latest news on the computer front...

I've moved from a 512 MB to 2 GB and now 4 GB solid state drive (SSD) and as the 160 GB hard disk drive (HDD) was getting full I bought an Iomega 500 GB HDD and copied everything to it and freed up over 60 GB of disk space, making my Pentium III computer much more usable.

Now that prices have dropped so much, it's time to buy a Pentium IV with 4 GB RAM, 1 TB HDD and all the other toys that it seems I cannot live without.

Life is good.

Cheers, Ray
Edmonton AB
August 2008

disappeared for over a year...

Not that anybody asked, but I've been busy for over a year printing Cerlox bound copies of the book "Whidden New Hampshire, Nova Scotia and Beyond 1662-2002 a family odyssey" (the title is rendered in Penguin font but that isn't available here), a limited edition to discover the things I need to know to proceed with a campaign to raise funds for a hard copy edition.

The book is two volumes, over 1,600 pages with 26 pages of B&W and color photos, table of contents and table of illustrations (both volumes have the TOC/TOI for both volumes), preface, appendix with updated register reports created after the book was generated in 2002, an introduction to DNA and genealogy, bibliography, source citations and index.

Having completed this limited printing, I no longer will take orders as have discovered what I wanted with this experience.

Included with the book is a set of CD/2-DVDs with maps of as many provinces/territories and states as I could get maps of, some PDF but many a scan of a paper map in JPG format with provided JPG and PDF viewers for Windows and Macintosh. These are only available if you buy the book; not available otherwise. Much more is included including many photos of Whiddens and others, scanned images of "Recollections of Thomas Jones Whidden" about 1863, "Whidden-Whitten" by Sybil Noyes, "Genealogical Record of the Antigonish Whiddens" by David Graham Whidden, "The Story of Some Descendants of Rendol and Sarah Whidden of Calais, Maine ...." by Foster Cook Whidden et al and "The Story of a Canadian Family" in three of seven volumes including Whidden, Longfellow, Rev. Hugh Graham and Gammell and other families.

Wish me luck in my fund raising campaign. I need patrons with deep pockets to pay for directory pages to print between 500 - 2,500 copies in hard cover. You will be very impressed with the result.

Look for an announcement later for info on the hard cover edition.

Ray Whidden
Edmonton, AB
August 2008

USB thumb drive is a wonderful thing

About a month ago was browsing the local computer shop and they had a package deal for Encarta 2007 for $49.95 including a 512 MB USB 2.0 (compatible with USB v1.1) flash drive. As they are about $30.00 elsewhere, couldn't resist even though had a copy of Encarta 2006 and didn't expect to upgrade until 08/09. However, this neat device has allowed me to retire my Zip drive/several 100 MB cartridges. One disadvantage, it is so small that I've already left it behind at the cybercafe but now leave out my glasses case to remind me to put it back in the case before I leave. Now need a 1, 2 or 4 GB drive, as have a copy of Personal Ancestral File (PAF) v5.x plus the whidden.paf database (15 MB plus 8.5 MB) is installed and now able to update the database while at the cybercafe. Previously, was using PAF on the PalmOne PDA but only able to have about half of the database and that was read only.

Yesterday, a friend sent me a link for an 85 MB download from http://portableapps.com/ which is a version of several applications: Firefox v2.0, OpenOffice v2.0 and other tools that can be installed in the USB drive and run from there when I go to the cybercafe. Now I can get familiar with a variety of tools and always use them no matter where I am. However, the installed version of Portable Apps is 245 MB.

For example, during an upcoming trip to the Vancouver area I can show my uncle and aunt the latest work on the Whidden and Freeman/Jarvinen/Syrjanen families. Of course I could previously do that by taking it with me on CD-ROM but then that is read only, too. Now if they have additional information, I can just update the database as if I had a laptop computer. Just a thought; sure hope their computer has a USB port.

