Does anyone really need 4 typewriters? I'm told (by members of www.typepals.com) it doesn't seem to matter how many typewriters you acquire, you can always use another one.
Typewriters are getting harder to find in thrift stores. Lots of electrics but not so many manuals. I guess this is a sign that more people are discovering the joy of using typewriters - which is a good thing as these machines often have lots of life left in them.
My latest find was in the local classifieds. It is an Underwood Rhythm Touch. I watched the ad for several days as the typewriter was calling my name. At $50 it was around half the price of a couple of giant standards also listed. I finally succumbed to the temptation and drove over to take a look. The typewriter was working and a faint image could be seen on the paper. The space bar was sticky and the bell only rang about 1/2 the time. After paying the sellers $40 I drove away with my new typewriter.
After a bit of cleaning using air and alcohol (tip: don't blow the typewriter out on your office desk) the spacebar was no longer sticky. The bell took a bit longer to figure out. It required both cleaning with alcohol but also some sewing machine oil on the mechanism to allow it to reset between rings. It is now ringing the bell on every line as I approach the margin.
The serial number is 6716768 which identifies it as being manufactured in 1950. This is my oldest typewriter and also my first standard sized typewriter. The 11 indicates the carriage is 11 inches and will take an 8.5x11 in landscape orientation. This was originally designed for typing full size envelopes and such and is a handy feature without needing a wide carriage (like my Olympia SM9) which can be a bit too wide and unwieldy.
I was a little apprehensive about purchasing a standard typewriter because of the extra size required to store it, but I am enjoying the fact the page is so high. The paper is in your line of sight and limits the distraction around your - it is so easy to focus on the words on the page and the writing experience.
I have ordered a new two coloured ribbon and will still type on this one while I'm waiting.
Why a re-write?
According to the publishers, they were receiving more and more requests for features that the code in Rootsmagic 7 fundamentally wouldn't allow. A full re-write was necessary to future proof the application and to bring it inline with modern technology like API (application protocol interface). The benefit of the rewrite is that the publishers have taken the opportunity to:
- Make Rootsmagic now native to the Mac. This means an easier installation and less errors. The features on the Mac are also the same as on Windows - no more having a "lite" version.
- Simplify the navigation. The standard top Windows menu (File, Edit etc) has been replaced with something more intuitive and that allows you to switch screens while still remembering where your place in the other screen.
- Enhance the editing capabilities. You can have multiple edits screens at the same time, and switch to another family member from any edit person's edit screen, then switch back.
- Create more powerful searches.
- Save to modern file formats. RTF has been replaced with Word's .DOC format, lists can be exported to Excel .XLSX formats.
- Create new wall charts and fan charts.
- Create resusable citations. Create it one time and attach to multiple people or events.
- Combine to-do items, correspondence lists, research logs into a single tasks area.
- Improve the places and mapping features. The place list is now easier to edit and merge. It is also easy to see where the place is used (either event or person). After you geocode the location, you can then view it on a map.
Does Rootsmagic 8 have all the same features as Rootsmagic 7?
The short answer is no. The re-write was a big effort and there are still some areas that aren't finished and therefore not released yet. One area missing is that of the Rootsmagic To Go (to run on an iPad). These features will be added later after they are fully built/tested, so it is suggested that you wait to upgrade if this is going to be a dealbreaker.
How to Upgrade?
The upgrade is easy. If you have purchased Rootsmagic in the last year or so, you likely get a free upgrade and should already have a code for Rootsmagic 8 - if not, contact the vendor.
For those of us who have Rootsmagic 7 or an older version, there is a discount to upgrade, and if you upgrade now, there is a further discount price.
After installing Rootsmagic, you will need to import your file. Your file will be converted to a new file format which is not compatible with Rootsmagic 7. Don't let this scare you. Remember, you can still export a gedcom file if you want to open it in RM7 after upgrading.
