Legacy News

Get More Done With Two Monitors

I remember the days when I only had one monitor connected to my computer. How did anyone get anything done in the those B.T.M. (Before Two Monitors) days? New research shows that working with dual monitors increases your productivity by at least 40%. Just imagine how much more genealogy research you could get done with two monitors.

As an example, on the left monitor, you could have your genealogy database open. On the right monitor, you could have the Internet open and view census images. If you find information in the right monitor, just copy and paste it into your application on the left.

If you have digital images on your computer, you could use the right monitor to view your digital image collection, while on the left you could preview one of the images at full screen.

As I write this article, I have my blog editor open on the left monitor. On my right monitor I have my email software and an Internet browser visible. I can easily go back and forth - it's like having one big screen.

How does it work?
Adding a second monitor is quite simple. Tony Northrup explains it simply in his article, Two monitors are better than one. Or watch Marshall Brain's two minute video demonstrating the step-by-step instructions. If you use a laptop as your primary computer, chances are it is already set up for dual monitors.

Caution
Once you use dual monitors you will never want to go back. You will honestly wonder how you ever used a computer with just one.

How to speed up Vista on your laptop

If your laptop uses the Vista operating system, you will want to read the latest edition of The Old Shoebox Newsletter by Marlo E. Schuldt. In his article, "Speed Up Vista On Your Laptop", Marlo explains how changing one setting on your laptop can give you a tremendous difference in speed. He even stated that "it's like having a new processor or computer!"

Marlo is one of the developers of the Legacy add-on, Heritage Collector, software that helps organize your digital pictures.

To read the article, click here.

Free software to organize your digital pictures

If your digital photo collection looks like this, you are in need of a Digital Photo Collection makeover.

Using photo organization software, you can locate any picture by date, subject, or even by the name of the person in seconds.

Imagine trying to find a specific picture of the family's 1987 vacation to Disneyland. It'd be easy if that was the only picture you've ever taken in your entire lifetime. But this picture resides in a crammed file cabinet, along with thousands of others you've taken over the years. Once digitized, locating any picture is a breeze.

Once your pictures are on your computer, you will need to install photo organization software. Your digital camera or scanner may have bundled the software with your purchase. Some software, including Adobe Photoshop Album Starter Edition and Google's Picasa can be used for free.

I've used PhotoShop Elements for years, which combines the organizational software with powerful editing tools. Using its Tags and Collections feature, I can assign a tag to each individual picture. Once tagged, I can filter all of the pictures to just show me those that are tagged.

For example, I created a "Legoland 2007" tag, and applied it to all 357 pictures of our Legoland vacation. Whenever I want to view/locate these pictures, all I have to do is click on the Legoland 2007 tag, and immediately my 8,000 plus digital pictures are filtered to only show me these 357. Within these pictures, I could click on the tag I created for my 7-year-old, and instantly, the 357 pictures are filtered to show me only those of my 7-year-old.

I have created tags for vacations, individual family members, sporting events, and even one for pictures of Santa Claus. I have to be careful when showing these to my kids, because when I filter all my pictures to just show Santa Claus, it becomes obvious that his appearance changes every year.

Heritage Collector Suite is organizational software for digital images designed specifically for genealogists. It can import all of the pictures linked to your Legacy family file so you don't have to manually add them to a collection. It can even add Hot Spots to pictures as shown in the image below.

If you're still contemplating your New Year's resolutions, getting digitally organized is certainly an achievable goal.

How to "colorize" a black/white photo

I've been told that when my grandfather was my age we looked very similar. I wanted to see this for myself so I found an old photo of him. Our pictures looked nothing alike - his were black and white while mine were in full color! :)

Nothing breathes life into an old photo like adding color to it. Using my photo editing software, it took about ten minutes to transfer history into colorful history.

I used Adobe PhotoShop Elements 6.0, but other software can likely do the same. Follow these steps to add color to a black and white photo:

1. Make sure that the picture is in RGB mode. Look in the picture’s title bar. If it says RGB, all is well. If it says Gray, click on Image > Mode > RGB Color.
2. Let’s first “colorize” the skin. Click on the Create a New Layer icon at the top of the Layers palette. Rename the layer to “Skin”.
3. Open another color photo that has a person in it. Click on the Eyedropper tool and click once on the skin. The Foreground color is now the color of the skin. Close the color photo.
4. Click on the Skin layer to make sure it is the active layer. Type “B” or click on the Brush tool and select a smaller soft-edged brush.
5. In the Layers palette, change the layer’s blend mode from Normal to Color. Set the layer’s opacity to around 55% to reduce the intensity, or adjust it to look realistic.
6. Now start painting the skin. If the color appears to light to easily see the changes, change the layer’s blend mode back to normal, paint all of the skin areas, and when you are done, change it back to color.
7. Let’s add the hair color now. Click on the Create a New Layer icon, and rename the layer to “hair”.
8. Open another color photo that has the color of hair that you want to use. Using the Eyedropper tool, set the Foreground color to the desired hair color.
9. Follow steps 4-6 again, but for the hair layer.
10. Repeat steps 2-6 for all areas of the photo that need color.

Free software for bad eyesight

This weekend I made a sad conclusion. As I get older, my vision gets worse. Squinting my eyes in front of a computer screen ten hours a day probably has not helped any. Growing up, my vision was always 20/20, but now I can barely read my email. Oh, and I've already moved my two monitors to the edge of the desk.

I have heard of free software that will magnify the screen wherever my cursor is, but I have always thought it was for people of the more "experienced" generation. Today I downloaded the Virtual Magnifying Glass software, and I can "see" already that it and I will become good friends.

After installation, a small magnifying icon appears in my system tray (right next to the clock in the lower right of the Windows desktop). Whenever I need to magnify something on the screen, I just click once on the icon, and I have a magnifier that moves with my cursor. The magnifier can be resized, and the magnification level can even be modified to 1.5x, 2x, 3x, 4x, 8x, or 16x.

With software like this, maybe I can put off the appointment with the eye doctor for a little longer. Virtual Magnifying Glass can be downloaded by clicking here.

How to extend the life of electronic gadgets

Electronic gadgets such as iPods, cell phones, flat-screen TVs, and even printers don't have a long life expectancy. RealSimple.com provides "preventives and cures for common electronic ailments, plus strategies for making a save-it-or-scrap-it analysis."

Read the article here.

Free software - Surname Suggestion List

If you have ever searched for an ancestor in a database, or browsed a book's index for their surname, you need this free software. Surname Suggestion List will generate a list of similar sounding surnames for any surname you are researching and potentially help you crush that brick wall.

Searching for a variety of similar sounding surnames, as well as similarly spelled surnames, is vitally important if you hope to find your ancestor. Have you ever searched for an ancestor in a database and the database returned no hits? It may be because you are only searching for the one surname that you are used to, or you have not thought of how the census taker may have interpreted and written the name.

For example, I recently looked for John McCall in an index of a book. He was not there under that spelling. Had I stopped my search with the McCall spelling, I would still be stuck. Digging deeper, the index listed the same person, but with a variety of spellings: MaCall, McCaul, and McHale.

