THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE FREE:
FREEWARE FOR FAMILY HISTORY
Copyright 2013 by Donald R. Snow
Sections of the Notes
- Welcome and Introduction to Class
- Programs for Discussion in Class
- Comments
- Conclusions
- Annotated List of Freeware for Family History
This page was last updated 2013-11-25.
Return to the Utah
Valley Technology and Genealogy Group Home Page or Don Snow's Class Listings Page .
WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION TO CLASS
- Instructor is Donald R. Snow (snowd@math.byu.edu)
of Provo and St. George, Utah.
- These notes with the active Internet links are posted on http://uvtagg.org/classes/dons/dons-classes.html
.
- Tips
- To put an icon on your desktop for the URL for these notes
just drag the icon in front of the address in your browser to
your desktop.
- To open a link and still keep your place in these notes hold
down the Control key while clicking the link so it opens in a
new window.
- This class will discuss and demonstrate some programs that are
freeware for genealogy and family history.
- "Freeware" means completely free with no "nag" screens; can use
freely and give copies to anyone else.
- "Shareware" means that if you plan to use it regularly, you
should send a specified donation (usually small) to the author at
the address given in the program.
- "Portable" means the program can be run from a flashdrive and
doesn't have to be installed on the computer, so you can use it at
home or at a FHC or anywhere else
- "App" means application, i.e. software; the term is used more
often with mobile devices
- "Open Source" means freeware including the source code, so
you can edit it, if you know programming.
- Video -- The Best Things In Life Are Free -- made with the freeware
PhotoFilmStrip program (#45 on the ANNOTATED LIST below).
- Most of the programs on the ANNOTATED LIST are freeware and many
could be listed in two or more categories. The websites to
download them are given. These will be illustrated with live
demos and with PowerPoints.
PROGRAMS FOR DISCUSSION IN CLASS
FASTSTONE CAPTURE 5.3 (#38 on ANNOTATED LIST)
- Version 5.3 was the last freeware version and is still available;
later versions are not free
- Does screen captures to various formats, pdf, jpg, tif, gif, and
others
- Also has a print option if you want to print it directly; very
helpful for printing copies of things like census records where the
website print doesn't work
- Has several capture options including full screen, rectangles,
active window, and is one of the few free programs that will capture
scrolling windows
- Has options to capture manually or at specified intervals with automatic
naming of files; also has option to include captions on your
screenshots
- I use this for capturing photos, information, and documents from my
computer screen so I can save and/or print them; for example, I do a
screenshot of things I order online; if I need a printed copy
sometime, I can make one from the screenshot.
EVERYTHING (#16 on ANNOTATED LIST)
- Extremely helpful for file management to find files, run, copy,
move, rename, organize
- Finds files on your entire hard drive, even if you have forgotten
where you put them
- Builds an index which it updates; uses this to find files
immediately when you type in any characters that are in the title of
the file -- can set it so that search terms are highlighted in file
names
- Works better if you have a systematic way of naming your files,
e.g. I use "--YYYY-MM-DD" after the title so the files all sort in
alphabetical order with the latest at the bottom and I can evenn
search by date this way
- I use this in tandem with a program like Windows Explorer to
drag-and-drop files to organize them into the right folders on my
computer.
Q-DIR (#17 on ANNOTATED LIST)
- Multi-panel file manager that works like having several copies of
Windows Explorer open at once
- Makes moving or copying files much easier
- Can be set to show up to 4 panels in various arrangements; each
panel is independent, so you can show the same or different
directories in each
- Can drag-and-drop from one panel to any other
- Also has an option to print a directory list of files in a folder
NAMEEXIF (#20 on ANNOTATED LIST)
- Simple renamer for photo files
- Takes the metadata (date and time) from inside the photo file and
puts them in front of the file name; makes it so that they sort in
chronological order and are easy to find
- You need to be sure that the date and time are set correctly on your
digital camera so the metadata inside the photo is correct
- Helps you find photos if you know the date or approximate date you
took them
- When organizing photos from several cameras, this allows all photos
taken of the same event to sort together in chronological order, but
requires that each camera have date and time set correctly on it
- Can add more identifying information in file name, but add it after
the date and time
BULK RENAME UTILITY (#18 on ANNOTATED LIST)
- Is a much more complete bulk file renamer and is therefore much
more complex
- Allows global searching and replacing in file names, removing or
inserting characters, removing given numbers of characters starting
after a given number of characters, etc.
