Last month, we covered the basics of computers, the Internet and the World Wide Web. (You may want to re-read that article to refresh your memory.) I concluded it by explaining that a computer could be used to search the World Wide Web (or "the Web", for short) for pages containing any word or name and I listed a tiny, tiny fraction of the immense number of resources on the Web that can be of use to genealogists.

This time, I thought I'd cover the Web and some of its resources in a bit more detail. As with last month's column, I'm going to avoid getting too technical, as much as possible. At the same time, I know I'll have to lay down some of the basic concepts in much the same way as a builder lays down a foundation; so that we can build on them later, so please bear with me. Again, I'll rely on you, dear reader, to let me know if anything in these columns is confusing or unclear. I'll give you my phone number at the end of this column (which I should have done last time). If you have any comments or need help or clarification, please call me; I shall be happy to help you as my time permits.

Some of you have computers and are "online" (hooked up the the Internet) already. There are also probably quite a few of you who have computers and use them to write letters, etc., but have not yet begun to use them to access the Internet. And there are still others who have not yet gotten computers, either because you don't yet perceive the value of using them or because you want to avoid adding one more cumbersome appliance to your life. No matter which of these categories you fall into, I need to tell you that, whether you have one or not, the computer CAN be of great use TO YOU in finding genealogical information.

I hope to help those of you who do not yet have computers to become familiar with them by learning to use the computers available to you through our library (or through friends or fellow genealogists) to find the information you seek. I also hope to help those of you who have computers but are not yet "online" to learn how easy and inexpensive it can be and, if you desire it, to help you get set up and running. (I am not connected with any company and have nothing to sell.) Finally, I hope to aid those of you who have computers and are already online to learn to use them more efficiently and more powerfully.

As we did last time, we'll cover one or two basic concepts before we plunge into the fun stuff . . .

Last month, we covered the basics of what computers are good at: acquiring, manipulating, storing and communicating information. Most of you who have used computers have some experience at typing things into a computer and reading the results on your screen. In order to communicate with other computers over the Internet, there are, basically, two additional things you need. The first is a "modem". A modem is just a little box that plugs into your computer and also plugs into your telephone line. It lets your computer talk with other computers over the telephone lines.

The second item is a software program that uses the modem to hook your computer up to the Internet and search around the Web for the items you are looking for. This piece of software is called a "browser", because it allows you to browse the Web in much the same way that you would browse at your local bookstore; sometimes you just want to wander around, hoping to discover new things that may be of use or of interest to you. Of course, at other times you know exactly what you want and you just want to go right to it and get it. A browser lets you do both!

There are currently two Web browsers that are widely used: the first is called "Netscape Navigator", the second is called "Microsoft Internet Explorer". Both have similar features, both are easy to use, and both will run on Macintosh computers and on PC's. Personally, I prefer Netscape Navigator, which has the added benefit of being the one that the Albany Public Library uses. This makes it easier to get help at the library, when you're having trouble using the program or finding something on the Web, and for those of you who use the library's computers to learn on or to search on, it means that if and when you get your own computer (or get online, if you already have one) you'll be familiar with the program and its features. Both programs will let you save address-books (known as "bookmarks") of pages that you may want to visit again.

To find a page without having to browse or search for it each time, it helps to have its address. Early in the development of the Web, an addressing scheme was devised to let you specify the exact page you want to get to, no matter where, in the world, it is. Browsers have a feature called "Location", which lets you enter the address of a page and then takes you right there. The address of a page always starts with "www", which lets the Internet know that the address is on the World Wide Web. The rest of the address tells the Internet where to go to find the page you want. So when you see a web address such as "www.opb.org", it means that 1) it's on the Web, 2) its name is "opb" and 3) that it's an organization. If you type this address into a browser, it will take you to Oregon Public Broadcasting's Web-site. (A Web page is also called a "Web-site" or "site", so when you hear those names, just know that they are just the "pages" we've been talking about, o.k?)

That's all the technical stuff for this month and, really, it's almost everything you need to know to understand and use the Web. Now that you have a solid foundation of basic concepts, we can concentrate on what the Web has to offer, where to find it and how to use it. If, in your explorations, you have questions or problems, let me know; I'll be happy to help you as my time permits. Now, let's talk about some of the great pages you can visit . . .

Probably the biggest and most useful site in the world (in my own opinion) is called "Cyndi's List of Genealogy Sites on the Internet". It was posted and is maintained by a wonderful person named Cyndi Howells, who spends a LOT of her time finding Web-pages of resources that genealogists can use and putting "links" to those pages on her web-site, so that you can visit them all. At last count, she had over 41,700 as of 4/4/99 links to valuable genealogical resources on her page!!! Some of the links on her page (in roughly alphabetical order) include:

• "Acadian, Cajun and Creole sites"
• "Adoption Records"
• "Books, Microfilm & Microfiche Records"
• "Cemeteries, Funeral Homes and Obituaries"
• "Census Related Sites Worldwide"
• "Databases, Search Sites, Surname Lists"
• "Events and Activities Worldwide"
• "Family Bibles"
• "Finding People" (Phone numbers, e-mail addresses, Places. etc.)
• "Heraldry"
• "How-to"
• "Huguenot"
• "Jewish"
• "Land Records, Deeds, Homesteads, Etc."
• "LDS & Family History Centers"
• "Libraries, Archives & Museums"
• "Magazines, Journals, Columns, Newsletters & Pamphlets"
• "Medieval"
• "Mennonite"
• "Military Resources Worldwide"
• "Native American"
• "Newspapers"
• "Photographs & Memories" (sites on preserving photos, family treasures & research.)
• "Professional Researchers, Volunteers & Others"
• "Quaker"
• "Queries"
• "Religion & Churches"
• "Roots-L & RootsWeb" (I will explain this one in my next column)
• "Royalty & Nobility"
• "Search Engines" (these let you search all over the world for the resources you need)
• "Ships, Passenger Lists & Immigration"
• "Societies & Groups"
• "Software & Computers"
• "Surnames, Family Associations & Family Newsletters"
• "Terms, Phrases, Dictionaries & Glossaries"