If we are going to find our ancestors, we must develop creativity and imagination when trying to come up with variations for our ancestor's names. When we cannot think of all potential variations, a good resource to turn to is Surname Suggestion List. It is a very simple program - all you do is enter the surname and click search.

(Click on image for a larger view)

In this example, I entered the surname of McCall and it gave me dozens of other possibilities:

• MaCall
• Mackall
• Mcall
• McCalla
• McCaul
• McColl
• etc.

Many of these results are ones that I did not think of on my own. With this new information, I should probably go back to the many databases and indexes and search again.

You never know how a census taker, indexer, or even your own ancestor will spell their name. I strongly recommend downloading Matthew Combs's free software - Surname Suggestion List.

How to Add a Citation to a Digital Image

Genealogists have learned that "genealogy without documentation is mythology." We are taught to document our findings by entering a source citation for each piece of information we enter into our genealogy management software.

Some genealogists fall short when it comes to labeling each document, printed or digital, with its complete citation. In Evidence Explained: Citing History Sources from Artifacts to Cyberspace, Elizabeth Shown Mills explains:

"Full citations should appear on every photocopied or scanned document and on every page of a research report. To avoid altering the face of a photocopy, some researchers place the source label on the blank back side. As that photocopy goes into circulation, however, the inevitable happens: someone in the circulation chain fails to copy the reverse of the record. Thereafter, others have a document with no identification." (pages 66-67)

Sound familiar? Have you ever received a copy of an obituary, only it lacks the name and date of the newspaper?

It is simple to attach a citation to a printed document. Today's practice is to write the citation into the margin of the photocopy's face, or attach a printed label to it. However, as more and more documents are digitally distributed, this becomes more of a problem. Some researchers attempt to adequately identify a digital image by giving it a descriptive digital file name. Evidence Explained comments that "aside from the insufficient identification of the source, another problem ensues. As the file is distributed electronically, others in the chain are likely to change the file label to suit their own filing system, thereby eliminating all clues to the source."

Adding the citation to a digital image is certainly possible using your photo editing software. On the right is a scanned image of an 1865 Minneapolis, Minnesota city directory. Without the full citation, it is impossible to determine the correct year.

To add a citation to the image with your photo editing software, follow these general steps (not all photo editing software works exactly the same, but the same concepts apply. PhotoShop Elements 5.0 is demonstrated here):

1. If there is not enough space in the margin of the digital image, make space:

Click on the Image menu > Resize > Canvas size. Change the anchor and width (see image on below). Change the Canvas Extension color to white. Click OK.

2. Using the text tool, type the citation, rotate it, and place it appropriately in the margin.

It takes a couple of extra minutes to add the citation to a digital image, but the citation will always accompany the image when it is distributed with others.

To learn more about Evidence Explained, or to purchase your own copy, click here.

How to send email with your cell phone

Imagine you're somewhere, and you just remembered something really important. Maybe you're driving, or you're at the grocery store. You have no pen or paper - no way to write it down to remember for later. But you have a cell phone. Using your free Jott.com telephone number, all you have to do is call, speak your message, and when you get home, your message will have been transcribed and waiting for you in your email's inbox.

It's so simple to use, there's not too much else that can be send about this new service. Business owners use it to send email to all their employees, students use it to remind themselves of upcoming homework, and genealogists use it to add to their research log.

Having used this free service for a couple of weeks now, I'm quite happy with the results. The transcriptions of my dictations are amazingly accurate. From the Jott.com website, "You may experience moments of pure relief after Jotting. Extended use may result in organized schedules, met deadlines, better connections, and more time in your day."

Give it a try at Jott.com.

TinyURL.com - Making long URLs usable

Have you ever found a great website and wanted to share the link with someone via email? If the website's address (URL) is long, it is often difficult to successfully share the link. The recipient often has to cut and paste portions of the URL to make it work.

For example, suppose you use MapQuest to provide directions to your home for an out-of-towner. After MapQuest finds your home, you can send the URL to your visitor which looks like this:

Your visitor then tries to click on the link, but this is often unsuccessful because the URL is just too long. This is where TinyURL.com comes in very handy. Simply enter a long URL into their system and click on the Make TinyURL! button. The resulting URL looks like this:

http://tinyurl.com/22j6wd

Clicking on it takes you to the exact same place as the really long URL. Which link would you rather type, or cut and paste into your browser? Give it a try at www.tinyurl.com.

Be careful what you publish - web sites are archived forever

The other day I was teaching my 6-year-old how to "Google." He needed information for a homework assignment. Out of curiosity, we did a search for his full name. I was shocked with Google's findings.

Google found one exact match for his full name. We clicked on the link and got the "page is no longer available" message. Knowing that Google archives most web sites, I backed up to the results page, and instead of clicking on the link, I clicked on the link entitled "Cached". The resulting page was a Family Group Record that contained all of my family's personal information - our birth dates, marriage date, and complete names of each member of our family.

Whoever originally published my family's information hopefully realized that they should not have, and it appears that they removed our information from their website. What they may not have realized, is that Google, and other services, takes snapshots of each page examined as it "crawls" the web, and caches (archives) these as a backup in case the original page is not available.

Most of the time, for genealogists this archiving of information is good. How many of us have returned to a web site where we once located valuable information on our ancestors, only to find that the web site no longer exists? In these situations, clicking on the "Cached" link in Google's search results will often pull up the missing page.

Just be careful when you are sharing or publishing information that you do not compromise the privacy of your family. Fortunately, Legacy Family Tree makes this easy to do. If you plan to share a Family Group Record, a book report, or even a GEDCOM file, be sure that you turn off the display of living information. For example, if you are creating a Family Group Record to share, and you want to exclude the living information, follow these steps:

1. Click on the Reports icon in the main toolbar and select the Family tab.
2. Click on the Report Options button and click on the Format tab.
3. In the top right, click on the option to "Suppress details for living people". You can even choose its sub-option, "Change name to "Living"."

When is the last time you Googled your name? Give it a try - you might be surprised what you find.

The Digital Family History Guidebook

If you use a digital camera or a scanner, then you have hopefully already learned about the "before-taking-your-first-picture" rules or the "before-you-scan" rules for genealogists. If not, you may have a little catch-up work to do.

The Digital Family History Guidebook, by Marlo Schult, does a thorough job of explaining all the rules and "mine fields" for digital imaging. Its nine chapters (over 200 pages) of helpful information is designed to help you with family history projects while saving you time, money and frustration.

Chapter 1 - Where to Begin?
Are you frustrated trying to determine the best place to start organizing all your family history photos and files? The Guidebook will provide you with some easy and logical ways to get started. Doing it right the first time will save time, money and frustration later.

Chapter 2 - Easier Scanning
Quality scans make a big difference when printing or zooming in on photos later. Step-by-step instructions are included such as the five most important steps to a great scan and more.

