Compare Classic Google Sites & New Sites

Compare Classic Google Sites & New Sites:

As of 20 Mar 2018 there are two versions of Google Sites, Classic and New.

If you are currently using the Classic Google Sites or if you are contemplating building a "free" website with this service you need to be aware of the ramifications.

• What are the differences?
• What will I need to learn if I migrate to the new style?
• When will Google drop support of Classic Sites?
• Is "free" really "free?"

This link takes you to a page where Google explains the situation. Click on the down arrows to read the details.

Dick Henthorn

20 Mar 2018

'via Blog this'

Mr. Dickie's Links

For several years I used a free service called, Delicious, to share links (URLs) to webpages that interested me. Another term for this process is, Bookmarking. Recently, much to my dismay, I discovered that Delicious had been shut down.

To resume bookmarking, that can be shared in the cloud, I have created a Google blog, called Mr. Dickie's Links.  I will not be restricting posts to the blog solely to genealogy.

If you visit the blog, use the sidebar on the left to help you find topics of interest. Scroll down to see links to the latest posts.  The topics are called "labels" by Google.  The number of characters available for labels with each post is two hundred.  The labels are what you see in the sidebar.  The labels I assign to a particular post appear at the bottom of the individual posts.  In the sidebar, if I have used a label more than once a count appears in parentheses after the label.  You can click on a label at the bottom of a post to display all posts in the blog where I have assigned that label or you can click on the label in the sidebar.

When I include a hot-link within a post it appears in blue on the screen. If you hover the mouse over a link, the color changes to orange.  Click on the click to view the page associated with the link.

BTW, I am open to suggestions for adding genealogy links to the blog.

Here's the link to:
Mr. Dickie's Links

Dick Henthorn
26 Mar 2017

Pearl Alice Kemmerer Ice (1891 - 1914) - Find A Grave Memorial

Pearl Alice Kemmerer Ice (1891 - 1914) - Find A Grave Memorial

Working on adding information about this person to my Yoho genealogy file today.  She was the spouse of Absalom Warren "Bay" Ice.  I had him in my file as: Warren Absalom "Bay" Ice.  The tombstone shows; A.W. Ice.

Her information is on FindAGrave.  I noticed that I can post to Google Blogger with a click of a button while on FindAGrave.  I'm testing to see how this works.

Dick Henthorn
28 September 2014

RootsMagic6 Backup

After the talk about backup at the computer club meeting and the follow-up comments at the next meeting I've been thinking more about backup.

A year-end project was to upgrade my genealogy program to RootsMagic6.  Once this was accomplished I noticed that it was necessary to open each genealogy file and click to run a quick conversion routine. I had 25 genealogy files on my computer.

I wrote a blog post for my genealogy blog which briefly describes the 25 genealogy files. I posted the article as a static page.  This means there is a button labeled My RootsMagic6 Files at the top of the page.  Google allows up to ten static pages per blog.

On 23 January 2014 I used the RootsMagic6 program to backup all of the files as RootsMagic backups and as GEDCOM backups.  The backups were written to RootsMagic backup folders on the laptop computer.  Next I created backup folders on the old Dell hard drive which I'm running as an external hard drive.  Finally I signed on to my SkyDrive account where I created two more backup folders.  I uploaded the backups from the external hard drive to the SkyDrive folders called: RoomsMagic6 and GEDCOMrmg6.  This gave me a total of six sets of backup.

Later on in the afternoon I created two CD backups.  I wrote the 25 RootsMagic6 backup files to one CD and the 25 GEDCOM files to another CD.
23 January 2014

Google Alerts - a Great Tool for Genealogists - Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter

Google Alerts - a Great Tool for Genealogists - Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter:

'via Blog this'

Shutdown Of Henthorn Website - Google Group

Today, 1 April 2013, I closed the Henthorn Website - Google Group.

I download the Email addresses and modified the file by manually adding the Display Names everyone used to make myself a record of those who participated. All Group participants did not supply their names.

Google didn't provide a way to archive the contents of the Group. I saved the most interesting messages by Emailing them to one of my Email accounts. I haven't decided whether this information is something I might make available on the HenthornFamily Wiki.

Thanks to everyone who took part in this genealogy experiment.

Dick Henthorn
1 April 2013

Shutdown Of Henthorn Website - Google Group

Today, 20 March 2013, I sent a group Email to members of the Henthorn Website - Google Group announcing my intention to shutdown the group at the end of March.

