OVER 2 YOU 167 (13/02/04)

HEALTHY EATING

My wife is a school nurse, and healthy eating is a 

regular topic of interest. I used to have an old DOS 

program, from around 1990, called Dietplan. This was a 

database of foods, meals and ingredients, together 

with their calorific values, fat, carbohydrate and 

sugar contents etc. Ingredients could be combined to 

make meals, and the totals for that meal could be 

printed and also stored in the database as a new entry. 

New ingredients could be added using the information 

on their packets. I've looked everywhere for a 

Windows equivalent – can anyone help?

Mal Denny, via email

I recently came across a program called Recipe Calc, which seems to fulfil most of Mal Denny’s requirements. It includes a database of over three thousand ingredients, which you enter into the program when creating a menu or recipe, it then calculates the fat, calorie, cholesterol, carbohydrate, protein, fibre and salt content. It’s an American program, which is evident from the presentation, but the basic information it contains, and the way in which it works is sound in principle. The program is shareware and registration costs $24 but you can download a 20-day trial version from the author’s web site: http://members.aol.com/webhealth/recipe.htm

Jerry Peters, via email

At the risk of mentioning what could be just another half-cocked diet plan I must say that the nutrition information presented on the Diet Power CD-ROM would seem to be what you are looking for. The program monitors the fat and calorific content of various foods in an attempt to help the user to loose weight. It might be a lot of hooey but it won’t cost you anything to find out, as there is a 15–day free trial at: http://www.dietpower.com/welcome.htm

Sally Dee, via email

ALL THAT JAZZ

I attend night school to study jazz theory and practice.  My handwritten notes are untidy and cover a lot of paper so I am compiling them on my PC to make future reference easier. I prepare the text in Word 6 (I also have Word 2000), and format the manuscript in Musicworks 3 then combine the two by double printing.  Needless to say this is a bit hit and miss. I realise that Musicworks has a text facility but it is very basic. Can anyone recommend a better method or a reasonably priced software package?

R. Ball, via email

I tried out at least a dozen versions of music notation software ranging from the simple to use, but crude in result, to the sophistication of the likes of Sibelius, which is expensive, extremely capable, but difficult for amateurs to understand. My final choice was Noteworthy Composer, which I have also introduced to a number of friends; all of whom are more than satisfied. It is a shareware program and does not take up a lot of space on the PC, only about 1.68 Mb. It is very versatile but easy to use and an introductory exercise, which comes with it, is basically all the training one needs for simple music score writing and printing.

There is a flourishing Users Forum where people can swap ideas, problems and music. The program can be downloaded from: www.noteworthysoftware.com. The price is $39 for the CD version, or it can be downloaded and validated on line. I purchased the CD version, but arriving at the UK the CD was grabbed by Customs and Excise and I had to pay 33% extra in total, in duty and administration charges!
H.A.Smedley, via email

OUTLINE MAPS

I am looking for software, which will allow me to print a world map in outline. I would like to be able to select countries from a list, and mark them for colouring.

Jeremy Burton, via email

If your correspondent is familiar with Unix, or has access to a mainframe computer then he should have a look at the Ezmap graphics package. It can create outline maps, for colouring in a huge range of styles and projections. It’s all far too technical for me but there is a very comprehensive introduction at: http://ngwww.ucar.edu/ngdoc/

ng4.3/supplements/ezmap/

There is a superb collection of outline maps for download from the GeoExplorer web site. It lists maps by country, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, or by region – Europe, Oceania etc., – or the whole world. The main index can be found at: http://www.geoexplorer.co.uk/sections/

outlinemaps/outlinemaps.htm

Jo Callum, via email

A detailed world map, showing countries in outline can be found at:

http://www.scottforesman.com/educators/

maps/worldmap.html

H. Lee, via email

FAMILY TREE PROGRAMS

I have started to research my wife’s and my own family histories. I would be grateful for recommendations for suitable software, for a complete beginner to use, particularly when researching information obtained from Public Records Offices etc.

Robert Russell, via email

There is a wide range of genealogical software depending upon (a) whether you are using a PC or a 'Mac'  (b) if a PC, which version of Windows you are using and (c) your needs and ability. I recommend S&N Genealogy Supplies who do a mail order catalogue and have a helpful web-site for ordering on line: www.genealogysupplies.com.

In response to an earlier question about when to use pencil and note pad and when to use a laptop computer for genealogical research, it all depends on what and where you are researching. My experience as a professional genealogist who pioneered the use of a laptop for research in the 1980s, I suggest that no one in their senses would try to use a laptop searching indexes at the Family Records Centre, but it is eminently sensible and time-saving to key documentary sources (including parish register entries) direct into the laptop, and avoid the chore, duplication of effort and risk of error in having to type up your pencil notes in the evening. Modern laptops are very quiet indeed, and most search-rooms have power points because so many people use them.
Hugh Peskett, Consultant Editor Scotland Burke's Peerage and Landed Gentry

CAN YOU HELP

I work out the results at my club for yacht race series where competitors are allowed to discard their worst 1, 2 or 3 results depending on the number of races in the series. Normally, I do this by hand but would like to use Excel to do it automatically. I know how to discard one worst result using the MAX function, e.g. SUM(A1:E1)-MAX(A1:E1), but I would be grateful if someone
could suggest a formula for discarding the highest 2 or 3 results.
Jim Newman, via email

Further to previous questions about disposing of old and obsolete PCs and piles of unwanted CD-ROMs, I am seeking creative or ecologically sound suggestions as to what to do with a growing collection of mice, speakers and keyboards. The chap at the local charity shop said they already had more than enough of them cluttering up the place and I am reluctant to throw them away in the general rubbish at the amenity tip. Are they good for anything, can they be recycled?

Kelly Michaels, via email