Summary
If you are a Rootsmagic user, especially on a Mac, it is a no-brainer to upgrade. The cost of the upgrade is well worth it to get the improvements and to support this small, independent software vendor. If (like me) you use Rootsmagic To Go on an iPad, then simply create a gedcom file to open while on the road or keep Rootsmagic 7 installed as well.
As a genealogist with 30 years experience tracing my family history as well as the family histories of others, I enjoy the "Who do you think you are?" series and have previously mentioned it in other posts under the "genealogy" tag on this blog.
One episode that was particularly interesting was the episode on Danny Dyer, a British actor. I'm not familiar with Danny at all (despite being British) as I left the UK in 1995 and it seems he came to popular fame by appearing in Eastenders after that date.
As it turns out Danny and I are related. Danny is descended from Edward III, as am I. Edward III is a descendant of William the Conqueror (1066 who is reported to have been responsible for shooting an arrow in the eye of King Harold at the Battle of Hastings - as depicted on the Bayeux Tapestry). This means we shared a number of ancestors in common and I admit it is somewhat unusual to get a whole bunch of your own family history served to you on a platter in an hour simply by watching a TV show. Additionally Danny was able to get access to locations and artifacts that would not be possible for the average person (like me).
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| My Edward III lineage |
I left a comment to the video that received a number of comments which I'd like to address.
The first is the idea of being a direct descendant of someone. Some viewers commented that it was special that Danny was a direct descendant. Being a direct descendant isn't a concept in genealogy (it also implies another concept of indirect descendant). A descendant is a descendant. Whether the ancestor is a male or female, or 1st or 2nd son is irrelevant. You are descended from all your ancestors equally. Danny in fact descends from Edward III through both male and female ancestors, as do I.
The second is the idea that this is highly unique. While it is somewhat unusual, it is estimated there are over 1 million living descendants of William the Conqueror. This sounds like a lot to many people, but genealogy is something that grows exponentially with each generation doubling the amount of ancestors in that generation. When I was a kid there was a song about an inch worm sung by Paul McCartney that explains the concept.
Two and two are four (your grandparents)
Four and four are eight (your great grandparents)Eight and eight are sixteen (your great-great grandparents)Sixteen and sixteen are thirty-two (your 3rd great grandparents)
Each couple would have had several children - it was quite common to have 6-10 children in the days before modern contraception as there was no way to avoid pregnancy. Even with many of these children dying of childhood diseases, the number of descendants for any one person would explode exponentially. So the probability of you having one of these people in your family tree is actually quite high.
Lastly, it was commented on how Edward III is my 16th great grandfather and Danny's 22nd great grandfather. This can be explained by a few things:
- Danny has a significant number of female ancestors in his line to Edward III. Females generally married young, and bore children early into their marriage.- I have a significant number of male ancestors in my line to Edward III. Males generally married later (to younger females), in fact, many had multiple marriages as spouses died in childbirth etc. In fact you'll see from the photo, my maiden name Hamersley is an unbroken patrilineal line back to 1565 (Sir Hugh Hamersley) before it switches to the first female. Danny's line switched to females much earlier.
While I don't particularly encourage you to seek royal lineage (because I believe all ancestors are special and had interesting lives) if you happen upon a knight in your family tree (indicated by the Sir prefix) you are likely to find royalty around. Knights were clearly close to the Monarch and generally married into other noble (royal/notable) families so it is worth looking.
Where should you look?
I suggest researching using the following resources:
- Ancestry.com (if you don't have a subscription, try your local library or family history centre)
- Familysearch.com (most royal families and other nobility have been recorded)
- Wikipedia
Wikipedia (while not always accurate) documents fairly well-known people, knights, barons, earls etc. My Audley/Touchet ancestors were very well documented on Wikiepedia and I was able to learn a lot about their lineage.
This is book is amazingly well written and worth the small cost (less than $9 CDN). The short stories are of a much higher standard than I was expecting.
