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March 2007 Newsletter

1. Important Information about PastPerfect and Microsoft Vista

2. Employment Opportunity with Pastime Software Company

3. PastPerfect is coming to a conference near you!

4. Upcoming Training Opportunities for PastPerfect 4.0!

5. Free Updates for PastPerfect Museum Software

6. Tech Tip: Protect your data backups!


7. Contact Information


1. Important Information about PastPerfect and Microsoft Vista

Pastime Software Company is continuing to test PastPerfect Version 4.0 with the current release of the Microsoft Vista operating system. Detailed information and installation instructions for PastPerfect 4.0 on Microsoft Vista computers will be posted on our website and emailed to all newsletter recipients in the next few weeks.

PastPerfect Version 2 and Version 3 users will need to upgrade to PastPerfect 4.0 if they wish to use PastPerfect on a Microsoft Vista computer.

All users who are planning to use PastPerfect 4.0 and/or Virtual Exhibit 4 on Microsoft Vista computers, including users who are upgrading existing systems to Vista, should contact our support office toll-free at 1-800-562-6080 for special Vista-compatible installation CDs.

Thank you for your patience while we complete our testing before installing PastPerfect on your Microsoft Vista computer.


2. Employment Opportunity with Pastime Software Company

Pastime Software Company, Inc. has an immediate opening for a Software Support Technician/Windows Network Specialist in our Exton, Pennsylvania office. Applicants should have strong hardware, software, and network experience to help provide customer support and internal network maintenance. Starting salary is in the mid-30's and includes benefits.

For a detailed job description and how to apply, please visit our website at http://www.museumsoftware.com/career_opportunities.htm.


3. PastPerfect is coming to a conference near you!

Pastime Software Company is starting to set our conference schedule for 2007. Below is a list of conferences we are scheduled to attend. Be sure to stop by and say hello-we enjoy meeting our clients!

Montana Museums Association
Ft. Missoula, MT
March 8 *Pre-Conference Workshop*

American Association for State & Local History
Atlanta, GA
September 5-8
September 5 *Pre-Conference Workshop*


4. Upcoming Training Opportunities for PastPerfect 4.0!

PastPerfect training classes for 2007 are well under way! Current training locations and dates are listed below. For more information or to register for scheduled regional training classes, please contact our support office at 1-800-562-6080.

To inquire about possibly scheduling a session in your area, please contact our Training Coordinator, Amy Dunn, by phone at 610-304-0973 or by e-mail at training@museumsoftware.com.

Baltimore, MD
Hosted by the Baltimore Museum of Industry
March 6-8

High Point, NC
Hosted by the High Point Museum
March 13-15

Tucson, AZ
Hosted by the Arizona Historical Society
March 20-22

Weatherford, TX
Hosted by the Doss Heritage & Culture Center
April 17-19

University Park, PA
Hosted by the Earth and Mineral Sciences Museum & Art Gallery at Pennsylvania State University
June 5-7

East Lansing, MI
Hosted by the Historical Society of Michigan
July 16-20

Norfolk, NE
Hosted by the Elkhorn Valley Museum & Research Center at the Lifelong Learning Center
September 11-13


Be sure to check out our website at www.museumsoftware.com/training.htm for additional training dates and other information!


5. Free Updates for PastPerfect Museum Software

Did you know updates are available from our website for your PastPerfect Museum Software versions 3.5 and 4.0? These free updates are released approximately every two months and are available for download by going to www.museumsoftware.com/software_updates.htm.

If you would rather receive a free update CD, please contact our Support Office toll free at
1-800-562-6080 or by e-mail at support@museumsoftware.com.

PastPerfect Version 3.5- Current Update Available 3.5C1

New features available in PastPerfect 3.5C1 include:

* Ability to include "Notes" and "Inmemory" fields to the Donations- Money Report

PastPerfect Version 4- New Update Available 4.0C9

New features available in PastPerfect 4.0C9 include:

* Add fields for 2007 dues and donations
* Backup to Removable has new options for including images and multimedia files
* Credit line field can be added to Items on Exhibit report
* Custom field authority files allow multiple entries and append or replace options
* Increase length of habitat field to 80 characters
* New "Lockbox" type of payment for Dues and Donations
* New system report "Missing Multi-Media files"
* Only users with Administrative security setting can view or change user passwords
* PastPerfect Online allows selection of large image size as 450, 640 or 950 pixels
* PastPerfect Online has a new FTP engine
* PastPerfect Online watermark intensity is quadrupled
* PastPerfect Online can include people and creator images
* Right-click on image magnifier button to select option to hide mouse pointer
* Subject authority file is now available for the Archives container list subject field
* Support for SSL SMTP port 465 Email server


6. Tech Tip: Protect your data backups!

Due to the response we had from the Tech Tip from the February newsletter, we decided to follow up with an article regarding the importance of keeping your data protected in an off-site location.

Thanks to Ron Kley and Jane Radcliffe from Museum Research Associates for contributing to this tech tip!

Last month's newsletter outlined a procedure for creating backup files on CD or DVD to insure the preservation of computerized information in the event that a hardware failure might cause the corruption or loss of stored data. That procedure, as outlined, concluded with the recommendation to keep the backup disc(s) in a "safe place."

But what is the definition of a "safe place?"

Based upon the experience of one museum, a "safe place" is definitely not the same office, or even in the same building, as the computer that holds the active or master records. Our "war story" museum experienced a fire in its administrative office. Their computer was destroyed as well as their entire set of backup files which had been stored in the same office.

If there's any bright spot in this story, it's the fact that this museum's records could be, and were, re-created from hard copy printouts of the records, which had been singed by the fire and soaked by water, but still remained legible.

So - what's to be learned from this "war story?"

1. It's risky to store backup files where they could be damaged by the same event (fire, flood, vandalism, etc.) that might damage or destroy the master files.
2. "Fireproof" enclosures are designed to keep paper records from incinerating - not to keep plastic media (e.g., diskettes, tapes, CDs or DVDs) from melting or to prevent their data from being corrupted or destroyed. (They won't keep out floodwaters, either.)
3. The only truly "safe place" for backup files is "someplace else" - an off-premise location. A safe off-premise location might be almost any site above the maximum recorded flood level (e.g. "100-year flood" level) for your community. It might be a vault or file cabinet in a municipal office, or even a desk drawer in a private home. One possibility worth exploring would be to establish a reciprocal "you store our backups and we'll store yours" agreement with another non-profit entity -- an arrangement that may also help to raise the "backup consciousness" of those responsible for data management in each of the collaborating organizations.

Whatever off-site location you choose to use, keeping current backups in your "safe place" increases the chance your data and hard work can be recovered in case disaster strikes your institution.


7. Contact Information

Address: 300 North Pottstown Pike, Suite 200 Exton, PA 19341
Website: www.MuseumSoftware.com
Sales & Product Info: 800-562-6080 or sales@museumsoftware.com
Support: 800-562-6080 or support@museumsoftware.com
Training: 610-304-0973 or training@museumsoftware.com
Data Conversions: 800-562-6080 or conversions@museumsoftware.com

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