Why Create A CD?

-- by Jon and Loretta --

What are the advantages of compiling a life history using a computer and putting it on CD?

• Once one copy is made, you can easily make as many copies as you want.



• More copies can be made from any one of the existing CDs.



• With all of those copies in the possession of your family members, it is unlikely that anything could become permanently lost.



• A CD is Small and portable. The CD shown on our home page contains:

  - The 8 X 11, 275 page life history of Loretta’s parents (with photos inserted)

  - About 1,000 separate photos

  - A photo viewer

  - The program that Jefferson wrote to organize the whole project on CD

  - 27 written, smaller ancestor histories

  - 12 short video clips of Loretta’s parents telling some short interesting stories

  - Some space left over to which we are adding updated pictures and short histories when we make new copies




• If your history file is made into a PDF format for storing on your CD, then you can take this same file to the printers and have them print a fairly inexpensive soft bound book for those family members without computers. Of course this same file could be made into a nicer more expensive hardbound book also.



• Because you are using a computer you can:

  - Insert paragraphs as you remember them later

  - Combine the text with the photo album and make the story come alive

  - Eliminate using lots of paper

  - Easily make backup copies of your work