- Shows the changed file names before you actually do the name change
so you can check them to be sure that's the way you want
- Allows adding sequential numbering, changing parts of the names,
etc.
- I use it after scanning documents at the FHC where I change the
Lexmark scanner file names "Scanned Image-###.[ext]" to
"Scanned-YYYY-MM-DD-###.[ext]]; I then save the hardcopy documents to
keep in a file folder named "Scanned YYYY-MM-DD" so I can find the
physical documents later.
PHOTOFILMSTRIP (#45 on ANNOTATED LIST)
- Makes "Ken-Burns"-type videos of your digitized still photos --
"Ken-Burns"-type has views that move around in the still image
- You select the photos you want to include and any music or
soundtrack you want with it
- You select the aspect ratio (width vs height) you want, the the
beginning and ending views and length of time to display each photo,
and captions you want; also has some additional effects you can
select for the transitions between photos
- When ready, you finish by "rendering" the video in desired format,
e.g. Medium quality up to Full Screen High Definition
COMMENTS
- Be careful when downloading fnd installing freeware -- Read before
clicking -- Some companies try to trick you into downloading and
installing programs you don't really want (bloatware)
- Many freeware programs are better than the corresponding commercial
programs.
- http://alternativeto.net/
-- Lists freeware that works like commercial programs
- http://www.osalt.com/ --
Finds open source alternatives to commercial programs
- Free Apps -- http://www.freenew.net/
-- you select the freeware programs you want from a list and it
installs all of them for you
- Portable Apps -- http://portableapps.com/
-- contains several good freeware apps and allows them to run from
your flash drive so you can take them with you
- Many additional freeware and shareware programs
- http://www.softpedia.com/ --
Categories of freeware
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_source
-- Article and list of open source freeware
- http://www.pricelesswarehome.org/index.html
-- List of freeware
- http://www.fsf.org/ -- The
Free Software Foundation
- http://sourceforge.net/ --
The largest open source software (freeware) development site
- http://www.oldversion.com/
-- Old Versions of software
- http://www.oldapps.com/ --
Old Apps - older versions of freeware and some commercial apps
- To find many more such websites do a Google search for
terms like "genealogy freeware" or "free software for family
history" without the quotes)
CONCLUSIONS
- There are lots of free computer programs that are very helpful in
family history and the Annotated List below may help you find some.
ANNOTATED LIST OF FREEWARE FOR FAMILY
HISTORY
RECORD MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS
- PAF 5.2 -- http://www.familysearch.org/
-- Still a useful program and free, but no longer available to
download from the FamilySearch.org; all earlier versions of PAF are on
the CD from the LDS Church Distribution Centers and many FHCs have
copies; all the programs install in Windows so you can use them to
convert old PAF files to GEDCOM to import into other programs
- Ancestral Quest -- http://www.ancquest.com/
-- Has a free version (Ancestral Quest Basics), as well as a 60-day
free trial of full version; can be used to link to and download from
new FamilySearch; full version is free to use in FHC's
- RootsMagic -- http://www.rootsmagic.com/
-- Has a free version (RootsMagic Essentials); can be used to download
from new FamilySearch; full version is free to use in FHC's
- Legacy -- http://www.legacyfamilytree.com/
-- Has a free version (Standard version); full version is free to use
in FHC's
- Get My Ancestors -- http://www.ohanasoftware.com/
-- Freeware to download ancestors and descendants from new
FamilySearch -- Ohana Software also makes Family Insight to link
your PAF database to new FamilySearch, commercial, but free to use
in FHC's
- Family Tree Builder -- http://www.myheritage.com/family-tree-builder
-- Free genealogy program, includes facial recognition program
- Smart Genealogy -- http://freewareapp.com/smartgenealogy_download/
-- Free genealogy program; can import/export Excel and GEDCOM files
OTHER GENEALOGY PROGRAMS AND DATABASES
- Record Seek (Tree Connect) -- http://recordseek.com
-- Very helpful to form and save sources for you in your
FamilySearch Family Tree account
- TreeSeek -- http://www.treeseek.com
-- Makes fan and other type charts from your FamilySearch Family
Tree data
- GENViewer Lite -- http://mudcreeksoftware.com/genviewer.htm
