Today: Monday, August 10, 2015
Family Tree Maker Uses SIG Meeting
1:00 PM in the Patriot Room at the Mulberry Grove Recreation Center.I took the plunge into Windows 10:
VGS Webmaster
After reading The Villages Computer Club article regarding updating to Windows 10, I decided to take the plunge and give it a try on a spare laptop that I have. The laptop is a Dell Inspirion 1545 with the Windows 7 operating system. The primary applications that were installed onto this laptop where Microsoft Office 2010, Family Tree Maker 2014, Legacy Family Tree 8 and Roots Magic 6. I could also access all may email accounts on this machine and it had a variety of other minor applications that I used. My primary concern was how would the installation process go, and how would my genealogy applications work after upgrading to Windows 10. I also wanted to know how long it would take me to figure out how to work this new operating system.
In a nut shell, I was VERY impressed with the whole process and I have yet to run into any problems what so ever.
If you have been following along with my almost daily Windows 10 bits of information on the VGS Blog, you should be aware that Windows 10 is available for FREE provided you have Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 installed onto your existing computer. You also need to register for the update. If you update your computer's operating system on a regular basis you should have the upgrade icon in your task bar. Microsoft has been rolling out the updates daily in order not to overload their severs but once it's your turn, you will get a notice that you can update immediately or you can set a given time to install the update. I think I would still wait for a while to see if any problems come to light but as of this posting I have not run across any significant issues.
The installation process went very smooth and took a little over an hour on a high speed internet connection. Speed will vary depending on your internet provider. Once I clicked on the start installation button I just walked away from the computer since it told me to sit back and relax it will take care of the entire setup. It did!
I was also interested how my desktop would look after the installation. To my surprise I almost thought it didn't take to update since my desktop looked almost exactly how it looked previous to the update. All my short cuts were where I had left them. The only thing that I noticed were some of the sounds during boot up were a little different or once Dropbox updated there was a sound that told me that the sync had been completed.
The first application that I tried to open was my email. I use Microsoft Outlook, part of the MS Office applications, to manage 5 email accounts that I use on a regular basis. No issues.
Next I opened Legacy Family Tree 8 which is my primary genealogy database. The only thing that I noticed there is that it opens a little slower than usual but not an issue when you compare how long Family Tree Maker takes to open. I have not noticed any other issues as of yet. Family Tree Maker seems to take about the same amount of time to open and Roots Magic may be slightly faster opening than previously. All three genealogy software applications seem to function normally but I will run some additional experiments. See more about Roots Magic below...
As far as how long it took me to learn how to get up and running with Windows 10, I would have to say no time at all since I haven't really noticed any real changes that effect me. Since I have a laptop running Windows 8.1 I am familiar with apps and that whole concept. It is much easier to use than Windows 8.1. Reading all that's been published about Windows 10 there are many opinions on what should or should not have been done with this new operating system but all in all I think it a big improvement over Windows 8.1.
One thing of note... At the beginning of the installation process you are asked a few security questions and I think most people will just take the default settings. Doing so opens up your world to Microsoft. I would recommend that you read this article before installing Windows 10. You can change your setting anytime after installation.
Lastly, here is some additional Windows 10 information new users should be aware of.
The first 5 things you need to do immediately after you install Windows 10...
What Windows 10's "Privacy Nightmare" Settings Actually Do:
How to Change the Login Screen Background on Windows 10:
How-to-Geek
"Windows 10 allows you to change the lock screen background, but the login screen background always features the default Windows 10 background. Use these tweaks and you can set any image or color you want as the background."
Continue reading...
Important RootsMagic Update (7.0.7.0) Available for Both Windows and Mac:
RootsMagic
"We have released a new update for both Windows and Mac RootsMagic 7 users (version 7.0.7.0). This is a free update for RootsMagic 7 users. Here are the major items addressed by this update:
• Versions of RM older than 7.0.6.0 can no longer log into FamilySearch Family Tree due to changes made by FamilySearch to their API.
• Windows 10 snuck in a last-minute change that didn’t exist in earlier test versions which prevents the internal WebSearch from working, certain text from appearing on some screens, breaks backing up to Dropbox and Google Drive, and various other little annoyances. (see below)
• Mac Users: This update fixes random crashes that occurred on some users systems."
See what else has been updated...
RootsMagic and Windows 10:
RootsMagic
"While RootsMagic works great under Windows 10, apparently Microsoft snuck in a last-minute change that didn’t exist in earlier test versions and prevents the internal WebSearch from working, certain text appearing on some screens, and backing up to Dropbox and Google Drive.
If you are running RootsMagic 7 for Windows - Look for the "Update Available" indicator in the lower right corner of your RootsMagic 7 program screen, and click on it.
If you are running RootsMagic 4, 5, or 6
1. Download the .REG file from files.rootsmagic.com/RootsMagic-Win10-Browser-Fix.reg
2. Run the .REG file to add the necessary entries to your Windows registry. It will display several scary warnings. Just keep telling it that “yes”, you do want to make the change. This registry fix is only needed if you are running RootsMagic 4, 5, or 6 under Windows 10."
DNA Analysis of Native American Genealogy – UNIQUE!
Lovely Science
"The origin and history of the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas have been studied for years by researchers from different countries, and a recent DNA study showed that the genealogy of the western aboriginals is one of the most unique in the world."
Continue reading...
This Day In History:
1831: William Driver of Salem, Massachusetts, is the first to use the term "Old Glory" in connection with the American flag, when he gives that name to a large flag aboard his ship, the Charles Daggett.
1846: The Smithsonian Institution is established in Washington through the bequest of James Smithson.
1950: President Harry S. Truman calls the National Guard to active duty to fight in the Korean War.
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