KUGIG FEBRUARY 1985 DISK NEWSLETTER By referring to this list of contents in a word processor you could use search command to go to page where item of interest is located. TABLE OF CONTENTS ITEMS PAGE Genealogy Bulletin Boards 1 FAMILY RESEARCH MANAGER-Dollarhide Software 4 Genealogy Software Recommendations 9 Everton's to Sell Kaypro and MY FAMILY RECORD 10 Public Domain Disks 11 KUGIG Shareware 11 Perfect Updates 12 P. WRITER Rule Lines 13 Hard Disk Upgrades 14 Membership Renewal Rates for 1985 14 Coordinator's Comments Corner 15 GENEALOGY ELECTRONIC BULLETIN BOARDS Several bulletin boards dedicated to serving genealogists are on-line or about to go on line. Here is the information I have collected on them. If you know of others or corrections to this information please drop me a line for the benefit of all. Sample session on these boards are on disk 118/119 that you can learn how to operate software and save yourself time on line. - 1 - KUGIG BULLETIN BOARD Technical Information Address: Nebraska Baud Rate: 300/1200 The best news is the introduction of our own bulletin board. It will be on line for KUGIG members this spring, and later on for all computer users. The printed newsletter for this spring will be primarily about our bulletin board, how to use and other details. In the mean time look at the KUGIG-BB.TXT preliminary format file on this disk and let us know how you would like to see board developed and used. This IS going to be the best bulletin board for genealogy users. Lets all help Paul Weckle make it go! TREESEARCH BULLETIN BOARD Technical Information Phone: (801) 479-9499 Hours: 10 PM to 7 AM Mountain Standard Time Baud Rate: 300/1200 Word Length: 8 Stop Bits: 1 The TREESEARCHER BULLETIN BOARD, which is sponsored by Marie Irvine and Nancy Carpenter of ARRAY SYSTEMS, INC. is now operational. It is free and open to all genealogical researchers. Set up for exchange of data files from TREESEARCH program, which operates same as Data Sort Utility of PAF. They specify that only sourced data be exchanged. I am working on how to make this data exchange format available for KUGIG members. See discussion under MFR review on DATA SORT UTILITY. They have defined for their board a high quality and limited area of service. SAMPLE SESSION ON KUGIG 118 or 119 depending on room on disk 118. POSEY INTERNATIONAL BULLETIN BOARD Technical Information Address: P.O. Box 338 Orem, UT 84057 Phone: (801) 377-5504 Hours: 9 PM to 5 AM Mountain Standard Time - 2 - Baud Rate: 300/1200 (you send at 1200, they return at 300 only) Posey's keep talking about the wonderful things they will be doing in telecommunications but they are not on-line. They have had my registration fee for over a year and I haven't found them on line yet. TOWN CRIER BULLETIN BOARD Technical Information Address: In Indiana, Evansville apparently. Phone:(812) 479-9499 Hours: 24 hrs a day Baud Rate: 300/1200, but I haven't been able to access at 1200 The Sysop will be retiring at end of March and intends to devote time to developing this BB. It has 7 different boards, a Genealogy Section, and 6 for different computers. The Kaypro board doesn't have much action. I couldn't download into system. SAMPLE SESSION ON KUGIG 119. THE GENEALOGY NETWORK Technical Information Phone: voice for information (602) 838-6550 and TOLL FREE (800) 321-9004 Hours: 24 hours Baud Rate: 300/1200 They say they are going to offer everything for genealogist. Delayed in going on-line to rewrite programs to accommodate "Commodore People" with 40 character wide screens. Operated by a communication firm that has many "sub-groups" who buy time on their "telenet" type network. THE GENEALOGY NETWORK is apparently under direction of Dennis Duncan and he is writing a program newsletter that will be mailed to those who call toll free number and request information. They will have local access numbers in all major cities (they consider Ames a major city so yours may be too) and they will tell you when you call if there is a local number. You will pay a start-up fee of around $25.00 and then a fee of around $7.00 an hour for 300 baud non-prime time service. Advertisement in GENEALOGICAL HELPER was missing in last issue after running a couple of times. - 3 - ROOTS-BB Technical Information Address: San Francisco Phone:(415) 584-0697 Hours: 24 hours Baud Rate: 300/1200 This bulletin board and TREESEARCH use same software so learning to operate one works for other. Has interesting article on researching in European countries, many of best CP/M and MSDOS-PCDOS public domain software. Not getting much action on genealogy. Has listing of surnames of less than 50 names of this date. The sysop has a good idea and this board may develop. SAMPLE SESSION ON KUGIG 119. Works good for upload and download. MICRO-ROOTS RBBS Address: 7411 Riggs Road, Suite 104, Adelphi, MD 20783 