-- free and commercial versions; very fast and helpful to read and
analyze GEDCOM's and databases from several genealogy programs
- OurTimelines -- http://ourtimelines.com/
-- Free website that makes timelines of world events during your
ancestor's life; can be personalized with up to 10 events of your own
ancestor's life; can as pdf or html file and link it into your
genealogy program
- OnePageGenealogy -- http://roots.cs.byu.edu/pedigree/
-- freeware to make large pedigree/descendant pdf charts from
GEDCOM's; website has the password needed so a print shop can print it
for you
- Maps of United Kingdom parishes
- http://maps.familysearch.org/
-- maps, parishes, jurisdictions, helps
- Parish Locator -- http://www.parloc.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/
-- Program and database of 15,000 parishes in the United Kingdom;
draws maps with nearby parishes
- Parish Locator for Windows -- http://web.onetel.net.uk/~gdlawson/parfind.htm
-- Program and database of 25,000 parishes in the United Kingdom
- Addnote -- http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~gumby/ged.html
-- free utility to add a note to every record in a GEDCOM
- Addsour -- http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~gumby/ged.html
-- free utility to add a source to every record in a GEDCOM
COMPUTER UTILITIES
- Everything -- http://www.voidtools.com/
-- Very fast desktop search program for files on your computer; very
helpful to search, launch, and organize files on your computer
- Q-Dir -- http://www.softwareok.com/
-- Freeware two or more panel Windows Explorer-type program
for file maintenance such as checking, copying, moving, and
deleting files
- Bulk Rename Utility -- http://www.bulkrenameutility.co.uk/Main_Intro.php
-- Very good batch file renamer; shows the new file names before
actually changing them; lots of renaming features so it takes getting
used to
- Oscar's File Renamer -- http://www.portablefreeware.com/?id=69
-- Good batch file renamer; shows the new file names before
actually changing them
- Namexif -- http://www.digicamsoft.com/
-- Simple renamer for digital photos that puts date and time from
metadata at start of file name, so alphabetizing arranges photos in
chronological order; can add other descriptive terms after the date
and time
- Glary Utilities -- http://www.glaryutilities.com/
-- Helpful computer utilities to keep your computer running
smoothly; free for home use
- BelArc Advisor -- http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html
-- Utility to list your computer's hardware, software, and license
keys
- Dropbox -- http://www.getdropbox.com/
-- Synchronizes to your other computers via the Internet whatever you
put in your Dropbox folder
- FileSeek -- http://www.fileseek.ca/Download/
-- Free and fast search engine for text inside files on your computer
- DupKiller -- http://www.snapfiles.com/get/dupkiller.html
-- Fast program to find all the duplicate files on your computer
- Piriform Defragler -- http://www.piriform.com/defraggler
-- Good defragger for your hard drives
- Advanced SystemCare Free -- http://www.iobit.com/advancedwindowscareper.html?Str=download
-- Helpful computer utilities
- JustZipIt -- http://free-backup.info/justzipit.html
-- Simple zip/unzip file compression program
- WinHTTrack -- http://www.httrack.com/
-- Will download all or part of an entire website for backing up
and offline browsing
- PageNest Free -- http://dailyfreeware.net/2009/08/20/pagenest-free-edition-321/
-- Website copier for offline reading and backing up
- Ditto -- http://sourceforge.net/projects/ditto-cp/
-- OpenSource freeware clipboard extender to have more than one
item on the clipboard; highly rated
- Resoph Notes -- http://www.resoph.com/ResophNotes/Welcome.html
-- Freeware notes program that acts like a clipboard extender
- Clipboard Magic -- http://www.cybermatrix.com/clipboard_magic.html
-- Clipboard extender; saves multiple clip items and can save to
various clip lists
- PhraseExpress -- http://www.phraseexpress.com/
-- Freeware program that expands phrases as you type the first few
letters
- Karen's Replicator -- http://www.karenware.com/powertools/ptreplicator.asp
-- Freeware to backup your data from one location to another
- ImgBurn -- http://ask-leo.com/imgburn_free_cddvd_burning_tool.html
-- Freeware CD/DVD image burner with instructions
- LogMeIn Free -- http://www.logmein.com
(listed under Products) -- Allows you to control one computer through
another over the Internet
GRAPHICS PROGRAMS
- FastStone Capture -- version 5.3 is last freeware version (later
