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Computer Corner on-line

Since it's inception in the early 1990s, Computer Corner has been a regular feature of The Quarterly.  Over the years, the column has provided tips and information for computer-using genealogists, descriptions of genealogical software, and useful web addresses and on-line resources.  This page, Computer Corner On-Line provides the  column on the Society's web site and adds the unique web dimension of some live links to illustrate tips and bring the reader directly to addresses and resources.  The reader is encouraged to interact with the column by sending comments, ideas, questions, and reactions to the column editor at Mike@Blackledge.com

  • Computer Corner Archives: contains references and links to several  previous articles (prior to May 2005)

Index to Columns from 2005-2010:    Computer Corner
Quarter Click Title for full CC Column
Abstract
May- 05 Create Your Own Genealogical Web Site - Part 1 Motivation:  Why would I want my own web site? What if I don't even have a computer? What would I do with a personal genealogy web site if I created one? (requesting feedback, interaction from readers)
Teaser:  
What/where are some examples of personal genealogical web sites?
Aug- 05 Create Your Own Genealogical Web Site - Part 2 Content: "...but I don't know how to spell HTML" - Where can one obtain material to create a web site? What needs to be done first? Second?
Nov-05 Searching Records at the Special Collections Library
Three AGS Volunteers maintain a Local Area Network (LAN) of four "patron" computers (identified as A, B the incorrigible one, C, and our favorite, D) at The Special Collections Library to supplement the information available. This article provides guidance on accessing the genealogical information using this Network.
Feb- 06 Create Your Own Genealogical Web Site - Part 3 The Mechanics: how to place your material out on the World Wide Web - establishing your own web site.  Examples and frequently asked questions.
May-06 Google for Genealogists
Tips and Techniques on using Google applications to assist your research.
Aug- 06 Introduction to Electronic Publishing Introduction: What is Electronic Publishing? What is Adobe Acrobat, and why would I want to use it?  Teaser:  What/where are some examples of personal publishing using electronic files?
Nov- 06 Disaster Planning for Your Genealogical Records Part I:  Strategy You have spent many, many hours researching and gathering your genealogical information.  Doesn’t it make sense to spend just a few minutes to protect that research from an unexpected disaster?    In Part I, we’ll introduce some concepts and decide on a strategy for disaster planning.
Feb- 07 Disaster Planning for Your Genealogical Records Part II:  Storage Media
In this two-part article, Computer Corner reminds you of how easy it is today to save yourself from grief over loss of data, providing peace of mind today as well as ensuring your legacy for your descendants.  In Part II we’ll examine the recent advances in hardware and storage media that make backups a snap.
May-07 Choosing Your Genealogy Software, Part 1
Part 1 of this two-part series provides background, examines some of the options available, and provides some insights about considerations when selecting a basic genealogy software application.
Aug- 07 Choosing Your Genealogy Software, Part 2
As Forest Gump might have said, “Genealogy and computers go together like peas and carrots.”  Part 2 presents comments by our AGS members on what they use – and why.
Nov- 07 Netting Your Ancestors - A Beginning
Nancy Anderson presents suggestions on using the Internet for genealogical research.  Nancy has taught the Beginner's Course on Internet Research for several years and this article is adopted from her outline for that course.  Nancy has been involved in genealogy and both the AGS and the NMGS organizations for many years.
Feb- 08 Grandpa In Pixels - Scanning and Photo Editing Tips for Genealogists
All but one or two members of our Albuquerque Genealogical Society have a home computer (and are using a user-friendly software genealogy program as discussed in the August 2007 CC article) and a printer.  Most also have scanners but may not have used them in the pursuit of their research.    This article examines the benefits of scanners for genealogists. 
May-08 DIGITIZING AT SPECIAL COLLECTIONS LIBRARY
At its March 2008 meeting the AGS Board approved $3,000 for the purchase of a book scanner with a capability of manually scanning book pages at approximately 400-500 pages per hour.  These scanned images then can be recognized by software to perform Optical Character Recognition (OCR), after which the file can be exported as a searchable PDF file on the Local Area Computer Network (LAN) available to Special Collections Library (SpeCol) patrons.  Hugh Bivens tells us why this capability is valuable for all AGS members.
Aug-08 Kith and Kindle
A few years ago, the National Endowment of the Arts released a report showing Americans in almost every demographic group are reading books in significantly lower rates than 10 or 20 years ago. We know technology is combining computers and books. This Computer Corner explores the Amazon Kindle, a convenient portable electronic device designed to store and display electronic books, and considers if such a device can assist the genealogist.
Nov-08 Preserve Your Family History As a genealogist, you have some special resources available to you, including some old documents or photographs that you have gathered throughout the years.  A significant product can be achieved with the application of some professional assistance in creating photo books and family history books.  Your creative efforts can assist your genealogy goals.  In this article, freelance writer Esther Yu Sumner gathers together several such ideas for your consideration.
Feb-09 Genealogy Scams and Hoaxes (Part 1)
One of the organizational categories under Cyndi's List of Genealogy Sites on the Internet is Myths, Hoaxes, and Scams.  Say it ain't so!  Can there be shady practices going on within our beloved world of self-help and kind souls?  Apparently yes - in this Computer Corner the Special Collection Library's own Gail Rasmussen provides a historical perspective while exploring some of the more famous (and often Internet embedded) genealogy hoaxes, as well as those nearer and dearer to our own time.
May-09 Genealogy Scams and Hoaxes (Part 2) We conclude the series with this article by Judith Rosen that shows forensic genealogists at work.  The article was originally published in Publishers Weekly, January 12, 2009.
Aug-09 Books & Snippets In May 2006 Quarterly's Computer Corner looked at the search engine Google and some of its many free features, to include Google Maps, Desktop Google, Google Picasa, Google definitions and conversion.  We also presented an introductory look at a new feature at the time, Google Books.  That "Beta" feature is long since mainstream and deserves another look by all genealogists.   
Nov-09 7:  A Gift for Genealogists
Windows 7 is the latest version of Microsoft Windows, a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers such as your home desktop and laptop.  Windows 7 general retail availability began October 22, 2009, less than three years after the release of its predecessor, Windows Vista.   This column is to assist in your recognition of 7 as an improvement, certainly over Vista and in several areas over XP as well. 
Feb-10 Easy Squeazy Genealogy Movie   This article will walk you through how to create and publish a very simple "movie" (actually more of a slide show) for free from the photos and information you have collected in your research  - perhaps this will inspire you to sign up for a professional video service, or perhaps this will give you enough to share with your family for now.  This article discusses Windows Movie Maker, a software program which you almost certainly already have on your PC - or can download for free.



