The CD-ROM does not come with an instruction manual, as instructions are included in the program itself.
For Windows users the Death Index should
start automatically when the CD is inserted. Mac users should open
the folder MacIndex and double-click on the file MacIndex. The Death
Index has been tested on
PC: Windows 98, 2000, ME, XP and Vista
Mac: Systems below OS X. It works on Tiger through Classic.
Unfortunately it does not work on Leopard.
The Mac and PC versions are identical in the way that they are used. The CD must be inserted each time the program is used, unlike the last version which was installed on the hard drive.
When running the program for the first time you may be asked to enter a username. It does not matter what you enter here, and you won't need to remember what you entered. When the Death Index program starts up, you will first of all be taken to an introductory screen. From here you can choose to either look at the Help page or to Search.
When you click on Search you will be taken to the search screen. You must enter information in at least one of the fields, which are Surname, First Name, Alias, Occupation, Death Year, Age, and Abode.
You can enter information in more than one of the fields if you wish (click the Help tab at the top of the screen for tips on searching). Then click the Go button at the bottom of the screen.
You will then be taken to the List page (you can tell which page you are on by looking at the tabs at the top of the screen - the one you are on is dark blue). You will see a list of names on the screen.
You can sort the list by clicking on the column headings e.g. click on First Name to sort the entries by first name (click the Help tab at the top of the screen for tips on sorting). You can print or export the list by clicking the appropriate button at the bottom of the screen.
Clicking any of the entries in the list takes you to the Individual Details page. This shows all the information that is in the database about that person. It also shows what the source of the information was.
You can move to other people in the list by clicking the forward and back arrows at the bottom of the screen. To print this person's details click on the Print button at the bottom of the screen. If you want to go back to the list, click the List tab at the top of the screen.
To modify your search use the Modify Search button at the bottom of the List and Individual Details pages. To start a new search click the Search tab at the top of the screen. The tabs at the top of the screen can be clicked at any time to navigate around the program.