Just discovered I can save almost $200.00 by getting my bus tickets for an upcoming trip to visit my sister in Campbell River on Vancouver Island for the first time. The last time I saw her was when I was living in Toronto and was sent for two short courses at Microsoft and I had flown to Vancouver and rented a car to drive to/from Seattle. She came to Vancouver for the last of her cancer checkups so we were able to get together for an evening. We talk on the phone at least twice a month and sometimes weekly.

The weather has been cold with winter arriving two weeks earlier than usual in mid-October and most of November being five degrees Celsius colder than average but at the end of November went to twenty degrees colder than normal. Snow has accumulated so now we have snow banks three feet deep along the streets. This is January weather but then this is Alberta. After last winters warmer than average temperatures, we're back to real winter. I remember when I first started working in Manning in the 1960s when it was 60º F below for an entire week. It took me a month to thaw out my used car purchased earlier.

Cheers, Ray

A busy couple of weeks

Jack Whyte's new Templar trilogy book has been out since early August, I have my copy, read it and thoroughly enjoyed it and can't wait until the second and third volumes are available. "Knight's of the Black and White" is the title. Get it NOW.

As well, celebrating forty years of living in Canada, in October an autobiography by Jack is coming to bookstores near you. As soon as I leave here, am placing my order for a copy.

This past Fri/Sat/Sun I spent visiting Kelowna, BC where stayed with a cousin. He has compiled his own books on the Antigonish Whiddens and is helping me with editting my own genealogy/family history book.

We enjoyed a couple of Swiss Chalet dinners, a Chinese smorgsbord and outings to the Summerland agricultural gardens, Kettle Valley RR where they have 90-min. train ride at 10:30 and 1:30 and a dinner available as well (we didn't take the train ride). We went to the city center park where the AIDS walk was taking place and we walked around and saw the lift lock in operation, stayed while the Rowdymen performed for about 45 minutes (Celtic folk music) and enjoyed the sights and smells of the flower gardens. Eddie pointed out various areas that were affected by fires in the past couple of years and we got some fruit at a couple of fruit stands: grapes, pears, apples and bumbleberry pie.

The weather was low 20s C and clear skies after a week or so of cloudy skies and rainy weather in Edmonton. A welcome change.

Summer half over...

I sit here in the Bohemia cybercafe Jasper and 110 Street in Edmonton as the Cariwest parade begins to pass eastbound. The music is so loud I can no longer hear CHUM-FM on the earphones so will watch and listen to the parade. Having seen many of the Toronto Caribana parades over the years, nothing compares as it is now the biggest celebration of the kind outside the Caribbean. However, it is nice to have something like it in Edmonton. At the same time, the Edmonton Folk Fest is competing with the rainy weather with stars like Linda Ronstadt, The Neville Brothers, Bruce Cockburn, Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder, David Gray among others . Tickets are SOLD OUT. A couple of years ago I saw the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and though had noticed their music ("Mr. Bojangles" and many others over the years) didn't consider myself a fan. Well after that late night concert, I was definitely a fan as they've written and/or sung many of the great songs of the past 40 years.

Last weekend was Heritage Festival in Hawrelak Park, where they encourage you to make a donation to the Edmonton Food Bank, transportation is by ETS Park n Ride and a record number of cultures were represented (58 pavilions, 70 cultures) having displays set up in tents to show the cultures, dancers and food. One highlight was the Ken-Jujitsu display of swordsmanship where four-at-a-time swordsman make quick work of ten-foot tall bundles of fresh bamboo which were reduced to several two foot long bundles.

I tried various foods starting with the French pavilion and Crepes Suzette: Crepe with whipped cream & Grand Marnier sauce, Polynesian Big Kahuna Smokie Stick: Sizzling beef smokie with a delicious island blend of pineapple, garlic, & various spices and tropical smoothie but went back for the third or fourth year to the Scandanavian pavilion (including Finland, though not technically a Scandanavian country) and their Finnish rice pudding with raspberry sauce - so good I had two of them plus a Finnish lemon drink called sima. Last snack for the day was Chicken Arepa: Corn flour meal stuffed with chicken, served with guasacaca sauce at the Venezuelan pavilion.