Phone: 301-871-7978 Hours: 5 pm to 9 am weekdays and weekends Baud: 300 Micro-Roots is a new genealogical computing magazine, first issue not received as yet ($24.95 a year). They will have a BB free to subscribers of magazine. You can get on board to look at it as Guest, i.e. use password "guest". They will apparently use same software as in sample session of KUGIG 119, but current board is an APPLE PI bulletin board. GENEALOGICAL COMPUTING's "FAMILY HISTORY" NETWORK This service went off line last year for a reworking and has not been bought back up as yet. FAMILY RESEARCH MANAGER Dollarhide Software One of our members who will be doing a "beta" test of program got a preliminary notice about software for the Dollarhide System due out the middle of 1985. Here is the summary of that notice. "Integrated software for genealogists is something unusual, and few such programs are available. Family Research Manager is the third - 4 - generation of programming for genealogists. The first programs were aimed at "filling in forms on the screen", or listing the name of ancestors with their parents for pedigree charts and family group sheet. Even the printed results left much to be desired. Programming may have been good, but concepts directed at genealogy were lacking. "Genealogist who want to use the computer as a FINDING MACHINE were forced to resort to canned data base systems, spend hours entering data. . . and then using a totally different system to create family group sheets or pedigree charts. "The second generation of software attempted to cure this problem by allowing space to have "events" entered into a data base, and use this data to create the master data for making group sheets and charts. However, even this advance did not allow for large data bases to be created, nor did it consider the genealogist with hundreds, or thousands of non-pedigree persons who were being collected. These systems were limited in scope. "The third generation is the Family Research Manage and is one which sees the state of the art advance to allow genealogists to pattern their computer system after their manual system-- that is, flexibility, retrieval of any record at any time, and total control over the research project. "In review, the Family Research Manager contains three basic archives: 1. A REFERENCE file for creating a name/place/date index to all documentation that has been collected by a genealogist. The full citation is not given, but a quick reference to the page in the book can be found. The file is limited to events, names, places and dates - the 'bare-bones' facts we need to find and understand about our ancestors. 2. A MASTER file which is structured simply. The file is not intended to be more than the basic vital statistics, ID number, and identification of marriages and parents for any person. 3. A BIO file for creating a narrative about one person, but with the capability to display the file along with the reference or the vital statistics. The file is assigned to an ID number for a person, and can be used for free-style writing, with the same features of a word processor. It can also be used as a 'collector' of all references, plus the master vital statistic from the two data base files for one person. SPLIT SCREEN CAPABILITY Any two of the three main files can be on the screen at the same time, each fully accessible while on the screen for searching, or for printing." From Bill's BULLETIN Winter 1984-85 - 5 - We have entered into an agreement with Anthony Center for Computer Development, a software development firm here in Washington State. The person responsible for the programming is a young man named Tony Snyder. Tony is creating a special data base system, using some totally new and unique ideas for compacting data into less space in memory and we are very excited about the potential product. It is my intention to have the software available for an IBM, Apple, TRS, Commodore and also CP/M operating systems. This covers nearly every personal computer on the market today and we will not settle for anything less. If you are a user of the Dollarhide System, the software package will allow you to take what you already have in hard copy form, using the RFDS sheets to enter statistics into a data base. If you are not using the Dollarhide System, you will need a brief introduction to the methods we use to keep records, documents, notes, etc., by giving them a sheet number. The RFDS sheets are the basic collection sheets of all genealogical Sources, and can be indexed on either a Research Log or Compiled Family Data Sheet. The REFERENCE file to be created in the computer system will be composed of a single-line entries, each relating to a genealogical event. These events will be taken directly from the FRDSsheets with a place to refer to the FRDS number. The one-line entry will be