hi Emilio
Many thanks for your advice. I agree you can not go wrong with written
cards. I was just trying to get an alternative system going. Others have
also told me about .Access programmes.
Regards
           Dominic
----------
> From: Emilio Lopez <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: New Member Intro
> Date: 14 April 1998 15:37
>
> Hola Dominic:
> Don't throw away your cards and continue using them for the new shells
> you
> collect; the information in the computer is not safe. I have my
> collection
> annotated in paper until the number 280; then I made a program in Pascal
> to put
> the information and I did not use more the paper; the numbers grew to
> 600; but
> I went sick for several years and during this time I almost did not see
> my
> collection and I almost did not use the computer; when I was better the
> hard
> disk did not work and also all my backups were bad. I lost all the
> information
> regarding numbers 280-600, but the information of the first 280 in the
> paper
> was fine; also I found some slips of paper where I write about a shell
> before I
> pass it to the computer; they were very useful. Now I have a crash; I
> had
> bought a zip and I was backuping; I had made back ups of several files
> about
> poetry, art, etc., but I had not pass the shell information; I lost it.
> Bur
> this time I have annotated it in paper; the only thing I have lost was
> the time
> consumed writing it in the computer and several names that I forgot to
> put in
> the paper, but I have all the other information about them.
>
> The computer is very useful, and I use it, but the last back up must be
> in
> paper.
>
> I use Access; it is very easy to begin with it, and also it is very easy
> to
> make changes; it has a trick to make a backup.
>
> Saludos
> Emilio.
>
>
> DOMINIC RAWLINGSON PLANT escribis:
>
> > My name is Dominic RAWLINGSON-PLANT.I am 57 years old and live in
England.
> > I have been diver and shell collector for over 30 years having started
when
> > I was in the military in Singapore in the mid 1960's.Then I also dived
> > around Malaysia and Borneo.I have also been fortunate to spend time in
> > Cyprus, Belize and New Zealand having also dived around much of
Europe.More
> > recently I have had 8 months in the Seychelles (Indian Ocean)
instructing
> > diving. This is also an excellent area to find shells.
> > My main collecting interests are Cones and Cowries and I currently have
> > over 100 species of each but I also have Strombidae, Cassidae,
Muricidae
> > and Volutidae.
> > I have only recently aquired a computer and would welcome any advice on
how
> > to get my collection,currently held on cards, onto a database.I also
need
> > an abreviated form to print off the basic information onto labels for
the
> > specimens I have boxed.
> > Look forward to communicating with you in the future.
> >
> > Dominic