The Ecuador display's music was a disappointment this year with one performer playing various flutes to recorded music. A three man group with two guitars and flutes is much better and thanks to my Palm portable computer I can carry several songs by a group I saw on the streets of Toronto many years ago around with me. The Nicaraugan dancers were a treat with their bright red trimmed white dresses.

While the Capital Ex (ex of Klondike Days theme; didn't go this year) and the Edmonton Grand Prix were on I took advantage of the Taste of Edmonton food festival in Churchill Square and after entrees like Penne and lobster (a disappointment as I could identify few bits of lobster, what was identifiable were small shrimps) and several other entrees, had two servings of fruit martini with a shot of Grande Marnier (a great way to get your Canada Food Guide fruit allowance). A steel band in the Cariwest parade is going by as I write this.

That will pretty well do it for the summer season as, though the Fringe Festival is coming up, I've never gone to it as doesn't appeal to me. New this year is a Latin Festival on the 19-20 so will definitely check that out.

who-me.com has an interesting function: post your own info in the event someone is searching for you or once registered, post a note with details about a friend, relative or co-worker you would like to contact. Here is a note I posted about a friend I worked with, picking apricots in 1966, in an orchard in BC:

Reason for search: Friend
You are looking for ...
Last Name: Never_knew_last_name
First Name: Pete
Last Known City: Penticton
Last Known State/Prov: British Columbia
Last Country: Canada
Family Relationship: not related
Gender: Male
Year of Birth: 1940
Color of Hair: Blond
Color of Eyes: I don't remember
Extra Information:
I met Pete at an apricot orchard south of Penticton, BC summer of 1966. He is blonde, body builder physique, Italian background from Argentina. We bunked together for about 3 weeks. He cooked a wicked spaghetti sauce and ate two plates vs my one. He worked as a cook in lumber camps during the winter. We went to the Penticton Peach Festival and rode the rides.
Key Words/Phrases:
1 1940 <-> Category Approx Birth Date
2 blonde <-> Category Hair Color
3 steak & prawns dinner <-> Category Special Event Your Personal Contact Information For The Above Note Your Last Name: Whidden
Your First Name: Ray
[[login to who-me.com to get the following information:
Address:
Your City: Edmonton
Your State: Alberta
Postal Code: T5H 1V8
Your Country: Canada
Your Day Phone #: ]]
Your Email Address: rwhidden@hotmail.com
Your Gender: Male
Your Year of Birth: 1944
Your Special Message:
Get in touch by phone (leave message if phone off) or email with information how I can contact you. I would like to meet again if possible. Now single and still working in the computer business, which is what I did when grad 1967 from NAIT. Remember the steak/prawns dinner? Hope all is well. Ray
Your Photo: None
Your Pledge Amount: $10.00 <- Amount you pledged if successful Posted System Info
Posting Charge: No Charge (Free Trial Note!)
Posting Plan: FREE Trial Plan - Above note was posted at NO CHARGE
Display Status: Yes - Searchable/Viewable
Note Distribution: Allow note's information to be indexed and posted to major Internet search engines
Post this note to related newsgroups
Posted: Contact Permission: Only the person I am looking for and people offering free assistance may contact me. If you knew Pete and know of his current address, I'd appreciate it if you let me know how to reach him or let him know how he can contact me. If you have news but don't know his current address, would appreciate that, too. One friend passed away in 1979 and always thought I would get to see him again. Alas.

They wouldn't post this message elsewhere on the internet because it was the free, trial account, so posting it here should result in it being indexed by search engines.

