Computer Info – June 20, 2001

This Week’s Meeting

        John Watkins is visiting the Florida Keys this week – but will be back for next week’s meeting. We will look at a fax program and miscellaneous topics.

MSN Messenger

Check out the latest version of MSN Messenger. You can chat (type) – talk to someone on the telephone (for a small fee) – transfer files, etc. It takes 3 minutes to download.
                           http://messenger.msn.com/default.asp

Tucows

This is a good site for software. Some of them are Freeware – or Shareware – or Demo’s. Check out their TOP 20 DOWNLOADS.
                           http://www.tucows.com

Locating People in the United Kingdom – and Getting Maps

To obtain a map of a location in the United Kingdom – you can enter the CITY – STREET – or POSTCODE.
                           http://www.multimap.co.uk

Again, you can obtain a map of a location in the United Kingdom – you can search by CITY – STREET – POSTCODE – TELEPHONE NUMBER – LANDRANGER GRID. If the map is part of a large city, you can obtain an Ariel Photo. You might like to save the map and place it in your genealogy program to show where some of your ancestors were from.
                           http://www.streetmap.co.uk
If you don’t know what the Landranger Grid is – check this site
                           http://www.ordsvy.gov.uk/products/Landranger/lrmsearch.cfm

Trying to locate someone in the United Kingdom – try this site.
                           http://www.bt.co.uk/index.jsp and click on Directory Inquires on the right.
You can search by Last Name and the Area that they are in. This directory does not list First Names – only Initials. You can obtain the telephone number and a map of the area.

Genealogy

Genealogy Free Stuff – has a lot of research ability of old books that are now online.
                           http://www.genealogysearch.org/free1.html

Need a Web Address

These sites allow you to search for a unique web address for yourself and will let you know if that address is already in use or is available for purchase.
                           http://www.easily.co.uk
                           http://www.123cheapdomains.com
                           http://www.registerfree.com
 
 

Traveling

Site 59 --- for last minute travel bargains .
                           http://www.site59.com

Web Cams

Check out the web cams on John’s site. He has one in his shop and one watching down the street in Ware, Hertfordshire, England.
                           http://www.hdprint.co.uk
and click on the link to the Web Cams.

Sending a Fax on the Computer

        If you have a fax program installed on your computer, sending a fax couldn’t be easier. When a fax program is installed, it always places a fax printer in the printers folder. So to send a fax, type your letter in WordPad or any word processing program and when you are ready, choose FILE – PRINT. In the drop down list where the printers are listed, choose the fax printer. Then just press the PRINT button and it will automatically open your fax program – then enter the name – telephone number, etc and you click on SEND IT.

        To receive a fax, is a little more difficult. You must OPEN your fax program – which, if you have all your options set, is all you have to do. When the fax program is open, it should answer the telephone when it rings. So what settings are we talking about. You must set the number of rings before the fax program answers the telephone – you will want it to answer before the answering machine takes over.

Just The Fax – just one of the many fax program available. This one is a shareware program that can be downloaded from
                           http://www.downloads.com
It is a full working copy by several features, including print, will be disabled after 30 days. The shareware registration fee for this product is $19.95.

Tips

        (1) Everyone should have a second e-mail account. This is the e-mail address you give anytime that you are filling out forms on the internet or any other place where they are asking for personal information. It is a place where you just visit occasionally in order to delete all of the JUNK messages that have come in – this help to keep the account active. You can obtain this second email address at HOTMAIL ( http://www.hotmail.com ) – or numerous other locations on the internet.

        (2) When downloading software from the internet – you are likely to be ask if you wish to RUN THIS PROGRAM FROM ITS CURRENT LOCATION or SAVE THIS PROGRAM TO DISK. What should you choose. You will be able to install the program by making either choice – but there is an advantage to choosing Save This Program To Disk. If you save what you have downloaded, then the next time that you have to install it again (or you wish to install it on another computer), you will already have a copy.