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Hamachi

A lot of times, for a lot of things, you need to be connected to another computer via a LAN (Local Area Network). You might say, "But we're connected on the internet!" Sometimes, this is not enough. For easy file-sharing, playing games against each other, or just being connected. Some advantages of LANs are that they have vastly superior data transfer rates, and instead of having to e-mail it to the other person, you can just drag it onto their hard disk. Also, if you want to play games against each other, but you only have one disk, you're allowed to play over LAN. But where is this going?

The LogMeIn application, a program designed to allow connection from a remote location to another system, has been taken to the next level with the same company's Hamachi. This downloadable client, similarly to LogMeIn, allows remote access, but two ways. It places your computers on a LAN - over the internet. This can be useful for a variety of reasons, and is worth giving it a try. In addition, Hamachi is simple to use. You only have to click the power button, join a network, and go online for easy access. Download it at the LogMeIn website, or here. Good luck, and happy networking!

MyHeritage

When I was looking for something to write this post about, I stumbled onto myheritage.com. I spent over an hour looking at my family tree, writing it down, and such. Here you can document your heritage and your family tree with a host of built-in online tools used to recreate your family's past. Once you've made an account, the web site automatically creates your family home page, where you can see birthdays, important events such as anniversaries, etc. For free, fifteen members of your family can join the site, while over 900 can be documented in the tree. You are also free to advertise your family events on the site. If you wish to make your family's identity private, there is an easy setting to change that will ensure secrecy.



There is also a photo-storing feature that enables you to post your family vacation videos and a picture of your three-year-old son in the Superman costume he got for Christmas. MyHeritage, unlike so many other sites, has been able to grasp that it's not the only photo storage out there, so it allows you to import shots from places like Photobucket and Flickr, making it easy, fun, and free to share your shots with the whole family.

There is a calender where any member of the site can post family events such as reunions, college graduations, and vacations. This is useful for coordinating such things, as well as knowing what's going on. In addition, message boards make it easier than ever for polling, chatting, and sharing that age-old recipe of Grandmom's great cookies.

Outside of the family-based part of the website, there's a research part that searches through hundreds of outside databases, like the immigration records from Ellsworth Island, to see if it can find your ancestors. This is useful if you know their name, but nothing else about them.

The last thing of interest, and perhaps my favorite, is the face recognition. It will take a picture of a face, identify where the face is, and compare the face to that of a celebrity. Did you know that Lindsay Lohan looks 78% like Kate Hudson, but only 72% like herself? Ah well, different picture. But check out the morph. You can do this yourself at MyHeritage.com

MyHeritage: Celebrity Morph - Family pictures - Free genealogy

Skype

How many times have you been working on a document at home, and want advice on it from a peer? Either you have to send them an e-mail and wait hours for them to respond, or walk upstairs and call them, having to do so every time you need advice. Well, that is over. With the free-to-download Skype, you can make phone calls from PC to PC, free of charge. There are millions of users worldwide, and, as it is easy to get and configure, you could get your whole network of friends to use it very easily. Skype also doubles as a chat program, so if you or your friend don't have microphones, or need to be quiet, the chat program provides a useful alternative. Also, you can play free games online against any of your Skype contacts such as Bingo, poker, and Chinese Checkers. A telephone, a chat program, and a wealth of free online applications at your fingertips, with one download at the Skype website, can be yours. Easy to set up and free to use, Skype is an easy application that will make your working at home much easier.