Stamp Column Archives

The Glassine Surfer Column Archive

This column originally appeared in the American Philatelic Society's monthly magazine, "The American Philatelist." Since then some of the information may be out-of-date depending on how far back you're reading.

April 2002

Atlas and Library

Sandafayre is a large UK stamp company with a growing library of online reference materials. Undoubtedly, the free education will help customers make wiser purchases.

The Sandafayre "Stamp Atlas" section by Stuart Rossiter and John Flower divides the world into regions with each country described in pertinent philatelic detail.

The stamp library is actually a stamp gallery in which you'll find most of the world's famous stamp issues arranged by country. There are thumbnails and a short description of each country's more important stamp issues.

To access these resources go to the company's site and follow links to "atlas" or "library."

Sandafayre
http://www.sandafayre.com/

If you're looking for a more detailed view of US and related issues, you'd do well to visit auctioneer Siegel Auction Galleries and their "Encyclopedia of Stamps."

Encyclopedia of Stamps
http://www.siegelauctions.com/enc/enc.htm

PS: If anyone knows of other similar resources, please post me.

Better than Notepad

Code-Genie is a Web developers text-editor which can also be used as a Notepad replacement. This well-built freeware application features syntax highlighting for HTML, PHP, CSS, JavaScript, Java, C++, color printing, and the always handy auto-complete.

Code-Genie is a very good plain text writer if you want something better than Notepad, and it's a very functional code writer.

Code-Genie
http://www.code-genie.com/

On the other hand, if you just want a text writer, EditPad is a good choice. It now comes in a Lite (freeware) and Pro version. It's simple, basic and fast, and as says it's not bloatware.

EditPad
http://www.jgsoft.com/

Too much time, so many sites.

Googlewhacking is a simple game and is what happens when people have too much time on their hands.

Enter two words into the Google search engine, and you win if Google can only find one page with those two words. The only rule is that each word has to be found at Dictionary.com or perhaps m-h.com.

Gary Stock, Webmaster at unblinking.com, coined the term for this search engine solitaire, though people have been inputting odd terms into search engines from Day One. It's only now, since Google has become an industry standard, that the affliction has taken on this grand name.

Dictionary.com
http://www.dictionary.com

Merriam-Webster
http://www.m-w.com

Unblinking.com
http://www.unblinking.com

Send along your winning Googlewhacks, and I'll report them here.

Thanks

I printed out all of the feedback I got in response to February's column and I hope I didn't overlook replying to your e-mail. It was good for me to see what philatelic and general Web sites were helpful to you, and I'll keep your notes handy as I wander the 'Net.

I want to encourage you to continue to keep in touch. It's really the only way I have to know if I'm delivering the type of information you really want and need.

Show time again

It's that time again, when Americans make plans for the summer and start travelling after the long winter, and as the crocus push their way to the sun, stamp shows begin to bloom along the highways of the USA. Is there a better way to spend an afternoon than at a stamp show?

Stamp shows come in all shapes and sizes, from the APS World Series of Philately type down through the third Sunday bourses, and they're your chance to load up on stamps you didn't know you didn't have, make friends, and hunt for bargains in the dollar bin.

The APS Web site hosts the Web's hub for stamp show news and announcements. As an organizer of the World Series of Philately and hub for countless affiliates and chapters, APS is a treasure trove of show news and announcements.

APS Stamp Shows
http://www.stamps.org/directories/dir_Shows_Exhibitions.htm

While you're at the site, read up on the "Spring Postage Stamp Mega Event," which will be held in New York, April 4-7. It's always one of the year's landmark philatelic events. And if you're on the left coast, you can enjoy WESTPEX in San Francisco at the end of April at the Cathedral Hill Hotel.

Surf Safely.

The Sociable Stamp Society invites you to join our online chats Sundays and Wednesdays at 8pm. Come to the site and click on "chat".

The Glassine Surfer
http://www.glassinesurfer.com

Previous columns are archived online at the Glassine Surfer Web site. If you don't know what AP issue something was mentioned in the Glassine Surfer, use the site's search box.

Support your local stamp club and surf safely.

Part I :: Part II :: Part III