London Ancestor

Ellis Island Records immigration into USA 

Canadian Genealogy and History

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Google is used by many as a standard however

Metacrawler incorporates Google, Yahoo, MSN and Ask

A list of Worldwide Web Search Engines (1) or search by topic: Virtual Search Engines

UK Family History Online

Family history research in the UK

Cyndi's international beginners guide to genealogy

The easiest way to set up a free webpage or small website is to register (i.e. give your e-mail address and pick a user-name and password) with a site like Freewebs (see other free pages )and use one of their professional-looking webpage templates (like filling out a form). It is that simple.

If you choose a user-name with Freewebs like 'Barbauchlaw'!! for example, your website will be called www.freewebs.com\barbauchlaw For most people, at least initially, this should be OK. But, if you have a business or club etc, you may wish to have your own domain name. So you would have your business name followed by .com , .co.uk ,  .org.uk , etc. For example, see www.oneandone.co.uk.

Many of these free website hosts, like Freewebs, post adverts on your website. This can be intrusive and inappropriate. You can pay for having your website hosted without adverts, see HERE for example. However, normally, the best choice is to use your internet service provider (ISP) as your free host.

With a word processor like Word, or the free AbiWord, simply type out your first page and use the 'save as' option to give the page the title 'index' and save the page as a 'webpage' (some programs may say 'save as HTML' instead of webpage). Then upload the page to your ISP (see FTP program below) or Freewebs etc. There are also dedicated programs for more professional website designs like the free Nvu.

This site uses tables, as found in most word processors, to format the pages.

Nvu Free dedicated wysiwyg html (webpage) editor

AbiWord Free word processor with 'save as HTML' feature

FileZilla  Free FTP program to upload webpages to the internet (eg to your internet service provider)

Freewebs (does not need FTP program). 

Family home pages (For your family history webpage - Free)

FreeWebSpace

Other Free pages

If you develop a large website and want more services and efficient technical support you may want to buy webspace from an organisation like Ware Welch Web Hosting, for example.

See also the UK-isp-directory Satellite broadband providers are listed. There are some which use your sky satellite dish for reception at prices comparable to other broadband services. See also Satcoms

Free software links

Security Software

AVG antivirus includes free updates.

For the latest virus news, advice and tools see (1) (2) (3) (4)

Free online virus scan (1) (2)

Is your computer open to others on the internet? Test it If it fails and your version of Windows does not have a firewall that you can turn on -  install one.

Free firewall to protect your PC: ZoneAlarm

Remove spyware from your computer FREE with AVG Anti-Spyware,  Spybot and Ad-aware  Do not rely on just one program.

Microsoft security updates etc very very important!!! (The alternative is a radical move away from Windows to a safer operating system like Linux eg (1) (2) (3) (4) ). Linux discs are often given free with magazines and are useful for investigating hard drives on which Windows is installed. Linux can often be run from the disc without installation.

The Google Toolbar is very useful too.

General Software

(Free software is also listed in the previous section Set up a web page)

Free Media player videoLAN

Free PC / file backup

Free Audio editor Audacity

Free Web browser Firefox  (associated e-mail utility Thunderbird with intelligent spam filters, quick message search, and customizable views)

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Family History Software

Free LDS Genealogy Software Personal Ancestral File - Excellent free program for recording your family history etc

Cyndi's genealogy software and computer list

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Webopedia Computer and Internet reference

Ancestry World Tree

Gedcoms

Utilities:

Relationship chart and a Genealogy Home Page Construction Kit

Digital Camera Review also links to Digital Camera Resource Page,

Steves Digicams (reviews) and Imaging-Resource: cameras, printers, scanners etc.

Will your printer ink and paper stand the test of time? see: http://www.wilhelm-research.com/

Some online discount stores (mainly UK):

Computing/Computer Systems: ebuyer , Scan , Aria

Cameras: DigitalFirst , CamerasDirect , InternetCamerasDirect , Askdirect , EquipmentExpress , BestCameras , Buyacamera

Digital media: ebuyer , MX2 , Photoglossy , 7DayShop

Language dictionaries and translation

Cyndi's language and translation list

see also

Reading old writing:

An online course

National Archives guide

Scottish handwriting

GENUKI occupations

Cyndi's occupation list

The Workhouse

National Library for Health (NHS - UK)

National Library of Medicine (USA)

Other Online Medical Libraries

MedWebPlus

Medical Resources

Medical conditions

Clinical Guidance Intranet

Cyndi's medical list

Medical Supplies

Medical Equipment Stores

Visual Aids

(An illustrative guide to what is available online.In the UK some products are available to visually impaired individuals through the NHS. Compare prices with other sites - there is a wide variation)

Reading Specs (1) which include prescription specs and (2)   (or see USA discount site )

Prescription Specs (1)  and for bi-focals and variofocals see (5)

Royal National Institute of the Blind

General visual aids (1) (2)

Cyndi's List:

England

Wales / Cymru

Scotland

Ireland & Northern Ireland

Channel Islands

Isle of Man

Cyndi's UK and Ireland: general listing