Several have left me stunned, shocked (including “You’ll Be Needing This” by Richard Polt) - and wanting to give up my tech job simply because I feel like I am responsible for the future collapse of society!!
On the other hand “Cold Dead Hands” by Steve Kuterescz has got to be the funniest thing I’ve ever read - laugh out loud funny. I especially love his creative character names for the President, Vice-President and National Security Advisor: Truman P Dold, Spike Mence and Mitch Finn (who don’t sound familiar at all!!! ;)
Do yourself a favour and buy this book as quick as you can. I have already purchased Volume 2 “Escapements” and am eagerly awaiting Volume 3 which will be about time travel. If these live up to the quality of the 1st then I’m absolutely hooked.
You might ask why anyone would need a typewriter in 2020. And that would be a very good question.
There is something appealing about using pre-digital technologies that can't be explained. As a computer "nerd" by day, it is a relief to find something that is reliable, simple and just "gets it done" with no fuss, upgrades required, bugs or constant distractions.
Enter the Olympia SM-9 De Luxe. I confess I have had this typewriter sitting on my desk for a few months but haven't taken the opportunity to write about it. This is the 2nd typewriter in my collection, after my original Adler Tippa from 1971 (given to me around 1980 by my aunt). I had been thinking of getting another when I encountered this one at a local thrift store. When I saw it the paper-bail (the bar that holds the paper down) was loose and floppy, and I thought broken. The rest of the typewriter was functional as I tested it at the store. I took my chances and bought it anyway.
The Olympia SM-9 is the Cadillac of portable typewrite writers. It has automatic tab features, key pressure adjustment, and even a "1" key - something some other typewriters don't have. The wide carriage is designed for landscape paper or, more likely, large envelopes.
It is a very popular typewriter model and commonly recommended to people seeking a typewriter, and I feel lucky to have found it locally because you wouldn't want to ship it as it is soooo heavy. It is considered a portable typewriter (with a carry case), heavy because of it's German-engineered metal construction. You wouldn't want to be hauling this thing around like a laptop but it can be moved easily enough if you wanted to relocate it.
As it turned out, the paper bail problem was nothing but a loose screw which was fixed easily and now everything is in great shape. I was curious about what font it used as Olympia used quite a few different fonts as documented here by T. Munk. A quick comparison of the letter "y" above to the Munk samples, shows that my typewriter has a serif font, which limits it to the "Modern" typeface and by measuring how many letters per inch, I know that it is a Pica (10 pitch) - so Modern Pica No. 67.
I have yet to find the serial number anywhere, but the shape of the typewriter suggests it's from 1966 (making it older than me, ha ha!). Anyway, if I'm not online, it could be that I'm jotting my thoughts down on this beautiful old thing.
Flickr was neglected by Yahoo for many years and (even with Pro subscriptions to keep the lights on) there has been little change to the site or the app.
The acquisition of Flickr by Smugmug should have been a fresh start for Flickr with Smugmug bringing new innovations and ideas to the table on how to move things forward. Smugmug should be talking to existing customers (especially Pros) about why they stayed, what they enjoyed and what they missed from the heyday of the service. Smugmug should be communicating more about Flickr's financial position and asking customers about fund-raising "add-ons" they would want to purchase - prints, books, business/art cards, Pro + features like slideshows (Animoto style) and storefronts for prints/digital assets. There are plenty of photography related competitors making money.
Now I'm more worried for Flickr than ever. Instead of working with the Flickr community, they took the easy route (which I believe is also the wrong route) to increase the fees before offering anything new, effectively punishing long time supporters and driving them away. Flickr membership isn't really worth anything , not even the $25 I've been paying. Google or Apple will back up all your photos for free. And if you backup your computer you're covered anyway.
So what are we paying for? Comments on each others photos? A pat on the back? Discussions and info in community groups that could just as easily be found in the many camera fan forums? Smugmug needs to think about the value the site offers to the customer before increasing rates.
Let me know your thoughts below.