Chapter 3 - Using Sound and Narration
Using sound is easier than you think. All you need is an inexpensive microphone or a cable to attached to your cassette recorder. Use a microphone to tell stories or create oral histories. Learn to edit your narrations. Copy the priceless old cassette tapes to your computer with recordings of grandma or other family members. Save time, money and get better quality by doing it yourself. Internet links are provided for free sound editing software.

Chapter 4 - Digital Cameras, Video and GPS
Managing and finding your photos later and suggestions for buying a new camera are included . Converting Old Home Movies - do's & don'ts. Read this chapter BEFORE you invest a lot of money getting your old movies converted to a DVD. Why You Need to Start Using GPS. New and fun things you can do - free software links. Adding screen captures of satellite images is both fun and adds realism to family history.

Chapter 5 - Digital Scrapbooking
Presents a different perspective about how to take advantage of new technology and samples of how to create digital scrapbooks. Something new and very different from traditional scrapbooking.

Chapter 6 - Interactive Storytelling
Stories are a real treat and the spice of life. This chapter offers some excellent suggestions that will help you put new life into old stories. You will discover some new ways to tell stories and make them more interesting. Are you struggling with how to organize ALL your materials - photos, sound files, video clips, text documents, PDFs and other file types? The Guidebook will show you how to make your file collections more useful and organized.

Chapter 7 - Creating a Bound History
Ways to save money and things you need to know and avoid BEFORE you begin. What's Paper grain? Have you ever opened a book that resisted staying open? Have you seen a book with a broken or cracked spine? These are few of the symptoms of a book that has been printed and bound with the paper grain running in the wrong direction. There is much more you need to know. Chapter 7 takes you through each step required to create a beautiful history or biography. Checklists and simplified instructions will make it easy.

Chapter 8 - Preserving & Archiving
Ways to find and protect your treasures while saving hard drive space. Don't wait until you have a hard drive crash or a virus attacks your computer.

Chapter 9 - Understanding Your Computer
Basic computer terminology is explained in everyday terms. Computer hardware is explained. If you are gong to buy a new computer you need to read this chapter first. Suggestions for maintaining your computer.

See what people are saying about the guidebook:

"When the Guidebook came out I was really excited because it actually teaches step by step what to do and what not to do in preserving photos, sound bites, videos etc. It is so simply written with graphic aids, how can anyone go wrong! It is the best teaching tool I have found to help even the most computer challenged individual to have success. It’s worth its weight in gold!" - Sondra Buckwalter

"The Guidebook is rock solid and chocked full of sound advice. Obviously, it speaks with the voice of experience. Anyone reading the mine field section of each chapter, would be rewarded in avoiding unexpected pitfalls, been there and done that too." - Reg Farnsworth

"The guidebook is a very useful resource. We were overwhelmed with knowing what accessories we needed to have to get ourselves started, but we used the guidebook through that whole process and are very pleased with the outcome. We can't say thank you enough. We absolutely love it!"  - Seth & Jessica Blatter

Order now for just $19.95
Click here to order from our secure store, or call 1-800-753-3453.

How much space is left on your computer?

Although today's computers come with very large hard drives, your free space can fill up quickly - especially if you are taking lots of digital pictures and movies. If your computer gets low on free hard disk space, your computer will run into new problems.

Fortunately, it is simple to check how much space is left. Follow these step-by-step instructions:

1. Open your "My Computer" icon. (In Windows Vista, click on the Start button in the lower left, then click on the Computer button.)
2. The "C" drive is the drive where most computer users store all of their files. Right-click on the "C" drive, and click on "Properties". You will see an screen similar to the image below.

This image shows the used and free space on Drive C. Notice it is about 75% full. Depending on how you use your computer, this could mean that you have very little space left, or it could mean that you have enough space to last you for years. I recently noticed that my hard disk space was filling up quickly because of all the digital pictures and videos I was adding to my computer. I purchased a 500 GB external hard drive from the local office store for about $150. If I wanted, I could now use this drive to store all these files, or even use it as a place to back up my entire hard drive.

Cyndi's List has a new blog

For nearly 11 years, Cyndi's List has been one of the most popular starting points on the Internet for genealogists. Today there are more than 264,000 categorized links.

Cyndi Howells has created a new blog, where, in her own words, she will "post her random thoughts, wishes, and periodic rants."

Visit the new blog here.

Visit Cyndi's List here.

Learn the Lingo of Legacy

When talking about your computer and the Legacy Family Tree program with other users or Support, it’s good to know some of the “lingo.”  The most frequently misuse of words heard in Technical Support is when someone says “merge” for “import”; or “download” for “install from CD” or “download” for “copy” to a jump drive or a CD.  Knowing proper terminology will help you tell others more clearly about your computer as well as help others to communicate with you.

Back Up. To make a copy of your Legacy family file.  This can be used for archive purposes or for sending a copy of your information to a fellow researcher or family member.  It may also be used to send to Support when requested.  Multimedia files can also be backed up.

Backup. A compressed copy of a Legacy family file and/or the multimedia files (pictures, sound bites and video clips) linked to a family file. A Legacy backup file has a .zip extension.

Download. The process of transferring files from another computer on a network or the Internet “down” to a user’s computer. It is also used to describe the transfer of photos from a camera memory card to a computer.

Export.  To save data in a form that another program can read. For example, to export your Legacy family file information as a GEDCOM file for use in a different genealogy program like PAF. (Click on File > Export To for a menu of export options.)

Extension. The one to three characters after the period (dot) in a filename. The extension tells the computer and the programs installed on it what the file is. For example, the .exe extension tells a computer that a file is an executable file (a program). The .ged extension tells a genealogy program that the file is a GEDCOM file. The .fdb extension indicates that the file is a family database (a Legacy family file).

Family File. The database file that contains genealogical information about individuals and families. A Legacy family file has an .fdb extension. A Legacy family file is opened in the Legacy program.

File.  A computer file is similar to a paper document holding related information or instructions. For example, each computer file is stored as a specific unit, designated by its own filename and extension. There are family files (e.g. sample.fdb), program files (e.g. legacy.exe), picture files (e.g. asabrown.jpg), backup files (e.g. sample.zip), etc.

Folder. A grouping of files, similar to a file folder in your filing cabinet. C:\Legacy is a folder. A folder is sometimes called a directory.

GEDCOM. Genealogical Data Communications.  A file format standard for use in transferring genealogical information from one program to another.

Import. The process of transferring data from one genealogy application to another. For example, to import a GEDCOM file created in Family Tree Maker into Legacy Family Tree. (Click on File > Import From for a menu of import options.)

Install. To set up or load and configure a program from an installation CD or from a setup file downloaded from the Internet.

Merge. Combining duplicate records within a family file. If there are two or more records for the same individual within your family file, merging will combine their information into one record.

Program. A computer application or software that performs specific functions and tasks. Legacy Family Tree is an example of a genealogy program.

Root Folder or Directory. The lowest level on a device like a hard drive or CD where files and folders are stored. For example the Root folder for the C drive is C:\.

Sub-folder. A secondary folder inside or “nested” within another folder.  The Data folder under C:\Legacy is a sub-folder. A sub-folder is sometimes called a sub-directory.