limited to a name, a place and a date. The soundex code for the person's surname will be automatically generated by the computer, and this becomes a field that can be retrieved alphabetically from the data base. Extra fields will be allowed, and named by the user. If you have some experience with computers, we can describe the Reference data base as a Disk Read System, which means that the data stays on the disk (rather than being loaded entirely into RAM) and is retrieved and displayed in sections by the computer, but in predetermined "modes". These modes are the order in which the data can be retrieved, either by the soundex, date, place or RFDS source number, plus a variety of combinations. A limited number of modes will be used, because each mode will require "pointers" in the data base, which take up storage space as well. The draw back to disk-read systems available now is they are generally very slow because the entire disk must be read to find the right order. We have avoided this with creative programming and a proprietary pointer system which has never been done before. The data is indexed at the time it is entered and it is done automatically by the computer. Retrieval of data is instant, and can be viewed by scrolling the screen up, down, left or right. It also can be printed to screen or printer in any of the predetermined modes. Unlike an "archives" files, The Reference data base can be changed or corrected - 6 - with ease. The Reference file is just one of three major programs making up the package. The second is the MASTER file, which emulates the Master Data Sheet of the Dollarhide System. In the computer system, however, the Master File is a simple data base for recording the vital statistics for each person in the pedigree or genealogy. (Yes, that's right, the software package will work for either...) The Master File is the place where the ID numbers are assigned to each individual, using the same numbering concepts of the Dollarhide System. If you are a user of our system, you know that the numbers tell you "who is who" and the father and mother of any person can be determined just by using the ID numbers. Expanding on this numbering system means that Family Group Sheets, Pedigree Charts, Ancestor Tables, and other charts and sheets can be generated by the computer automatically. All the user needs to do is tell the computer where it should start. For example, to print a pedigree chart, the computer only needs to know which ID number is to start. All the next generations (up to 5 per page) are created automatically by the computer. To continue printing the pedigree, the first person of the next group of five generations would be chosen and again the computer takes it from there. Unlike other systems, the pedigree is not "filled in" on the screen. The chart is created by interrogating the Master File for the ID numbers of persons, then printing the names, dates and places applicable to that individual's vital statistics. It is not magic-it is just common sense and a workable numbering system. THis concept is a proven one and works very well for many hundreds of Dollarhide Systems users already. The third program will be called a BIO FILE, and is a word processing program which can be used with either of the two data bases. Any two of the three files can be on the screen at the same time. The complete Reference file can be on half the screen with the capability for a full alphabetical search for one person. At the same time, the Master File can be on the screen so that the vital statistics can be entered. Finally, if an individual record needs to be created, the Bio File can be on the screen and you can write notes, a full narrative, or anything else your heart desires about one person. The Bio File, Reference File and Master File will all be totally integrated so that a genealogist can record and document every aspect of the genealogical project. Individual files, separated from the three built-in files can also be created. These can be identified for any person using the ID numbers for each person. In this way, data previously gained from the Reference File, Master File or Bio File can be collected into one new file, saved and made available for further research. The individual files can be created in any form you wish, and should give a complete picture of what you know about one person. - 7 - Using the ID numbers in the Master File, a full pedigree or a full descendancy can be printed. It is important, however, to understand the numbering system of the Dollarhide System to do this, so we will be spending extra time explaining this in the documentaion. (We may have an on-screen tutorial as part of the package as well...) If you are interested in our software system we would like to hear from you. If you already have a computer, please tell us about the system