versions are shareware) -- http://www.aplusfreeware.com/categories/mmedia/FastStoneCapture.html
-- Excellent screen capture utility that allows saving in jpg, pdf,
tif, and other formats; also captures entire scrolling screens
- FastStone Image Viewer -- http://www.faststone.org/download.htm
-- Good image viewer that also has screen capture features, but not
scrolling screen captures
- Irfanview -- http://www.irfanview.com/
-- Photo editor, converter, and slide shower; many features, including
batch conversions
- Picasa 3 -- http://picasa.google.com/#utm_source=en-us-more&utm_campaign=en-pic&utm_medium=et
-- Google's free photo organizer and editor; has facial recognition
feature to help you organize and name people in photos
- GIMP -- http://gimp-win.sourceforge.net/stable.html
-- Open source photo editor -- GIMPShop
is an interface that makes GIMP menus look and act like PhotoShop
SOUND AND VIDEO PROGRAMS
- Audacity -- http://audacity.sourceforge.net/
-- Excellent sound recorder and editor; complicated program, but
basics are easy to use
- WavePad -- http://wavepad.en.softonic.com/
-- Sound recorder and editor
- PhotoFilmStrip -- http://www.photofilmstrip.org
-- Click on the "en" (upper right-hand side) for English; very good
free program to make "Ken Burns" style videos of your photos; can
include a soundtrack
- VLC -- http://www.videolan.org/ -- Good media player, has
adjustments to synchronize sound and video when they don't match
- Skype -- http://www.skype.com/download/
-- Free program to talk through your computer and the Internet - free
to talk to other Skype users worldwide, small charge to talk to any
land or cell phone worldwide; requires a broadband connection
- Listen N Write Free -- http://elefantsoftware-en.weebly.com/
-- plays audio, starts, stops, backs up, or goes forward with key
strokes to help in transcribing
TEXT AND OFFICE PROGRAMS
- Evernote -- http://evernote.com/
-- Freeware note program; synchronizes your notes between computers
and stores your notes online so you can get to them anywhere you can
get to the Internet; notes can be text, images, URL's, or
webpages; has OCR indexing for pdf's; has apps for mobile
devices
- Essential PIM -- http://www.essentialpim.com/?r=download
-- Freeware personal information manager (PIM); good for
appointments, calendars, To Do lists, etc.
- TreePad Lite -- http://www.treepad.com/treepadfreeware/
-- Freeware note and personal information manager (PIM), uses
tree-format
- Notetab Lite -- http://www.notetab.com/
-- Freeware note program
- Jarte -- http://www.jarte.com/
-- Small, very fast, free text editor that handles txt and rtf
- LibreOffice -- http://www.libreoffice.org
-- Powerful open source freeware office suite compatible with
Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint; updated more often than Apache
OpenOffice -- http://www.openoffice.org/
-- which is similar
- IBM Lotus Symphony office suite -- http://www-03.ibm.com/software/products/en/lotusymp
-- Free and compatible with MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
- Gnumeric spreadsheet -- https://projects.gnome.org/gnumeric/
-- Open source spreadsheet compatible with Excel and many others
- NotePad++ -- http://notepad-plus.sourceforge.net/uk/site.htm
-- Very good open source text editor; useful for many formats
- Transcript -- http://www.jacobboerema.nl/en/Freeware.htm
-- Helps in transcribing digitized handwritten documents, keeps
image and your typed text in sync as you move down the page
- Adobe Reader X -- http://www.adobe.com/products/reader/
-- Free reader for pdf files
- PDF X-Change Viewer -- http://www.tracker-software.com/product/pdf-xchange-viewer
-- free for private use, very helpful to edit and annotate pdf's;
can fill in pdf forms; now will do OCR (Optical Character
Recognition) of pdf's
- PDF Split and Merge -- http://sourceforge.net/projects/pdfsam/
-- Open source program to split or combine pdf files
- Nitro PDF Reader -- http://www.nitroreader.com
-- Good pdf reader with lots of features
- JOCR -- http://download.cnet.com/JOCR/3000-2192_4-10768898.html
-- Freeware optical character recognition program for images of text
on screen - small, fast, and works well, but requires that MS Word
2003 or later be installed (doesn't work with OpenOffice)
- Tinyspell -- http://tinyspell.m6.net/
-- Spell checker that works even in genealogy program notes
- Thunderbird Email -- http://www.mozillamessaging.com/en-US/thunderbird/
-- Free open source email reader with many helpful features
Return to the Utah
Valley Technology and Genealogy Group Home Page or Don
Snow's Class Listings Page .