Uninstall. To properly remove a program from the computer. This is usually done via the program's own uninstall utility, or by using Add/Remove in Control Panel.

Upload.  To transfer a file from a desktop computer to another computer on a network or “up” to a web server.

Why I like the new Internet Explorer 7 - tabbed browsing

The new Internet Explorer 7 (IE7) software has taken web surfing to a higher level. Microsoft's newest web browser has been available for a couple of months now, and comes with its new operating system, Windows Vista.

My favorite feature of this new browser software is the tabbed browsing. Prior to IE7, to view multiple web pages at once, you either had to open Internet Explorer multiple times, or use a different browser like FireFox.

The image below (click for larger image) shows a small portion of the new IE7 browser. It currently displays the LegacyFamilyTree.com site. To open another site at the same time, simply click on the button next to the main tab. This will open a new web site where you can type in a different web address (www.familysearch.org for example). Now, to switch back and forth between the two web sites, all you have to do is click on the tabs. No more ALT-tabbing, minimizing, or resizing windows to view multiple sites.

 

To see which version of Internet Explorer you are using, with it open, click on the Help menu, and click on About.

For an overview of the new browser software, click here. The link also contains a list of helpful keyboard shortcuts.

A Few Thoughts About Windows Vista

I purchased a new computer this week and specified that it should have Windows Vista Home Premium pre-installed at the factory. I was able to take the computer out of the box, boot up, and start using Vista within a few minutes. I had read quite a bit about Vista's improvements and wanted to try them out for myself. Now that I have about eight hours' use under my belt, I am ready to share my impressions.

Continue reading Dick Eastman's article here. Dick is the featured speaker on the upcoming Legacy Cruise to Hawaii.

Is your computer ready for Windows Vista?

Windows Vista is the next big operating system for PCs. Can you believe Windows XP was released clear back in 2001? Vista is supposed to be available towards the end of January, and will be available in several versions.

Vista will require a lot more "umpf" from your computer - 2 GB of memory, 20 GB of free hard disk space, and a DVD drive. If you decide to upgrade to Vista, you will first need to see if your computer has what it takes to run it.

For an overview of Vista's new features, click here.

To see if your computer is capable of running Vista, click here.

For an interesting discussion of Vista from a genealogy technologist's point of view, read Joe Edmon's article here.

New Genealogy Blog - JLog

Blogs are the hottest new thing in genealogy. They serve as a way of learning about genealogy, technology, and communicating research results with family. Legacy News is a blog (short for web-log).

One of our Legacy users, JL Beeken, has a new blog which focuses on genealogy technology.  Recent articles include:

RSS (if you don't know what this stands for, it's a great explanation)

EverNote (a free note-taking and note-organizing program)

PDF Printing (ideas on sharing genealogy electronically)

Since JL uses Legacy, many examples are given on how to incorporate technology with our software.

If you like technology and genealogy, JLog is definitely one to add to your RSS reader or favorites list. Visit JLog here.

New - The Digital Family History Guidebook - the Ultimate "How to Do" Guide

If you use digital media (digital pictures, cameras, movies, GPS, scrapbooking), you need the new book, The Digital Family History Guidebook: the Ultimate "How to Do" Guide.

It includes nine chapters and over 200 pages of helpful information:

• Where to Begin? Easy ways to begin or reorganize.
• Easier Scanning – Do it right the first time.
• Mixed Media Collections & Organization.
• Using Sound, Narration and Creating Oral Histories.
• Digital Cameras – Feature guides and more,
• Converting Old Home Movies – dos and don’ts.
• GPS - Why you need it and how to use it.
• Digital Heritage Scrapbooking - Something new and different.
• Interactive Storytelling - Ways to add new life to your old stories.
• Preserving & Archiving - What you need to know.
• Creating a Bound History - Samples, formatting and more.
• Understanding Your Computer - Why a laptop should be in your future.

Step-By-Step Instructions for the Beginners or Experienced Family Historian

How to avoid many costly mistakes and get started quickly and easily. Numerous screen captures and tips make it easier for you to accomplish many kinds of family history projects. Learn some new tricks and keep up to date with all the latest advances by accessing the registered user's site.

Marlo’s Mine Field Warnings

Do you feel like you are walking through a mine field every time you start a new family history project? Have you ever said "If I could do it over again I wouldn't make that mistake!"  "There must be an easier way!"  "I'll never do that again!” Each page contains timesaving tips and warnings about what to avoid BEFORE you make a mistake. These little warnings are called "Marlo's Mine Fields" and are included throughout the Guidebook.

What Guidebook Users are Saying

"When the Guidebook came out I was really excited because it actually teaches step by step what to do and what not to do in preserving photos, sound bites, videos etc. It is so simply written with graphic aids, how can anyone go wrong! It is the best teaching tool I have found to help even the most computer challenged individual to have success. It’s worth its weight in gold!" Sondra Buckwalter

"The guidebook is a very useful resource. We were overwhelmed with knowing what accessories we needed to have to get ourselves started, but we used the guidebook through that whole process and are very pleased with the outcome. We can't say thank you enough. We absolutely love it!" Seth and Jessica Blatter

Purchase

For more information, or to order, click here.

The Guidebook is FREE when you purchase ProMedia Manager Suite.

Transcribing images made easier with Transcript software

If you have ever tried to transcribe a digital image (census record, obituary, etc.) you likely had a difficult time trying to view the image and transcribe it on the same computer screen. You either had to memorize part of the text on the image, then quickly switch to your word processor or Legacy's notes, and then type what you can remember.

With a program called Transcript, you will not have this problem anymore. Transcript  is a shareware program that splits the screen into two - with the image on the top and a place to transcribe the document on the bottom. It certainly makes transcribing the document much easier.

Legacy user, Diane Manley, alerted us to this software. She wrote, "I can transcribe the information and then cut and paste it into Legacy or save and import it into Legacy. Works great. The user can enlarge the image or adjust the brightness for optimal viewing. It's been an invaluable tool for me in my research and with Legacy."

Learn more about Transcribe at http://home.wanadoo.nl/jgboerema/en/Freeware.htm

New - Google Docs & Spreadsheets

from Google.com:

If you've ever struggled to keep track of different versions of spreadsheet or word processor files sent over email, Google Docs & Spreadsheets may be right for you. Google Docs & Spreadsheets is a web-based word processing and spreadsheet program that keeps documents current and lets the people you choose update files from their own computers. You can, for example, coordinate your student group's homework assignments, access your family to-do list from work or home, or collaborate with remote colleagues on a new business plan.

Take a tour here.

Protecting your Work

Thank you to JL Beeken for submitting the following:

The day I lost 10 years of detailed personal journals when both backup CD's cracked through the middle, one after the other in quick succession, I decided there's no such thing as too many backups.  I had spent months digitizing box loads of old paper and the chance of losing both CD copies at the same time (without a catastrophic natural event out of my control) was about one in a trillion but it happened anyway!