you are using. If you plan to purchase a computer and wish to know what kind will lend itsself to the Dollarhide Software System, we suggest at least 64 K of RAM, plus at least one disk drive. We will design the system to run on most small computers to make it compatible with many of the existing systems now in use. With two disk drives, twice as much data can be stored, and depending on the system used, we anticipate that the major Reference data base could contain from 1,500 to 6,000 individual records. The potential for using a hard disk is there as well, and with a 10MB hard disk, we estimate that 30,000 records are possible. No other genealogical software system available on the market can offer the flexibility we hope to achieve. But, our software system is not ready yet, and will not be ready until mid 1985. We have time to do it right and are not worried about the other systems available. We are developing this software package for the customers of the Dollarhide System first. The price of the package is not known at this time, because the final development costs are not known yet. We hope to sell the entire package for less than the main genealogy software systems: Family Roots and Treesearch, each costing about $150 to $190. For Dollarhide System customers, a discount below the retail price will be planned, and we will keep you posted about this in future Bulletins. . . . . . The software system being prepared for the Dollarhide System will have a very attractive data base system, and on which will become very practical for transmitting data. The potential exists for a central collector (such as Bill Dollarhide's computer...) which can act as a storage back-up for reference material being collected in compute form by users of the Dollarhide System software. Although our main concern right now is the software itself, we are trying to develop the system so that a central collector can be created in the future - and if the demand is there we see this as a great service we can provide our customers. Think of the possibilities: a large data base, which you can dump your RFDS collection into. Or, you can ask for an alphabetical search for any surnames you might be researching, from all of the other computer-genealogist who have participated. Comments about this are welcome. Coordinators comments: - 8 - Bill Dollarhide is an architect. Maybe that explains his ability to see a better design of genealogical data. The program will print out Pedigree Charts from Master File, Ancestor Tables which list all persons with same surname, Family Group Sheets via I.D. numbers from master file and Descendancy Charts. That should keep any chart lover content. If these files are accessible from other word processors, i.e. in standard ASCII format, then I may be interested. It could be an automated version of KINS and ROOTCHIP (on KUGIG 116). I have vowed that I will not put my data into any system that I cannot remove and put into another format without rekeying. The split screens of this system and ability to move data from one to another (like in P. Writer I think) might mean this system in right down my alley. There is a task force at work to get all genealogy software programs to talk to each other. They seem to be making progress. System is planned for IBM PC, Apple // family, CPM based, TRS, Commodore 64. If you want more information write to William Dollarhide at THE DOLLARHIDE SYSTEM, P.O. BOX 2582, Bellingham, WA 98227, or watch this newsletter. I have only 20 copies of the Dollarhide System Booklet which explains his system left, at $5.00. You can also get this instruction booklet from him for $5.00 at above address. If you want the CPM (or other system) to be developed among the first then I suggest you write to him about that or mention to me in next communication so I can pass on interest in group. Until then we can hope that "beta" testers, I hope to beta test on IBM-XT, from our group will share with us more about the program after testing. Why would I devote so much space to preliminary information on this program? Well if your mind sees genealogy data in a way similar to DOLLARHIDE I think it may be the "best" software program for you a year from now. Until then here are my recommendations on software. SOFTWARE RECOMMENDATIONS You must realize that this listing is my personal prejudice, but since some of you want recommendations in a hurry here's mine. Listed in order of cost: MY FAMILY RECORD, $37.00* for KPII, 4, 10 and Robie from KUGIG, 3010 Regency, Apt. 40, Ames, IA 50010, Regular or LDS version. Recommended as easy to use straight forward genealogy program for novice computerists and genealogists. Can be used to enter data INTO Ancestral File of LDS Church when that service is up in about 3 years. Extensive review on this disk. ROOTS/M, $50.00, COMMSOFT, 2452 Embarcaadero