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 Since then some of the information may be out-of-date depending on how far back you're reading.

September 2001

Online Catalogs

Catalogs are essential to identify, organize and value stamps. Without them we wouldn't be able to collect.  We'd just have hordes and shoeboxes of issues.  Luckily, there are many good online catalogs.

Though each generally covers the creator's specialty and usually in the maker's own style, taken together they're a valuable resource.

Les émissions de timbres classiques
http://www.chez.com/memorial/timtyp.html

I Francobolli d'Italia
http://www.mediasoft.it/francobolli/

Postage Stamps Catalog of Switzerland
http://www.stamps.ch/ch/CH_EN/e_cat.htm

Egypt Stamps
http://members.tripod.com/hallouda/index.html

Belurussia
http://beltelecom.minsk.by/~belpost/eng_ver/index_eng.htm

Russian Federation
http://www.aha.ru/~stamp/catalog.htm

Frimerki.Is
http://frimerki.is/vipenglish/

NZstamps.com
http://www.nzstamps.com/Stamp-list.html

Add to this, Stanley Gibbon's online catalog.  The British publisher allows free access to listings in an ever-growing site.

Allworldstamps
http://www.allworldstamps.com/

Block Thy Ports

When you log onto the WWW your computer is connected to the 'Net through via its ports, and the only way to stop inappropriate access to your computer is to protect your ports with a firewall.  

Many people now use firewalls programs such as Black Ice Defender, ZoneAlarm and Sygate Personal Firewall.  These programs monitor the data you send and the data received from the 'Net, block access to ports, and only allow the activity you allow to occur over the WWW.

There are several sites around that can fill you in on the details, but the most helpful to me has been Shields Up.  At that site, you'll find reviews of personal firewall software, one of which is ZoneAlarm.

This program is free for personal home use and is very easy to work with.  When set up a firewall will hide your ports from the rest of the WWW, and you'll be able to access and send the data you want without any intrusions to your PC.

ZoneAlarm is easy-to-use and lets you select from three security levels for both local and 'Net traffic.  You ought to look into setting up your own firewall on your computer, especially if you use a DSL line or cable modem.

Shields Up!
http://grc.com/
and under "News & Events" click "Shields Up!"

ZoneAlarm
http://www.zonealarm.com/

Black Ice Defender
http://www.networkice.com/

Sygate Personal Firewall
http://www.sygate.com/products/shield_ov.htm

Net Security
http://netsecurity.about.com

Text to Html

Text2Html converts text files to html format with a click, rendering the text for use in a browser and turning an "
http://" into a live links.  It's not fancy, but it gets the job done.  You can use Text2Html to quickly code masses of text for your Web site, and it's freeware.  

Text2Html
http://www.cyber-matrix.com/txt2htm.htm

Pegasus

Pegasus Mail does what you want a email program to do.  It has multiple mailboxes and filters and signatures and all those bells and whistles, but it's also small and fast.

The program looks and feels like a Eudora-Outlook cross, though since it's been around since 1990, it's fair to say that Pegasus has lent as much as it's borrowed from the other two programs.  

Developer David Harris and the Pegasus Mail team hail from New Zealand.  They also produce a free program for mail servers, but in both cases the only income they derive from their efforts through the sale of printed user manuals.

Pegasus is a terrific program, runs smoothly, and has enough cusomization and complexity to suit any tasta.  And most likely you will never need a manual to enjoy this program, though your support is encouraged.

Pegasus Mail
http://www.pmail.com/

Stamp Auction Network

Simple works just fine on the Web, and the Stamp Auction Network, run by Tom Droege, is a simple way to locate stamps for auction at many of the larger philatelic auction houses without hunting the individual Web sites on your own.

There are several online stamp auction catalogs, a worldwide auction calendar, stamp images, prices realized lists, company profiles, and other resources about auctions.

You're free to come and go, and the site is free and easy to use, though you can also register which will then let you bid on any lot at an auction house listed at SAN.

Stamp Auction Network
http://stampauctionnetwork.com/