If you haven't lost any computer data yet consider yourself one of the Chosen Few.  But if I were you I wouldn't push my luck.  Hard-drives die, software goes on the fritz, a surprise virus attack can bring all your best laid plans to a screeching halt...  If you think you can keep skateboarding through Computer Land without a mishap the odds are minuscule.

Continue reading here.

The Smallest Backup Device?

The following article is from Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter and is copyright 2006 by Richard W. Eastman. It is re-published here with the permission of the author. Information about the newsletter is available at http://www.eogn.com. 

I always keep backup copies of my genealogy information and other information that is important to me. As I have mentioned before, computer failure is the biggest risk to your data. I often receive e-mails from newsletter readers saying, "I lost my genealogy data when my computer crashed. What can I do now?"

The only answer is to "go to your backup copy." Sadly, many people do not have such a copy. The reasons for lack of backups are many, but all reasons produce the same results: your hard work is in imminent danger of being lost.

Of course, it is easy to protect all your information by making backup copies of critical data. What keeps people from taking this important step? Time? Expense? Inconvenience? Storage space? Well, I'm glad to report that technology is eliminating the excuses. This week I purchased a new backup device, smaller than anything I have used before. Much smaller.

One piece of hardware that has become popular in the past year or two has several names: USB drives, jump drives, thumb drives, or similar names. Each of these devices contains a bit of computer memory and supporting circuitry. The jump drives are designed to be plugged into your computer's USB port. Once plugged in, these devices act like tiny disk drives. You can copy files to and from jump drives in the same manner as between any other disk drives. Storage capacities vary from 16 megabytes to 4 gigabytes or more.

Best of all, these devices save their contents when unplugged. You can copy most any data to these portable devices and then take that data with you. Many people store backup copies of critical information on jump drives and then easily take them to another location for storage.

I keep a jump drive in my pocket at all times as I find these devices useful for copying data from my desktop PC to a laptop computer, from the office computer to my home computer, or to and from a friend's computer when I am visiting. I even have an MP3 radio in my pickup truck that plays MP3 files that I have stored on a jump drive. The next time I visit my extended family, I can bring an entire digital scrapbook or slideshow on my jump drive to share with them, often using my relative's computer to show the results. I find these jump drives to be more useful than a Swiss Army Knife; at least, I seem to use them more often.

While most of these devices are small, the one I obtained this week is amazingly tiny. Indeed, the name, "thumb drive," suits it well: two of them would fit on my thumb without stacking! In fact, one of them barely covers my thumbnail. These things weigh 1.5 grams. In other words, twenty of them add up to one ounce.

The ctual product name for the thumb drive I purchased is Sony Micro Vault.
Would you believe this thing stores one gigabyte of data? Sony also makes several models that vary in storage from 256 megabytes to 2 gigabytes. All models are the same physical size.

In addition, some retailers are now taking orders for a 4-gigabyte version for about $150.00 or so. The 4-gigabyte model is not yet available but apparently will be released soon.

Individual retailers may offer slightly different prices.

While the storage capability of the minuscule Sony Micro Vault is impressive by itself, Sony also includes "Virtual Expander" software already preloaded on the devices that adds file compression. Text information and databases often can be compressed significantly. Sony reports that up to 3 gigabytes of data can sometimes be stored on their one-gigabyte USB drive. The upcoming 4-gigabyte version should be able to hold up to 12 gigabytes of compressible data. However, if storing ZIP files, JPG images, MP3 music, or other file formats that are already highly compressed, the savings will be much less or perhaps even negligible. I would suggest that you always plan on the capacity that is printed on the front of the device.

These devices are perfect for backing up your genealogy data and scanned family photographs. Of course, they can also be used for a myriad of other purposes as well.

The biggest problem of these new Sony Micro Vaults is the risk of losing the tiny device! It would be easy for it to slip out of sight. In fact, Sony includes a small plastic carrying pouch and lanyard with each device. This simplifies their attachment to keychains or other more "permanent" objects. I don't use the carrying pouch, however. I keep my Sony Micro Vault in the change pocket of my wallet. It is safely protected there by a zipper that prevents the device from falling out.

Now you can store your genealogy data in less space than ever before.

You can find more information about the Sony Micro Vault Tiny at http://www.sony.net/Products/Media/Microvault/usm-h.html.

One piece of hardware that has become popular in the past year or two has several names: USB drives, jump drives, thumb drives, or similar names. Each of these devices contains a bit of computer memory and supporting circuitry. The jump drives are designed to be plugged into your computer's USB port. Once plugged in, these devices act like tiny disk drives. You can copy files to and from jump drives in the same manner as between any other disk drives. Storage capacities vary from 16 megabytes to 4 gigabytes or more.

Best of all, these devices save their contents when unplugged. You can copy most any data to these portable devices and then take that data with you. Many people store backup copies of critical information on jump drives and then easily take them to another location for storage.

I keep a jump drive in my pocket at all times as I find these devices useful for copying data from my desktop PC to a laptop computer, from the office computer to my home computer, or to and from a friend's computer when I am visiting. I even have an MP3 radio in my pickup truck that plays MP3 files that I have stored on a jump drive. The next time I visit my extended family, I can bring an entire digital scrapbook or slideshow on my jump drive to share with them, often using my relative's computer to show the results. I find these jump drives to be more useful than a Swiss Army Knife; at least, I seem to use them more often.

While most of these devices are small, the one I obtained this week is amazingly tiny. Indeed, the name, "thumb drive," suits it well: two of them would fit on my thumb without stacking! In fact, one of them barely covers my thumbnail. These things weigh 1.5 grams. In other words, twenty of them add up to one ounce.

The ctual product name for the thumb drive I purchased is Sony Micro Vault.
Would you believe this thing stores one gigabyte of data? Sony also makes several models that vary in storage from 256 megabytes to 2 gigabytes. All models are the same physical size.

In addition, some retailers are now taking orders for a 4-gigabyte version for about $150.00 or so. The 4-gigabyte model is not yet available but apparently will be released soon.

Individual retailers may offer slightly different prices.

While the storage capability of the minuscule Sony Micro Vault is impressive by itself, Sony also includes "Virtual Expander" software already preloaded on the devices that adds file compression. Text information and databases often can be compressed significantly. Sony reports that up to 3 gigabytes of data can sometimes be stored on their one-gigabyte USB drive. The upcoming 4-gigabyte version should be able to hold up to 12 gigabytes of compressible data. However, if storing ZIP files, JPG images, MP3 music, or other file formats that are already highly compressed, the savings will be much less or perhaps even negligible. I would suggest that you always plan on the capacity that is printed on the front of the device.

These devices are perfect for backing up your genealogy data and scanned family photographs. Of course, they can also be used for a myriad of other purposes as well.

The biggest problem of these new Sony Micro Vaults is the risk of losing the tiny device! It would be easy for it to slip out of sight. In fact, Sony includes a small plastic carrying pouch and lanyard with each device. This simplifies their attachment to keychains or other more "permanent" objects. I don't use the carrying pouch, however. I keep my Sony Micro Vault in the change pocket of my wallet. It is safely protected there by a zipper that prevents the device from falling out.

