Online+newsletter+solutions

=Looking for a solution for sharing a monthly newsletter online with extended family=

The family newsletter is created on a PC in 4 files (1-4 mgs each), one for each page and the total size of about 10 mgs.

So one solution is a place to upload the files where family members can download
Ideas:

I was reading today's NY Times and the tech tips column caught my eye. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/08/technology/08askk.html?th&emc=th The question is: Q. How can I send a 50-megabyte file to a friend since it’s way too big for an e-mail attachment? Are there ways to do it other than burning a CD and using the mail? Some solutions they review are: [|www.pando.com], [|www.yousendit.com] , [|www.xdrive.com] , [|www.ibackup.com] , [|www.filesanywhere.com] --- I've never used any of these, but the reviewer is credible and reliable. They do sound like possible solutions for your situation. (KarenE)

//Filesanywhere seems to offer a solution for the problem. There files can be saved and viewed. It will cost $139/year for 2 GB which will enable years of viewing online and printing. I think this might be the solution. Seems to work much like a shared hard drive. --thanks for this all of the great ideas --margaret//

>
 * There are a number of online storage sites. I like [|box.net] They give you 1 GB free and you can share access to the files.
 * I added a widget so that you can see how it works. I uploaded a few PDFs and an image file. This is pretty slick. It's a great way to share docs with people through your wiki/blog.

media type="custom" key="18860" type="custom" key="18860"

Ideal solution would be a place where the newsletter could be read online.
Ideas:
 * [|LetterPop] is a site that I just saw this week. It does what you are asking for, however it does require doing it online.
 * CS: Consider [|http://pages.google.com], it's an online web page maker so there's nothing to install.
 * I was thinking of Google Docs. Obviously, the intent of Google Docs is to do shared editing, but it can also be used for shared reading. ;-) It requires everyone to have a google login, though. But, it sounds like the readers wouldn't be averse to that. It's very easy to upload Word docs. (KarenE)
 * I was thinking of Google Docs. Obviously, the intent of Google Docs is to do shared editing, but it can also be used for shared reading. ;-) It requires everyone to have a google login, though. But, it sounds like the readers wouldn't be averse to that. It's very easy to upload Word docs. (KarenE)

Also looking for easiest way to save pdf files on a pc
suggestions: SW says see discussion above this page.
 * OpenOffice can convert word docs to PDF. There are a number of free PDF creators online. Here's a program that can be downloaded http://www.primopdf.com/ Haven't used it so I cannot speak to how easy or good it is.
 * [|CutePDF] (freeware)

My suggestion would be to create PDF documents and email them to everyone. If he is really sticking to using Word, creating a PDF is pretty simple. You do have to buy the PDF software (since it's not included in the Windows OS) or as I see above there may be some free solutions. When I coverted the sample newsletters to PDF, they were really small and could easily be emailed. This option would not change his workflow that much.

Right. If he installs Adobe Acrobat (not free, but inexpensive) he then just "prints" to pdf via Word. It's literally as easy as clicking "print", then selecting "as PDF" rather than a local printer, and it will create a pdf version of the file. Then, it can be attached to email as described. (KarenE)

**Images management hints**
Also, my dad imports images from his camera and then either inports or pastes them into word files resizes and locks them into a place on the page. (The reason for the separate files for each page is to keep pictures from jumping around. (Attempts to teach him to use tables did not work, I haven't tried teaching him a page formatting program as he frustrates easily and has learned to produce a great looking newsletter by figuring things out. He is somewhat resistent to starting the learning over with a new program.) So can I help him reduce the size the newsletter by some each image management?

Suggestions: SW says: Yes, your dad can make the newsletters smaller for the web in two to three easy steps that Word makes available. (Just doubleclick on a picture in the document, select the compress button, and change options to web instead of print.) Assuming your mac doesn't mess with my formatting, print out the one page instruction I made for you and your dad. Doing this, I reduced the file size of RFNL1901 from 2655 KB to 159 KB. Try printing to see the effect. Not so great in print, but fine for online reading - so he could save the compressed for web version under a different name and post on your all's Yahoo account for online reading. ~SW CS: Check out Picasa. It's a free image management software that will let him manage all his photos and be able to export images to different sizes and even make gift CDs with the software loaded onto the disc so it's all self-contained. This is for PC, it's the equivalent of iPhotos and is brought to you by Google (used to be an $80 program). He can also use the companion IM-photo sharing tool called Hello to share those photos.