Travails of a Palm Tungsten E2 user

As in all things computer oriented, I've been able to break something. In this case it is the DataViz Docs-to-Go application loading in html files which contain the table-of-contents, cover page and chapter pages for several stories I want to read. What possibly could go wrong with plain vanilla text, you ask? Well, I'm still asking that myself but to get the Palm to read it, I had to convert them to Word 2003 .doc format and copy them to the Palm. Everything seemed ok until I decided to copy the TOC file after converting it and changing the color of the text from light blue to black. As soon as I tried to read it got a fatal error on the DataViz software. The fix was to get a tool from the DataViz website, remove the application and reinstall it. That worked for a while and then it started getting errors with some of the chapter files. Almost finished reading the first book and now have to go back to remove/reinstall mode. Darn!!!! I hope I don't have the same battle for the other ninety or so files or this could get old real soon.

Otherwise, an very happy with the music and genealogy software plus the other Palm programs. The world clock tool is particularly neat, showing the shadow on the dark side of the globe.

Palm Tungsten E2 and Hotmail II w/Firefox

I have joined the MP3 world in a portable way with my purchase of a Palm Tungsten E2 and 1 GB expansion memory. The goal is to be able to view some text files I have, carry family photos around with me, access the genealogy database at the cybercafe and use the music/MP3 capabilities. Syncing with my copy of Outlook was easy, copying photos straightforward and loading over 500 MB of music required that I remove/re-rip several CDs that I'd been listening to on my PC as WMA files which the RealPlayer tool on the Palm wouldn't read. With a $32.99 pair of Panasonic headphones, I'm now one of those people you see on the street grooving to their own choice of music instead of the sound of traffic. It looks like I'll have to pay about $25.00 to get some genealogy software that will do the job as the MyRoots only allows 20 individuals in their demo mode. Bummer, since I still use the free Personal Ancestral File (PAF) from:

http://www.familysearch.org/

and their PAF for Palm seems to have disappeared. I think I managed to get a utility that converts from *.txt format to the format to read on the Palm though have Palm Reader and Adobe Acrobat Reader for the Palm.

UPDATE (12 May 2006): To get the Palm reader program (52Kb), you have to go through the registration process and when get a choice of what to download, it's at the bottom of the list.

UPDATE (18 May 2006): My full GEDCOM of 4.4 MB wouldn't fit on the Palm, so that means they must be using the main 32 MB RAM, actual capacity 26 MB, rather than the 1 GB expansion memory so had to cut it in half and 2.2 MB fit ok. Major bummer as can only have one database in at a time and have to hotsync to do that. Maybe time to pay for a gene product.

At home, am going to play around with VMWare from:

http://www.vmware.com/

where they have free, 30-day-trial downloads compared to Microsoft's Virtual PC which has a 45-day-trial download.

What's the deal about VMWare/Virtual PC? Well, on top of WinXP, you load the VMWare program and then can open sessions for DOS, WinXP, Win98SE and Linux on a machine with enough RAM and a big hard disk drive (mine is 160 GB). For example, I recently had to convert a WinXP machine back to Win98SE so I could read some Zip cartridges I had formatted in Drive Space 3 which is not supported under WinXP. With VMWare/Virtual PC, I could have just opened another session, installed W98SE and enabled the DS3 capability and read the DS3 cartridges on the same machine. As well, will be trying out Red Hat Linux and SUSE to see which I'll use on the second machine. Lots of fun. After the trial VMWare is $189.00 vs Virtual PC for about $129.00.

On the web-based email front, my Hotmail account from about 1998 or so has been upgraded to 2 GB storage with the activation of the beta version of Windows Live™ Mail (WLM). One problem is today I launched Firefox at the cybercafe and WLM thought I was using the old Hotmail format and suggested I upgrade to the latest IE and once switched to IE6 had what I expected to see; wouldn't you know it but WLM doesn't want to play nice with Firefox.
UPDATE: 2006/07/13 WLM now promises to work with Firefox v1.5
I wonder about Opera and Netscape . My gmail account now is up to 2.7 GB of storage space. My Yahoo account is still sitting at 1 GB, which is plenty. That makes a total of 5.7 GB of space between the three accounts. The several other accounts I had over the past few years have expired for a variety of reasons, most like www.alberta.com provided by Telus because they ended the service.

Cheers, Ray