Now you can store your genealogy data in less space than ever before.

You can find more information about the Sony Micro Vault Tiny at http://www.sony.net/Products/Media/Microvault/usm-h.html.

Keyboard shortcut - Control-S

Control-S saved me again!

While writing an article for a future edition of the soon-to-be-released digital magazine, Digital Genealogist, my computer restarted -- all by itself. Instantly my screen turned black and I silently hoped that I recently pressed Control-S.

After the computer restarted, I opened my document and fortunately I did not lose any of what I had written - thanks to Control-S.

Control-S is a simple keyboard shortcut that many programs, including word processors, utilize to save the current document. If you would rather not have to rethink and retype due to a computer failure, be sure to save your document often.

My routine is to type Control-S after every paragraph. My paranoia stems from experience. Control-S is as simple as pressing the space bar and takes about the same amount of time. For me, using this shortcut is worth the extra millisecond of effort.

Saving a document in a word processor can usually be done via a couple of other methods too: clicking on the Save icon in the upper left, or clicking on the Save option under the File menu.

Windows XP has numerous keyboard shortcuts that will assist in quickly switching between open programs, refreshing an Internet page, or toggling StickyKeys. Visit Microsoft's keyboard shortcut page here.

Locating Lost Web Sites

While most people can readily use Google or one of the many other web search engines to locate web sites, what happens when a page has been removed from the Internet? You found it once, but the web site's address (URL) is no longer there. You can't find what's no longer there - or can you?

The Wayback Machine is a web site that archives old web pages. Simply type in the web address (URL) of the web site that you can't find, and click the "Go Wayback" button. You'll get a list of links to different dates that the web site was archived. Simply click on the date and you're instantly taken back in time - you'll see what the web site looked like on that day.

A very useful tip if you are looking for information that "once was" but "no longer is."

Click here to go "Wayback."

Thanks to Ted Seidler for pointing us to this service.

Online Backup Service - FREE!

The following article is from Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter and is copyright 2006 by Richard W. Eastman. It is re-published here with the permission of the author. Information about the newsletter is available at http://www.eogn.com.

I have written a couple of times recently about online backup services. It seems that I barely finish writing an article about one such service when still another company makes an announcement of a new and even cheaper service. Another new announcement was released this week.

Frequent backups are important for genealogists as well as for many others. If you spend many hours documenting your family tree, copying old documents or scanning family photographs, you don't want to lose that work in the blink of an eye. Important files can disappear instantly from a computer because of human error, hardware malfunction, or damage to the computer itself because of some external event. While desktop computers do fail, laptop computers fail even more often due to the extra handling. Laptop computers also get stolen occasionally.

There are many reasons for making computer backups and almost as many reasons for storing those backups "off-site," some distance from your computer's location. Off-site backups are the only insurance against "site disasters," including flood, fire, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, and more. Are off-site backups important? Ask any computer-owning genealogist who was in the path of last year's hurricane Katrina! Indeed, many Katrina victims lost their computers and their backup copies simultaneously. If they had created off-site backups, they would have been able to retrieve the files once they started getting their lives back in order.

Today's technology allows anyone to quickly and easily make backup copies and to store those copies at locations hundreds or perhaps thousands of miles away. You send the files over the Internet to be stored in a distant archival server. Best of all, those backups are available to you within seconds; you do not need to wait for someone to send the files by mail or overnight express service. You can retrieve them almost instantly by connecting to a web page and entering a user name and password. A couple of mouseclicks later, the files are transferred back to your original computer or perhaps to a replacement computer. If traveling, you can even retrieve stored desktop files onto your laptop computer.

A number of companies offer online backup services, I have recently written about two low-cost or free services that provide excellent online backup offerings.. Plus Edition subscribers can read those articles at http://www.eogn.com/plusedition. Now a well-known online company has entered the low-end of the marketplace: AOL.

AOL is going through great turmoil these days. The once-dominant online service has fallen on hard times. AOL was once the biggest and most expensive provider of online access with more than 30 million customers. Recent figures have placed the current customer base at about half that number with thousands of AOL customers now canceling their accounts every hour. AOL is very much in need of re-engineering. The company is awash in red ink, and AOL's financial numbers are all going in the wrong direction.

AOL has been losing a lot of customers to broadband ISPs over the past two years. Those who obtain broadband connections soon realize they no longer need AOL to access online content. Of the current AOL paying customers, roughly 6.2 million access their accounts via broadband connections that already include Internet access without AOL. The assumption is that most of those 6.2 million will eventually cancel their AOL accounts as they realize they are actually paying twice for online content: once for AOL and a second time for everything else. When that happens, AOL will lose an additional $90 million a month in subscription revenue.

This week AOL announced a radical change in its business model. The online company that once was the most expensive Internet provider in North America is now going to give away the same content and more free of charge. Even AOL e-mail will now be free, something that has been offered for years by Yahoo, Hotmail, Gmail and others. Future revenues will be primarily provided by selling even more advertising. (AOL will continue to charge for dial-up access to a dwindling number of customers who do not yet have broadband access.) The company said Wednesday it will no longer charge broadband users a $15 monthly fee for e-mail and other subscription services as part of a sweeping plan to grow its business by encouraging as many online users as possible to spend time on the company's properties.

To further reduce expenses, AOL also plans to lay off 5,000 of its 19,000 employees within the next six months. Company spokesmen also said Wednesday that AOL is in talks to sell its European access business to French telecom Neuf Cegetel.

There is some good news for computer service consumers in all of AOL's woes. In an effort to attract more users to view the advertisements, AOL will offer several new free services. The purpose is to attract more people to pages that contain advertising. If the company can succeed in getting more "eyeballs" exposed to the ads, the results will include greater revenue from advertisers.

The new free service that caught my attention is online storage. You will soon be able to access up to 5 gigabytes of online storage via AOL's partners. This service will be available for free to any Web users with AOL screen names. Users do not need to be paying AOL members. The AOL service allows users to digitally store any sort of digital material, including e-mail, pictures, music, and documents. The company previously charged $10 a month for the same service. For those who need even more storage space, a premium service with 50 gigabytes of storage will also be available for a fee.

Users will be able to instantly access their files from any PC or mobile device with a Web connection, share the files with others by granting file/folder permission, move them via easy drag-and-drop tools, and auto-upload any e-mail attachments they receive via major e-mail providers (including AOL Mail, AIM Mail, or any non-AOL POP3 or IMAP-compatible mail providers).

AOL's online file storage service is a "low end" service. For instance, it does not include automated backups that are made without user intervention. I also noted that there is no mention of backing up open files or of block level incremental backups. All of these features are available on other free services that I wrote about earlier. Still, given AOL's name recognition plus the price tag of free, I suspect AOL's online backup service will become very popular.

The free AOL online backup service will be available to any users with an AOL or AIM screen name starting in early September. 

Buying a Digital Camera - Help and Tips

Genealogists love digital cameras. If you have not "upgraded" to a digital yet, there are some things you should know before you buy. Maketips.com published a list of 30 tips on getting the best digital camera for your money.