Overtime Google modified how the group worked. In my opinion, at this time it is no longer serving our needs.

Until I shutdown the group I'll leave the link to the group in the sidebar of this page. Links to the group from my other three Google blogs were removed today.

Dick Henthorn
20 March 2013

7 Ways To Keep A Personal Journal

7 Ways To Keep A Personal Journal: - Make Use Of article about blogging and journaling written by Aaron Couch.

When a person, working on genealogy, has the good fortune to find a diary or journal written by a family member they are very lucky. Have you considered leaving a record behind for your own family? Using your computer to keep a journal or blog is worth trying. Blogs or journals can be either public or private. Give thought to whether you will want to print your posts at some point. Some of the suggestions in the article might not be easy to print.

The article didn't mention using Google Blogger which I use for four public blogs and one private blog.

'via Blog this'

FreePages Project

FreePages Project

This morning I posted a link to the Civil War Diary of William Lock Henthorn on the HenthornFamily Wiki.  I create a new page, Stories, on the Wiki where links to stories will be posted.  Look for Stories in the left hand column.  The Civil War Diary file resides in my FreePages space on RootsWeb.  When you view the webpage you'll discover that there is a navigation button at the bottom of the page which you can click to return to the Stories page on the wiki.

To assist in navigation from by Google blogs a link to the HenthornFamily Wiki was added to the sidebar "Links" area of the four blogs.

As time and my interest permit I plan to upload other files, created prior to the Fall of 2008, to the Internet thus making them available once again to anyone who's interested.

As always your feedback is welcome.

You can send me Email at: Dick.Henthorn@gmail.com

22 January 2013

Using Google Search with RootsWeb FreePages

Ancestry.com provides free space where you can build a genealogy website.  The service, part of Rootsweb, is called FreePages.

Here's a Google search command you can use to find pages with the word Henthorn in the FreePages area of RootsWeb. To look for another surname simply replace Henthorn with the surname of interest. (Note: It is important to put a space (blank) between the "/" and the surname Henthorn. This may not evident in my post, depending on how the long search term appears on your screen.)

site:http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/ Henthorn

As of 18 January 2013, when I tested this search there were over 800 hits.

18 January 2013

Email Subscription Test

This is a test post to see how I might use Google Feedburner and a button at the bottom of this blog's display to automatically send Email notices to subscribers.

Thank you for your understanding as I learn more about blogging options.
24 September 2012

New Genealogy Blogs September 8, 2012 | GeneaBloggers

New Genealogy Blogs September 8, 2012 | GeneaBloggers:

Do you use the GeneaBloggers site?  The post for September 8, 2012 lists thirteen newly discovered genealogy and family history blogs.

Are you working on genealogy?  Have you considered creating a blog and posting information about your projects?  There are many easy ways to do this.  I recommend trying either Google's - Blogger or WordPress.

'via Blog this'

Rootsweb - Freepages

In the fall of 2008 AOL dropped free website support.  I'd shared a genealogy website there for several years.  There was enough warning to allow me to archive my webpages to a 4Gb thumb drive before the final day.

Subsequent to this disaster I've modified some of the pages and put them back on the Internet on three different free Google applications: Blogger, Sites, and Groups.  I've also shared some of the information on the Monroe County, Ohio genealogy website.  Many of the pages didn't lend themselves to easy modification.  As a result those are still on the thumb drive and not shared.

Recently, I've begun to think about this problem again.  I think I can use the Freepages on Rootsweb to share my information, without too much modification to the HTML.  Using Freepages requires a basic knowledge of HTML, of FTP and of how to set up the folder structure on Rootsweb.

If you are interested in learning more about Rootsweb Freepages take a look at the links I list below.

Exploring Rootsweb on YouTube

Rootsweb Home Page

Freepages: Free Unlimited Web Space

Freepages Genealogy Directory

Freepages Help & FAQs

Freepages Log On

Freepages Agreement

Webmaster's FAQs

Freepages - Help-L Archives

Websites Hosted by Rootsweb

Rootsweb Acceptable Use Policy (AUP)

FTP Instructions

Freepages - FTP Instructions

Submit Your Family Tree to WorldConnect

21 August 2012

Print Friendly

Wouldn't it be nice if there was a way to print the pages on my four Google blogs without including the Sidebar information?  Now there is a way, using the free Print Friendly application.

