Ancestral Quest is genealogical research freeware

Ancestral Quest is genealogical research freeware that can search over 1 billion entries freely at FamilySearch as well as 500 million names, though that feature requires a free log-in ID. You can also upgrade to the paid version for access to more search options. However, the free tool offers a lot.

Ancestral Quest's installer let us opt for free or paid searches, something that happened frequently while using the freeware version, though that's why it's free. The setup also gave us the option to search Ancestry.com (though a subscription may be required) and make other choices. AQ's interface, charts, diagrams, and data fields all use nice, large fonts by default, which makes the data easy to see, but the look and behavior are just a few of the many options we could change. To start using the program, we could choose to create a new database, import an existing AQ database, import GEDCOM data, set up collaborations, and much more. AQ lets users open multiple database instances. We started a new family database, which involves entering a name in the family tree template on the Pedigree tab. This called up an extensive wizard for entering and saving biographical data like birth and death dates. The program suggests adding yourself as the first person (skip the death date for now) though you can use an ancestor. Our saved data appeared in the Family tab, where we could add Spouse, Children, Mother, Father, Other Relatives, and more. The Names List tab resembles a spreadsheet. The Individual tab is inactive in the freeware; it requires an upgrade to the premium product to access the dathttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifa. The free search options are extensive, though. We could access the Search Center as well as perform Individual, Relationship, and Marriage searches on the Search menu. The Tools menu includes a Research Manager, Relationship Examiner, Calculators, and more. The help menu is one of the most extensive we've seen, which is just as well because there's a lot to this free application.

Despite the freeware's limitations and the need to access online accounts to search some databases, Ancestral Quest offers an excellent introduction to Internet-based genealogical research, and a great way to learn how to use the tools and resources efficiently, if you do decide to take your research to the next level.


http://www.ancquest.com/index.htm

Thousands fleeced in 'Microsoft' scam

Thousands of Australians have been taken for hundreds of dollars each by cold call scammers pretending to be Microsoft but police, regulators and the software company are powerless to fight the growing problem.

The scammers, typically based in Indian call centres, cold call people claiming to be Microsoft staff informing them that their computer has a virus on it. They provide bogus evidence of a virus infection and after winning over the victim, convince them to allow the scammer remote access to their computer through an internet website.

The scammers then pretend to fix the machine and ask for a fee that is up to $400. They use a combination of high pressure sales tactics and social engineering to scare the victim into paying the fee and because victims willingly hand over their credit card details, there is little legal recourse.

But the head of the NSW Police fraud squad, Detective Superintendent Col Dyson, said in a phone interview that in addition to taking payment the scammers also stole money and planted viruses on the victims' computers.

"We've had quite a few people report this to us and it's increasing all the time ... you're basically opening the door to your bank accounts to a criminal," he said.

"We have strong indications that they're looking at activity logs so they can pick up things like passwords and bank account details; some people's computers have also been infected with viruses and keyloggers.

The easiest way to get rid of them was to tell them that you do not have a computer.