Way, Palo Alto, CA - 9 - 94303 415-493-2184; orders only 800-227-1617. Flashy program for showing off family, since you cannot note source of data is not a program for family historians. Reviewed on this disk. FAMILY TIES, COMPUTER SERVICES, 1050 East 800 South, Provo, UT 84801, 801-377-2100. $77.00 I am clearly prejudiced against this outfit. It is a fairly good program but I am so put off by their attitude I just can't evaluate it fairly. Send $15.00 for demo and look at it yourself. FAMILY RESEARCH MANAGER, DOLLARHIDE To be available in late 1985. About $100.00?. Previewed on this disk. Some of us have great hopes, trust we won't be disappointed. FAMILY ROOTS, $185.00*, QUINSEPT, available from KUGIG The best program available for entry of genealogy data into a computer currently available. Users like it, I haven't heard a complaint about it and Steven Vorenberg, the developer, is really a nice guy. Program is compatible with data entry to LDS. ROOTS II, $195.00, COMMSOFT address above Now available for Kaypro Plus 88's (with MSDOS). See review on this disk. Recommended if you have the machine, want to enter data and print out family book without learning genealogy. TREESEARCH, $200.00, Available currently only on IBMPC, COLUMBIA and Epson HX-20. Will be review in next newsletter. Conclusion: If you want an easy to use, cheap program use MY FAMILY RECORD. If you want a sophisticated easy to use complete genealogy program NOW buy FAMILY ROOTS. If you can wait another 6 months to a year to start entering data and your mind works with DOLLARHIDE system wait to look at this program. * Program available to KUGIG members at discount. EVERTON'S SELL KAYPRO'S Everton's will begin selling KP's with a genealogy package (MY FAMILY RECORD) next month. (Don't you think they should include membership in KUGIG? Why not write them a letter recommending this course of action, all for a bigger and better users group!) They will distribute MFR both LDS and plain version. Price $2,000 to $2,200 with a Smith Corona printer included. Not bad. - 10 - KUGIG SALE OF MFR: I have contracted with Ronald Duncan to distribute copies of MFR. The only difference in the package from me and Ron will be that I will copy disks for KPII onto single sided disks (Ron uses flippies, that is he notches a disk so that you can flip it over and read from second side on a single sided drive. I don't trust myself to make the notches.) I will also offer a discount to KUGIG members, see order blank enclosed with this disk. INDEXING TIPS FOR P. WRITER Found some wonderful tips for PW indexing, but can't get permission include in newsletter. Send me a SASE marked PW index tips, and I'll print out a copy and mail to you. PUBLIC DOMAIN DISKS May I repeat myself. The People Talk people put out a set of disks that contain the best of public domain software AND a book with description of how to use programs. This is an improvement over regular public domain programs as many of them had documentation files that were confusing to novice computer users. You can get the disks from me (KUGIG 221-226) at a savings but you'll have to buy book FREE SOFTWARE HANDBOOK to make full use of files. There is a two page explanation of the disks in file PD/221-226.DOC along with book ordering information on this disk. If you already have the disks from me look at this .DOC file, it may help you understand the file organization. KUGIG SHAREWARE Shareware is a term applied to low cost computer programs produced as "cottage" industry and distributed to potential users at cost of copying disks. The user tries the programs and if he finds it useful, is requested to pay a specified price to the creator of the software, or software application. This price has not been over $50.00 and I suggest for our group a price of not over $25.00 might be a better figure, but that is just a suggestion. As we move into more sophisticated applications the effort to write clear and useful instructions for users other than person who created will mean a dedication of many hours of time. We cannot expect creators to dedicate this time to making program useful to others without the opportunity of some compensation. This process has been proving profitable to users and creators alike. The IBM users group has a listing of over a hundred public domain disks and about 10% are shareware. There are even shareware companies operating. But why would a user pay the shareware price after having the disk in his hot little hand? You get updates and the opportunity to ask questions or - 11 - get support when you get lost in program. Therefore I am starting a new category of disks available from KUGIG. They will be 900 numbers. You will purchase from me at standard price for my copying and distributing (which is still about half that of other distributors) and the payment of shareware