Alfred, you sparked some reflection in me so I did a little looking back and made a few discovers. Here is a little history. (I must have too much time too.) I purchased a copy of Family Origins v-5 and for the first time really became interested in searching for my family. If I remember correctly my wife gave it to me for Christmas 1996. Not being too computer wise nor software wise I struggled with considerable confusion trying to learn how to use it. I was able to do most things but there were always those little things that I did not know how to do that blocked me from progressing. I sooooo wished I had someone to ask how to solve my dilemmas. I thought there must be others that are having the same experiences and that there must be some who know the answers. On March 11 1997 I wrote Larry Stephen, at the University of Indiana about starting the list. I knew almost nothing about lists and very little about the internet. I had been on the internet only a few weeks at that time. I just looked in my archives and found the email Larry returned to me. We proceeded to set up the list and I think the following heading was probably the first post. It was my welcome message to me. It was different then. First it was not Rootsweb but the Maiser system at the University of Indiana and Larry Stephen that made it possible for a bunch of genealogy list to come into existence. Another difference is my address was different. Later the Masier system crashed because of spammers and the lists were picked up by Rootsweb. I want bore you with the entire Welcome Message. Take a look. Subject: Subscription information Date: Thu, 3 Apr 97 16:19:03 GMT-0500 From: Mail Server <Maiser@rmgate.pop.indiana.edu> To: hlf@rain.org WELCOME to FAMILY-ORIGINS-USERS LIST (snipped) Alfred, you have shown me what tired me out. I read every message then, all 5000 or so a year. I did my best to keep the list on topic. Lists were new to a lot of us and a number of people wanted to talk about a little of everything. Not wanting the list to deteriorate resulting in a massive number of emails resulting in people unsubscribing, I worked hard trying to keep it confined to FO as the welcome message stated. I still believe the list got off to a good start and that start has been instrumental in having a productive list. Some of you gave me a lot of static and I finally decided to give it up. Others of you, who are still on the list, provided a lot of valuable information for the subscribers. I just looked at some of the post made in the first month and recognize some of you are still on the list. By April 14, 1997 (a little less than 2 weeks of existence) we had 72 subscribers. Bruce is the best thing that every happened to Family Origins but this list, in my opinion, is the second best thing for Family Origins. (Bruce is the best thing that has happened to genealogy software, period.) Enough of this reminiscing. Have a great day and keep it on topic :). I was going to sign off here but I just have to share this little "funny" with you. When I put the little smiley face above I remember something that happened early on. A certain person, who may remember it when he reads it now, posted something that was off topic and then put a smiley face. At that time I hardly knew what a colon and a parenthesis meant when they were written together. I did not see it and got on his case for the post and he used the list to "tell me off," another off topic post. We have sure come a long way and a LOT of emails have gone under the bridge. Have a great day Howard Ford, the original list owner.

Small problem here. My computer hiccuped, so I am using my hubby's. I installed 9.0 and then downloaded and installed the patch to update to 9.02. I no longer have the option of having my favorite parchment background. Instead I am left with toning down the color by making a custom color, but still have the pattern, which I do not like. Any way to fix this?? Kathy Parkinson

Hi Kathy -- From FOW's Help file: You can customize your screen display by choosing your favorite colors and fonts. To set your screen font and color, 1. Choose Screen Font and Color from the Options menu, or click your right mouse button on the main screen when the mouse pointer is not pointing at a person on the screen. 2. Click the radio button preceding your choice of background color. You can use the standard gray background, choose a custom color by clicking Choose color, or use a textured background such as denim or lace by clicking the down arrow at the end of the field and choosing the background you want. If your computer displays in 256 colors or less, you cannot choose a textured background, and the option is dimmed. 3. Click the Choose Font button to open the standard Windows font dialog where you can select the font that will display on your screen. Click OK when you have made your selections. For more information about the options on the Options menu, see: Options menu Copyright © 1991-99 FormalSoft, Inc. All rights reserved. Hope that helps. . . -- Happy Hunting!! -- Paul Houston, TX, USA ICQ #73314929 Researching: VA - WHITE,LIPSCOMB,HILL,JOHNSON,SAUNDERS, TALBOT,TATE,EVANS NC - SMITH, BOSWELL, RHODES, CAPEHART,MORRIS, MARSHE, BRITT,SHAW View my American Ancestry at: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~paulrsmith **************** FREE Credit Card Referral Program. Quick money AND residual, lifetime income! CHECK IT OUT !! http://smithecomservices.tripod.com *************************************** ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bruce Parkinson" <wraithp@charter.net> To: <FAMILY-ORIGINS-USERS-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, June 03, 2001 2:16 PM Subject: [FO] Parchment background gone > Small problem here. My computer hiccuped, so I am using my > hubby's. I installed 9.0 and then downloaded and installed > the patch to update to 9.02. I no longer have the option of > having my favorite parchment background. Instead I am left > with toning down the color by making a custom color, but > still have the pattern, which I do not like. > > Any way to fix this?? > > Kathy Parkinson > > > ==== FAMILY-ORIGINS-USERS Mailing List ==== > PLEASE send personal replies and "THANK YOU" message privately. All messages on this list are archived and archiving takes up valuable space. > > ============================== > Create a FREE family website at MyFamily.com! > http://www.myfamily.com/banner.asp?ID=RWLIST2 >