginally bigger than 1.44MB, the 3.5-inch floppy is still your most effective solution. Try squeezing the file onto a single floppy by using a file compression utility like WinZip 7, a $29 shareware program available from www.winzip.com or from FileWorld. Some files will compress better than others: those with lots of text and numbers often can be reduced by 50 percent or more. A JPEG image file, on the other hand, is already compressed and won't shrink appreciably.

And even if you can't shrink a file or files to fit on a single floppy, WinZip and similar utilities can store their compressed content on a series of floppy disks. That makes cheap floppies a convenient solution for transfers up to several megabytes.

BUY YOUR OWN CABLE NETWORK. If you move big files often, you'll want something faster and easier than a floppy. Your best bet: Connect your PCs with cables.

Setting up a traditional Ethernet network just to transfer files is obviously too costly and takes too much work. But if both your computers have USB ports and use Windows 98, you can set up a simple network between them that's extremely fast and quite easy to use.

Both the $80 USB Direct Connect from Belkin and the $90 EZ-Link from Anchor Chips let you set up a Windows network connection between two PCs. Each comes with a cable that links two systems via their USB ports -- no network cards required. But you will have to perform a few Windows Network configuration tasks, such as installing protocols and enabling sharing, directions for which come with the product.

If the thought of mucking around with any Windows network settings appeals to you as much as swallowing chalk dust, try LapLink from LapLink.com. LapLink lets you transfer files via a USB cable without any network setup. It also has a simple interface loaded with handy one-click features for moving data and allows remote control of your computer over the Internet. Unfortunately, it costs a steep $149, not including the $40 you'll have to spend for the USB cable. LapLink also works with slower parallel-port connections (the cable used in such a setup costs about $15) and with much slower serial-port connections (a serial cable is included free with the software).

GO DIRECT. The above solutions are fine if you move lots of data on a regular basis and you don't have a network. But $149 -- or even $80 -- is a lot to spend if you transfer data only occasionally. Windows 9x offers a functional, if clumsier, free alternative: Direct Cable Connection

The Direct Cable Connection utility included in Windows 95 and 98 establishes a network connection between two computers using Windows' Dial-Up Networking software. Once a link is established, a shared drive or folder on the host computer appears on the guest system as a network folder with the name of the host and the name the host gave to the shared drive or folder (see Figure 1). Via this network folder, the guest can move, copy, create, delete, and even open and save files in the host PC's shared drive or folder. You can also use the DCC utility to install software on a guest PC, using a CD-ROM drive located on (and shared by) a host PC--which can come in very handy if your notebook lacks a CD-ROM drive.

Before you can launch DCC, however, you'll need to connect your PCs with a cable. DCC doesn't support USB, so you'll need either a special serial cable -- called a null modem cable -- or a faster parallel cable, also known as an interlink or LapLink cable. Both are available for less than $20 at your local computer shop.

Also, before you can start DCC on either PC, you must outfit both machines with Dial-Up Networking, Client for Microsoft Networks, and the IPX/SPX network protocol. DUN can be installed in exactly the same manner as you install DCC. To install Client for Microsoft Networks, right-click Network Neighborhood (on the desktop or in Windows Explorer), select Properties, and then click the Add button. Now select, in sequence, Client, Add, and Microsoft, and follow the prompts. Repeat these steps to install IPX/SPX in Windows, choosing Protocol instead of Client. When prompted, make sure that you assign each system a unique name, or else DCC won't work.

To launch DCC, select Start-Programs-Accessories-Communications. If you don't see a listing for Direct Cable Connection in the menu, double-click the Add/Remove Programs icon in Control Panel. Then click the Windows Setup tab, select Communications in the Components list, click the Details button, and check the box next to Direct Cable Connection. Click OK twice and follow any further prompts. You may have to insert your Windows 98 CD-ROM to load the program files.

DCC starts with a wizard program that must run on both machines. It asks you to designate one computer as the host and the other as the guest (see Figure 2). In this setup, the guest PC has access to the host PC, but not vice versa.

SEE EYE TO EYE. You can avoid the hassle of plugging and unplugging cables if you install an infrared connection between your PCs. Windows 95 and 98 support transfers between IR ports, and most laptops come with an IR port installed. But you'll probably need to buy an IR port that attaches to your desktop PC.

One such option is the $99 JetEye PC, an IR port from Extended Systems that attaches to a desktop PC's serial port. It limits your transfer speeds to the serial port maximum of 115 kbps, but that's also the maximum rate supported by many laptop IR ports.

To create an infrared connection, launch Windows' Infrared Monitor on each machine. Click the Infrared icon in Control Panel, and follow the on-screen prompts. Next, place the two computers so that their IR ports are within 1m-2m of each other, with a clear line of sight. The red indicator light in Infrared Monitor will turn green when you have established an IR link. Windows 98 comes with its own IR file transfer program, Infrared Transfer. Window 95 users will need a separate file transfer package that supports IR communications (a program of this type comes with JetEye PC).