price will be directly to creator. I will not do any editing on these disks, nor will I be able to answer questions about the programs (honest I just can't keep up). Disks submitted to me for this distribution will go out just as sent in with the exception of my putting a zero K file number i.e. -KUGIG.901, on the disk. If you want your name and address as the creator on the label submit them with the disk. Otherwise the label will be my standard generic label "KUGIG 901 - SHAREWARE" and then one line of program description. Of course KUGIG shareware distribution does not mean you cannot put it out any other way available to you. I copy and mail disks only to KUGIG members. There are probably a 100 difficulties ahead for this project, but we'll just do this like everything else, wing it and when changes in procedure have to be made we'll make them. PERFECT UPDATES I don't have Perfect updates but from what I hear you should be aware of the following. The programs are copy protected and P. Filer has been recreated from scratch and old databases will not load into it. It may work something more like SUPERFILE, but that is just a guess. At any rate don't buy it if you think you can take old P. Filer databases and expand them to the 128 fields, etc. The new versions of Perfect software are copy protected. I have adopted a rule that says not only will I not make copy for friends of copyrighted software, but I also will not buy copy protected software. I see both as dishonest. The later sells a product to the consumer and then doesn't allow the consumer full use of it. The following from MICRO-CORNUCOPIA is interesting: "It appears that some publishers are copy protecting their CP/M software. They create a disk with one bad sector (the CRC doesn't come out right) and that bad sector (on one of the early tracks) keeps track copy routines from working. Of course, you can get around the bad sector by PIPing the program onto another disk, but the first thing the program does when you try to run it is read the bad sector, expecting to get an error. If there is no error, the program just dumps you back to the operating system. If you feel a really strong need to back up your software (or want to run it on a winchester) then you need to get into the program and look for a direct track read. When you find the conditional jump (on error condition) that follows the read, change it to a non-conditional - 12 - jump and the program will run anywhere. (I suspect that these laser "signatures" they use for copy protecting just do the same sort of sector mashing.) Please, however, don't use this as a way to steal copies of the programs. People use copy-protection schemes to stem the mass (free) distribution of their software. If you don't want to encourage copy-protection then don't pass around copies of commercial software (especially the unprotected ones.)" From MICRO-CORNUCOPIA, No.22, page 76 I would dearly love to have the new Perfect Writer with Thesaurus on my KP10, but I won't operate it from the floppy drive. Any reactions from any who get update on the perfect series will be of interest to group. PW RULE LINES From the Boston KUGEL For those Perfect Writer users who like the ruler lines in WordStar, here are some ideas. Set up a file as follows for whatever length you need: (name it RULER.MSS). To call it up, use the inset command, ^X I. If your document is long, you may have to insert the rule many times. To avoid having to repeatedly insert the file, you can instead do the following: call RULER.MSS and then split the screen using ^X 2. Next, move the lower half of the screen using ^X O, and use ESC 8 Ctrl-X ^ to enlarge the lower window to its maximum size.) Call your file into the lower window and proceed with normal PW use. You will have the ruler line across the top of your screen even when the work d. - 13 - HARD DISK UPGRADES Hard disks are available for KPII, 4, 10 which can be installed internally or externally. The retail for the internal installation with cables, instructions, chip etc is about $1,000 for a 10 meg hard disk, and $1200 for an external installation. If I could get these for about 25% reduction after I had test installed it in KPII, 4 and 10 to verify that a novice could install them, how many of you would be interested in buying. I think we would need about 10 to order together. The advantage to entering and storing genealogy information is tremendous. No changing of floppies as you enter data. The advantage of external installation is ability to remove to transport computer as a portable without any increase in weight. I think the price will drop on these another 25% by a year from now. Let me know if you are interested. MEMBERSHIP RENEWALD RATES FOR 1985 It appears that about 75% of members renew when their subscription expires. About half of non renewals write