View the list here.

Technology Tip

When all else fails, kick it!

Lifespan of CDs - shorter than you might think

Do you have any CDs or DVDs at home? Chances are you've burned CDs/DVDs of your pictures, important data, or even movies. Many genealogists use these digital storage media to backup their computers, thinking that they're now safe in case of emergency.

In a recent article, an IBM expert warns that the CDs you have burned have a relatively short life span of between two to five years, depending on the quality of the CD.

Read the complete article here.

Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to protect your CDs. We wrote about this in Legacy News earlier this year:

Read the article here.

Regardless of what digital storage media you use to backup your genealogy and other important files, it is vitally important that you make frequent backups. For tips about backing up and restoring your Legacy family files, visit http://legacyfamilytree.com/tipsBackups.asp.

Free Image and Photo Editing Software for Windows

The following article is from Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter and is copyright 2006 by Richard W. Eastman. It is re-published here with the permission of the author. Information about the newsletter is available at http://www.eogn.com.

OK, so you have scanned lots of old family photographs and now want to digitally restore them? You want to fix the creases and extraneous marks on the photographs to make them look better? What software will you use?

Photoshop has the best reputation and is the choice of photo professionals everywhere. However, its "street price" of about $600 will discourage most amateur photo restorers. A stripped-down version of the program, called Photoshop Elements sells for about $90, a lot more reasonable price but still expensive for most of us. The GIMP (Graphics IMage Processor) is a powerful open source program that is available free of charge. However, its user interface is awkward to use. So what should you do? I'd suggest that you take a look at the FREE PhotoPlus 6 being given away by Serif Software.

PhotoPlus 6 is an excellent program for photo restoration and other purposes on a Windows computer. To be sure, PhotoPlus 6 is not quite as powerful as the $90 Photoshop Elements. Then again, with a price tag of zero, many of us will accept a program that only has 90% of the capabilities of the more expensive program. I decided to try it out to see if it could entice me to abandon The GIMP, the photo editing program I normally use.

PhotoPlus 6 is available as a 19.4 megabyte download. That will not be a problem for broadband users but anyone on a 56K dial-up connection will find that the download will take several hours. Even so, I'd suggest that this program is worth the wait.

I downloaded the program and installed it. The first time I ran PhotoPlus 6, it connected to the Internet and then asked me to supply information for registering the program. I typed in my name and e-mail address. A few seconds later a series of letters and numbers was delivered to my e-mail address. This is the "unlock code" for the program. Once unlocked, the program asked for a bit more information, then launched the full version of PhotoPlus 6. The program's producers assure users that the registration will be free forever. The company does sell more powerful versions of the same program, however.

PhotoPlus 6 includes capabilities to create, manipulate, and enhance photographs, bitmap graphics, and web animations. All the tools you need include handy hints to enable you to achieve the results you seek. The program also includes various tutorials for image and photo editing and special effects in the downloadable companion document. The tutorial includes hands-on examples, essential theory and useful tips. The program also includes FAQs: frequently asked questions and you may find the solution.

I found the program to be very easy to use, much easier than the free photo editing program that I have been using.

All in all, PhotoPlus 6 is an excellent program for a free offering. It is easy to use and includes all the basics. To be sure, it is not as powerful as the $90 or more programs. Then again, it doesn't cost $90 or more. I can strongly recommend PhotoPlus 6 for anyone who needs to occasionally edit photographs or bitmap images. Serious photography and scanning buffs will probably want a more powerful (and more expensive) program. For me, PhotoPlus 6 meets more than all of my needs.

You can download the free PhotoPlus 6 at http://freeserifsoftware.com. While at the site, you might want to look at the other free programs the company offers. I haven't looked at the others yet but, if they are as good as PhotoPlus 6, they could be very useful.

My thanks to Betty Clay for telling me about this great free program.

New Version of Google Earth Can Fly You Around the World

Google is celebrating the first anniversary of Google Earth by releasing a new version, Google Earth 4 (which is in beta but is now available to download for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux. If you've got a computer with the chops (Google Earth uses a lot of resources and might not run well on older computers) you can have a lot of fun with this thing.

Continue reading here.

Google Alerts

Thousands of new web sites are created every day. Every once in a while, one of those websites is actually useful to the genealogist. On your lucky days, one of those web sites might contain new information about one of your ancestors. But unless you're "googling" every day, you might miss out on the new site.

Google Alerts is a free service that can alert you to new web sites that match your search terms. For example, if you want to be alerted when a new web site is available about William HAGUE from Yorkshire, you can create a Google Alert that contains those search terms. Then, when Google finds a new site that contains those terms, you'll get an automated email.

Learn more, or give it a try at http://www.google.com/alerts.

The Genealogy Tech Podcast

A great new genealogy podcast has surfaced. I've just listened to the first show, and am quite impressed. The Genealogy Tech Podcast, hosted by Bill Puller, provides tips, tricks and information on using the latest technologies in your genealogical research.

In addition to the podcasts, Bill is also publishing video tutorials on various technology topics.

As a reminder, anyone with an Internet connection and speakers can listen to a podcast.

Visit http://genealogytechpodcast.com/ to listen to the shows.

What are emoticons?

Do those funny facial expressions that people use in emails leave you wondering what they are really trying to say? %-(

Emoticons are facial expressions made by a certain series of keystrokes, most often producing an image of a face sideways.

A few examples:

:-)) - really happy

:-(( - really sad

:-D - laughing

}: [ - angry, frustrated

The next time you email your grandchild, impress them with your expanded knowledge of today's techie terms. Click here for a big list of emoticons.

In case you missed the recent Family History Technology Workshop . . .

Each year, Brigham Young University sponsors a Family History Technology Workshop. This year's workshop featured Peter Norvig, Director of Research at Google. Lectures discussed emerging technology that will impact our genealogy research.

In case you missed the conference, BYU has now published abstracts and slides of the lectures. Take a look at some of the lecture titles:

• Exploring Syllables, Romanization, and Analogy in Names
• Assessing Geo-Location and Gender Information in Han Chinese Personal Names
• Genealogical Implicit Affinity Network
• Binarization for OCR
• Towards Searchable Indexes for Handwritten Documents
• The Bit Mountain Research Project
• ScanStone: Automated Exposure
• Using Structured Neural Networks with Record Linkage
• Census Index Merge
• Identifying Genealogical Content on the Web
• Family Finder Prototype
• Extensible Linear Manager
• High-Level View of a Source-Centric Genealogical Model: "The Model with Four Boxes"

To access the abstracts and slides, click here.

Converting & Preserving Old Movies: What to do and what to avoid

If you have old video recordings on VHS tapes, it's time to start thinking about converting them to today's technology. Unfortunately, each time you play a VHS tape it wears out a little more. Your old celluloid movies are becoming more brittle and silently fading away more each day. It's time to think about breathing some new life into your video collection.

Marlo Schuldt, producer of Legacy's add-on, Photo Collector & ProMedia Manager Suite, has written an article about the procedures of preserving your old movies. The article outlines the following:

Step #1- Answering the First Question

Step #2- Deciding How the Video Clips Will be Captured

Step #3- Should Do It Yourself?