CC Archives: Included in the many topics addressed by Computer Corner over the past several years are some taken directly from the Internet (with permission of the authors). The following table provides previous topics with relevant links where available:
Quarter CC Title by Source Abstract Secondary article
Feb- 05 I Get By With A Little Help Drew Smith Digital Genealogy Archive (7/31/2001) Tips for computer-using genealogists: Education; pick up general book about PC trouble-shooting; find relative and computer user groups. Release of new Ancestral Quest (AQ), vers. 11 - viewable on 16 Feb. 1pm
Nov- 04 GEDCOM Estimator Dick Eastman Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter A program that estimates missing dates in a genealogical database. Free, available: home.no.net/gedcom/ (Ed.Note: no longer a good link!  CC asked Dick Eastman - see his reply.)
Electronic Newsletter available from the Allen County Public Library
Aug- 04 Everton's Family History Company is No More Dick Eastman Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter Genealogical Helper mag left some time ago; now the Newsline is gone, but will start a GenWeekly. I Lost a Computer Last Night - do you have a recovery plan?
May- 04 Eastman's On-line Genealogy Notes Dick Eastman Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter FindAGrave.com; NYC Death Index Online; Spam Filters Working Overtime  
Feb- 04 Is GEDCOM Dead? Beau Sharbrough Genealogical Computing
Current projects to improve use of GEDCOM: GENTECH GEDCOM TestBook - clearinghouse project.  
Nov- 03 RootWorks: Spreadsheets - Mapping Beau Sharbrough Ancestry Daily News Microsoft Office includes map; can use for Migration Maps.  
May- 03 RootWorks: E-mail Organization Beau Sharbrough Ancestry Daily News Filing and filtering E-mail in folders.  
May-02 Using CDs in the Special Collections Library Mort Ervin Local - AGS Local Area Networks and Small Computer Systems Interface design have solved earlier problems with mounting CD images from the hard drive. Using the US Census Index Viewer
Feb- 02 Map Sites Online Denny Shiver     Other Websites to Check Out
May-01 Genealogical Database Network Phil Hopkins Ancestry.com Newsletter www.geneanet.org establishes a universal register of all the world's genealogical resources, net-based or otherwise.
To Scan or Not to Scan
Response from Dick Eastman, 12 Feb 2005, re now bad Norweigan link for
GEDCOM Estimator:
"No idea. That article was written years ago [Sept 2001] and many things
have changed since then. Ancestry.com keeps my old articles
from years ago on their web site but never updates them."
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This page was last updated on: January 18, 2010

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