to thank me for the service and explain that they got what they wanted from group and are off now to do their own thing. The other half of the non-renewals did not seems to me to get into any aspect of genealogy or group. They probably were not able to use production of group because it didn't apply, they hadn't learned genealogy or didn't have time to get into computers. Of course a couple did not like my style of operating group. To make renewals easier for all of us I want to have all memberships expire at end of year with November disk. So renewals for 1985 will be prorated as follows: Single Sided Disks Double Sided Disks EXP-FEB85 3/4 OF $35 or $26.25 3/4 OF $40 or $30.00 EXP-MAY85 1/2 of $35 or $17.50 1/2 of $40 or $20.00 EXP-AUG85 1/4 of $35 or $8.75 1/4 of $40 or $10.00 We are now going to have a group of members who have considerable experience in genealogical computing and new members for whom all is so new. I hope you will keep this in mind, the new users should realize they cannot use everything now, but later they can come back to things, and old hands when seeing something that seems elementary try to see if their isn't something you need to review. - 14 - COORDINATORS COMMENTS CORNER SECRET OF SUCCESS? I think I have found the secret of success. It is in not striving for it. The more I try to keep this group from growing beyond my means to handle and make it work, the more quickly the group seems to grow. I have planned a couple of times that in 6 months I must have this group in hand enough to go for some publicity and let it grow to it's full strength. But it always grows faster than I get organized. I see other's projects that go for big publicity and attempt to do a lot of things all at once, promising a lot in order to become very successful and the harder they try the more they seem to fall on their face. It is going to be interesting to see if my theory is verified over the long term, in the meantime I shall try to be faithful rather than successful. Of course I have the luxury of not having to feed a family off the income (nill) from this project. Speaking of profits, if any. When I have run up my taxes for the year I'll put a financial summary in the next news letter. When purchase of supplies and equipment were entered the project operated at a net loss for 1983, the only advantage to me was taking a business loss write off on our personal income taxes. I suspect the same will be true for 1984. Put another way, costs accessed members about paid for expenses other than equipment purchase. For the time I invested in project I got some new equipment the cost of which was offset by savings on personal income tax. Thus far the demands of the project has meant the equipment was only used for operation of KUGIG, but someday maybe I'll get to my own family research. VIDEO TAPES OF SOFTWARE PROGRAMS I have the equipment to make video tapes of the software programs available for the KP's. I would set up camera focused on the computer screen and go through the operation of the programs showing the entry of data, output to screen and printer. I could tape operation of ROOTS II (on MSDOS KP4+), MY FAMILY RECORD/PAF, TREESEARCH and FAMILY ROOTS. At the beginning of the tape I would put a short section on booting up and using the KUGIG disks on KP's. If you would be interested in renting this tape, for personal use or playing at genealogy meetings let me know. If interest is sufficient I will produce tapes before I do taxes. I estimate the cost to rent tape for 30 days to be $10.00 and $30.00 to buy tape, but these prices are not firm. You of course don't have to buy a video recorder to take advantage of this as most communities have several places where video movie tapes are rented and these business usually rent a VCR for a few dollars. I can make the tapes for VHS or BETA format. PUNY NETWORK So many of you have shared ideas with me concerning my health improvement opportunity (if being positive will help I'll try) that I'm beginning to wonder if we should rename this group the "Puny - 15 - Network". Seriously if you are, or know someone of whom you are sick and tired of their being sick and tired I suggest you read "THE YEAST CONNECTION" by Dr. William Crook if you can't find locally order from PROFESSIONAL BOOKS, 20 Redbud, P.O. Box 3494, Jackson, TN 38303-0494. Second edition was just under $20.00 I think. It is really a medical breakthrough for those of us with chronic problems. Today is like spring here, I'll bet soon our long winter will be over. I was sure I'd be organized before SPRING. THANKS FOR ALL THE GENEROUS CONTRIBUTIONS BY Phyllis Cotter, Paul Weckle, Ann Theopold Chaplin, Sandy Shafer, Peg Gott Anderdon, Allene Zitting, and Carol McGinnis. - 16 - eing positive will help I'll try) that I'm beginning to wonder if we should rename this group the "Puny