Step #4- Getting Movie Clips into Your Computer - doing it yourself

Free video editing software

Step #5- Professional Capture and Conversion Considerations

Step #6- Preparation and Organization

Step #7- Using Video Clips in Family History

Step #8- What to do with new video clips?

Read the article here.

Is Your Password Good Enough?

Is your password good enough? I doubt it. If someone steals your laptop or home computer they can gain access to all of your protected files in less than an hour if you’ve been skimping on password security. If you want a password that is essentially uncrackable it needs to be at least 11 characters long, include numbers, and have mixed upper and lower case characters. For additional security include spaces or other punctuation and for super-duper extra security include one of the symbols available on the number keys. These recommendations are especially important for files that you store on your computer or that you send over the Internet (email, ftp, etc.).

Continue reading . . .

New - Google Page Creator

Google Page Creator is a free online tool that makes it easy for anyone to create and publish useful, attractive web pages in just minutes.

• No technical knowledge required. Build high-quality web pages without having to learn HTML or use complex software.
• What you see is what you'll get. Edit your pages right in your browser, seeing exactly how your finished product will look every step along the way.
• Don't worry about hosting. Your web pages will live on your own site at http://yourgmailusername.googlepages.com

Google Page Creator is a Google Labs project, and is still in an early testing phase. If you're interested in taking it for a test drive, login with your Gmail account to begin making pages. If you don't have a Gmail account yet, you can sign up.

Sign up, or learn more at http://pages.google.com/

Legacy Database on Flash Drive

The following article is from DearMYRTLE's mailing list and is copyright 2006 by DearMYRTLE. It is re-published here with the permission of the author. Information about the mailing list is available at www.dearmyrtle.com.

From: Glen Ballard DearMYRTLE,

While listening to your podcast of 21 Mar 2006 I thought you would like to know the following:

You mentioned converting your genealogy database file to PAF (Personal Ancestral File) to take to the FHL / FHC.

To keep from converting data and wasting time:

1)  I access my genealogy from my Flash drive at the Family History Center. They have Legacy 6 installed on all 6 computers. Millennia Corp gives FREE licensing to FHCs. You might want to mention to your audience that if the FHC they visit doesn't have it installed, they can request that the FHC install it. The FHC just has to contact Millennia and request the License Key for the Deluxe version.

2)  I can also access my website (using TNG - The Best as you already know). I can find anyone in my database and find any facts. If I choose, I can enter the information with my Administrator's account directly in TNG (The Next Generation of Genealogy Site Building.) But I would have to make note of who I modified to add the modifications to Legacy at home. You might want to mention that patrons can access there personal websites at a FHC instead of converting the data.

Keep up the good work.

DearGLEN,

THANKS for the input. I think your first point is very well taken. The bottom line is that the PROGRAM must be installed on whatever computer you are using when you go to a research facility for your database to be read. IF your local LDS Family History Center has installed Legacy Family Tree in addition to PAF, then it will read your Legacy database directly. I wasn't aware of this offer from the Legacy folks. I will look for Legacy on the Family History Library computers next time I go.

As to your second point, accessing our genealogy databases on a webpage only requires that the research facility has access to the internet. This is a much more likely and reliable option, since virtually all facilities will have that access. Also, if that is your primary database, then updating it while at the Family History Library or other research facility would not be a problem.

But as for placing our databases on the web, even in a password-protected area, we just aren't all there YET.

Generally speaking, I'd venture to guess that 95% of the genealogists who read my column don't have their own web pages, since that is about the count when I visit an area and give a class or seminar. I DO think that eventually it will be the norm to keep ALL of our data (genealogy or otherwise) on a website where the web server is backed-up routinely. This would transcend problems when one's personal computer fails. This will also enhance communication among researchers.

But then ol' Myrt here remembers the days when email was a challenge for my readers. So as times change, we need to keep sharing information as to HOW we're managing to do effective research. I think the bottom line is that it isn't wise to go to any research facility without having full access to our genealogy databases. Whether by laptop, flash drive or web pages, we must be able to see our known ancestors in context. I wouldn't dream of printing out my pedigree chart. Last time it was over 250 pages.

NOTE: I mentioned in the podcast that I prefer to do my data entry once I am home. Part of that is a time consideration, but I've also found I am capable of better analysis when not bogged down by keeping to the train schedule for the commute back home, etc. This is particularly true when one takes a research trip to a distant county or country. Getting there and back and living out of a suitcase is fatiguing no matter how much fun it is to travel. As we know, fatigue has a negative affect on one's critical thinking skills.

For instance, when working through cryptic handwriting in a will, one might spot the connection to an heir and make the photocopy. However, when at home, a full transcription of the document can be completed without interruption. This more-detailed study might point to other valuable information. Perhaps the land is described in the distribution of the estate, and this might lead to the original deed where notations about previous generations are listed.

Happy family tree climbing! Myrt     :)
DearMYRTLE, Your friend in genealogy. http://www.DearMYRTLE.com

How a GPS can help your research

Global Positioning Systems (GPS) are new technology that can actually be useful to genealogists. Marlo Schuldt, producer of Legacy's add-on Photo Collector & ProMedia Manager Suite, has written an article about some practical uses of these devices.

Click here for the complete story.

View your Legacy files on your cell phone

Just when you thought technology has given you enough to think about, you can now view your Legacy family files on your cell phone.

Legacy's add-on software, Pocket Genealogist, will run on these new phones. Read the complete review by clicking here.

Email tip: Use an email address that will last

Have you ever sent an email to someone, only to have it returned as "undeliverable"? Chances are, the intended recipient is using an new email address.

In this week's DearMYRTLE's Family History Hour, Myrt and Millennia's Geoff Rasmussen discuss the challenges of email. Geoff provides suggestions on how to obtain your own, personalized email address (you@yourname.com) and the potential disadvantages to using a free email service.

Also discussed are the RootsWeb mailing lists, Yahoo groups, GenForum, and the free trip Millennia is giving away (Alaska genealogy cruise or Family History Library trip).

Listen now by clicking here.

The Proper Care and Handling of CDs

Marlo Schuldt, publisher of Legacy's Add-on, Photo Collector and ProMedia Manager Suite, wrote an interesting article about his experiences with caring for and handling CDs. Its headlines include:

• Most of us protect the wrong side of the CD
• One scratch or ding can destroy a CD
• Sunlight can tan your CDs
• Stacking CDs and the Leaning Tower of Pizza
• To label or not to label
• A reusable CD?
• Determing CD quality is about like flipping a coin

Read the complete article at http://photocollector.net/TipCD.htm

Learn more about Photo Collector and ProMedia Manager Suite at http://legacyfamilytree.com/LifeStory.asp

Survey: What Kind of Computer Do You Use?

Dick Eastman, author of Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter, is running a survey about your computer use. The survey asks if you use Windows, Macintosh, or Linux, and also which version of the operating system you use. It also asks how often you purchase genealogy software as well as a few other simple q