I've installed a Print Friendly button at the bottom of each page that appears on my blogs.  Clicking on the button will display the information without the Sidebar.  From the Print Friendly page you can select whether you want to Print the page or get a PDF of the page.  You can chose to Email the page to yourself or someone else.  You can remove the images.

Here's a link to a short video that will further acquaint you with this very handy tool.  Please note that the video mentions installing Print Friendly, ignore that part.  I've already done the installation.  All you need to do to use the application is click on the "Print Friendly" button at the bottom of each blog posting you want to print.

Print Friendly

I think this is a great addition and hope you will too.

Have fun.
Dick Henthorn
13 August 2012

Blog Your Family History

Personal Publishing: Blog Your Family History | TechTips | FamilySearch:

'via Blog this'

A very nice article on the Family Search website about using blogs to share your genealogy information. If you are reading this blog you already know that I have been doing this with two Google blogs for a number of years.

16 September 2011

Mr. Dickie

Salvaging My Genealogy Work

When AOL dropped free website support at the end of 2008 it was a disaster as far as sharing my genealogy information was concerned. Since then I have tried several other ways to share. I created two Google blogs: Henthorn Genealogy News and Henthorn Genealogy Obits. More recently I opened an account on Box.net where I share information in MyBox with collaborators to whom I grant access. The blogs are public and MyBox is by invitation only.

I came up with a way to salvage, and share, some of my genealogy data that's in HTML format. With minor modifications I can get it ready to upload to MyBox where my collaborators can download and view the page with their own browser. I've tested the idea and found it works nicely with Firefox. It's like having a website that can only be viewed by folks who have been granted access.

To test the idea I uploaded Seven Generations of Thomas and Elizabeth (Baskins) McCoy to the MonroeCountyOhio folder on MyBox. Collaborators with access to this folder can test out how it works. When you have the McCoy.htm file name displayed on the screen don't click to preview the file. You can't see the entire webpage from the "preview."

Rather,

• Find the "down" arrow to the right of the file name.
• Click on that arrow.
• Next click on the "Download" line.
• A dialog box pops up on the screen

Chose

• "Save" the file on your computer, or
  
• "View" the file with your browser.

If you have any problems understanding the steps let me know and I will try to help out.

Your feedback about your experience will be appreciated.

Mr. Dickie
19 Feb 2011

Converting HTML to PDF

I'm trying to find an easy method of converting HTML files that I used to share on my AOL website to PDF files that I can share on my Box.net account.

Today I discovered that I can upload an HTML file to Google Docs and easily convert it to the Google Docs format. The converted file can then be downloaded from Google Docs to my computer in the PDF format.

As a test I created the PDF document, CFA.PDF and then uploaded it to the Conger folder in my Box account. I was able to retain bullet lists in the document with very little work on my part.

In the days ahead I'm looking forward to converting more of my HTML files.

Mr. Dickie
12 Sep 2010

I Seek

Often when I want to learn about how something works I need help.

• Sometimes I need a "tester."
• Sometimes I need a "proofreader."
• Sometimes I need a "collaborator."

For example:

• I want to learn more about how to use Box.Net.
• I want to learn more about how to share files on Google Sites.

If you are interested in taking on such a role I'd like to hear from you.

The Internet Genealogist

I noticed another genealogy blog that I think might be interesting to follow: The Internet Genealogist. After I enrolled as a Follower it took me a few minutes to recall how to add it to my Google Reader.

Note: This post is made from iGoogle. If I don't keep using my toys I forget how they work.

Search Engine

Search Engine

A friend asked me if I know how to install a Search box on a website. When I had my website on AOL I installed the code to search the components of the website. I've forgotten how I did it. I think I used a free routine I got from Microsoft. I decided to do a Google search to see what I could find about free search engine options.

I discovered that Google has a Search gadget that can quickly and easily be installed on the Google blogs. I believe this feature can also be installed on websites

I tested the gadget on one of my four blogs and it worked "like a charm." I decided to install the search box at the top of the sidebar on all four of my Google blogs.

Enter your search terms in the search box and click to search. The results of your search will appear in the display window on the left side of the screen. Notice at the top of the window there is a line with three search options and an "X" in a little box:. The options are:

• This Blog
• Linked From Here
• Links to Other Blogs and Points of Interest
• "X" - (to close the search results window)

Try all three to see how they work. With each "hit" the URL for the blog where the cited item was found is displayed.

I hope the "Search" feature will help you move around in the blogs and make it easy to find anything you want to look at a second time.

Mr. Dickie
28/Feb/2010 8:41