Scanners Rediscovered

The scanner might be the Rodney Dangerfield of PC peripherals. It gets no respect, in part because we scan nondigital THINGS—books, papers, magazines, bills, birth certificates—but NEW THINGS are digital in their origins. Scanning is a way to get the old stuff into the new formats. And a scanner at the right time and the right place is invaluable. Here's a quick guide to world of scanners from basics to the finer points.

Microsoft offers an aging, but quick, one-pager on the basics of how to buy and use a scanner for anyone who just wants the cocktail party line on scanners.

If you want to sink your teeth into the subject, there's no place better than Wayne Fulton's scanning tips. He'll take you from the basics of how much resolution you want in a scan to the finer points of getting the scan clean and optimized.

Shopping for a scanner that'll work with photos and negatives (best for scrapbookers)? If it's related to digital photography you'll find reviews at Steve's Digicams. Imaging Resource stays up-to-date and ZDNet has a great roundup of the five top contenders for everyday scanners. If you just want to clear the pile of business cards off your desk, you'll look at scanners like these instead.

Genealogists are picky about scanners that can deal with aging photos, and anyone who's scanning an entire book might want to give a shout out to a scanning service (8 cents a page). Scanning a book? Here are some service bureaus that will do it for you.

Finally, if you bought your scanner but can't think of a thing to do with it, there are plenty of rainy day scanning ideas. The one that appeals most to me is scanning old documents in a file to reduce apartment clutter.