The Joys of Copy/Paste
This is a great trick to know and one that will come in handy in many ways. For AOL users (and in other cases where "live" and clickable hyperlinks are not available), this can be used to copy Web site addresses (URLs) from e-mails into a browser window and avoid having to type in manually what are often long and complex URLs. It can be used to copy text between Web sites, word-processing documents, spreadsheets, e-mail messages, family history software, etc. Instead of manually copying complete source citations from databases to your family history files, it can be done with a few quick clicks of a mouse.

Here are some brief instructions for copying and pasting:

1) Highlight what you want to copy by clicking on the beginning of it and, while holding down the button, dragging the mouse across the text until it is highlighted.

2) Next, press your Ctrl button (Windows) or Apple (Command) button (Mac OS) and the letter "C" at the same time. (Kind of like you are capitalizing a letter, except with the control button.) This copies the text to a "clipboard" in your computer.
OR
On your main menu, go to Edit and select Copy.

3) Go to where you want to copy the text and click on the targeted spot; press Ctrl (Windows) or Apple button (Mac OS) and the letter "V". This pastes the your text exactly as it was copied and saves you from having to type it all out.
OR
On your main menu, go to Edit and select Paste.

Other Shortcuts
There are numerous other keyboard tricks and shortcuts available that may also help save you time, keystrokes, and mouse action. To learn more about them, visit the following pages:

• Keyboard Shortcuts for Windows
  
• AppleCare Tech Info: Mac OS 8.5: Keyboard Shortcuts

You may also want to explore the use of the icons in various programs. If you are not familiar with the purpose of some Windows-based icons, you can press Alt and double-click on the icon. This will flag the icon with its description.

Printing Maps
Many of the maps in Ancestry's collection, and on other sites online, are too large to print on one page, and in some cases it may be difficult to print. In these cases, you can switch the print orientation to landscape.

If you are still not getting the full map, image-editing software can often help. Many newer computers now come with this software built in. My old computer came with Microsoft Image Composer (MIC) and my current one came with Microsoft Photo Editor. Most computers running on Windows will also contain a program called Paint (found in Programs/Accessories). If you have a scanner or digital camera, the software you use with it can also be used to edit the images.

I save the map to my hard drive by right-clicking on it and select "Save Picture As" (or "Save Image As" in Netscape). I have created a folder on my hard drive called "Images," and I save maps and photos to this file. Then I open my photo-imaging software and open the file in it. Depending on the type of software you are using, there will be options to resize the image, often by selecting a percentage of the image's original size. Look for more information in your help menu under "resize" or "scale."

Some of the maps are so large that when you size them down to a printable scale they may be difficult to read. Using other editing functions in this type of software, you may also be able to cut out sections of the map and zero in on your particular area of interest, thus keeping the map easy to read. Look for "cutout" or "crop" in your help menu for more information on how to do this. Highlighting and other special effect features can also help you customize the map.

Once you have the map looking how you want it, it can be set to be used as the wallpaper (backdrop of your computer) by right-clicking on the new saved image and selecting "Set As Wallpaper."

All of the maps in the Ancestry.com collection are in the public domain. There are any number of things you can do with these maps using this type of technology. If you are unfamiliar with what you can do, there is no time like the present to learn! By experimenting with these tools, you will learn new skills, and you can create maps that will aid in your research and make an attractive addition to your family history.

Observing Copyright
Important thing to remember: Just because an image or text is available to you and easy to copy does not mean you can include it in your family history publication, whether on paper or digital. It is important to remember to observe copyright laws. For more information, see the U.S. Copyright Office and/or the FAQ page.

There are also several excellent articles on the subject in the Ancestry.com Library:

• "Mistake or Misdemeanor?" by Rhonda McClure
  (Ancestry Magazine, Jan/Feb 2000 Vol. 18, No. 1)
  
• "Plagiarism in the Digital World," by Drew Smith
  ("Digital Genealogy," 7/18/2000)
  
• "Copyrights, Plagiarism, and Ethics: Rights to Use Information,"
  by Donn Devine, CG, CGI
  (Ancestry Magazine, Jan/Feb 1998, Vol. 16, No. 1)

Learning the Lingo
The new technology that is connecting us has given birth to what may seem to be a whole new language, with technical terms, acronyms, and symbols running amok on Web sites, in e-mail, and in chat forums. Here are a few sites that can help you learn the basics:

• Webopedia.com
  
• Internet Relay Chat: Abbreviations

Juliana Smith is the editor of the Ancestry Daily News and author of The Ancestry Family Historian's Address Book. She has written for Ancestry Magazine and Genealogical Computing. Juliana can be reached by e-mail at: editor@ancestry-inc.com, but regrets that she is unable to assist with personal research.