Family Archive - image management without a client

[StormGirl_LP]

I am archiving my family's thousands of photographs dating back to the 1800's. I need an image managment application that will provide the following:

1. The Image Library can be written entirely to DVD(s)
2. It can be viewed on any PC without installing the image management software
3. Searchable by keywords, easy to sort
4. Will allow me to make several copies of the DVD's to distribute to my family.

Everything I am looking at requires a client installation for viewing the pictures. I do not want to have to maintain a website for sharing these images. I'd like to burn DVD's of the images for all of my aunts and uncles and be done with it.

[freygr]

Personally I use Thumbs Plus, but the problem is I do not know any image database that you don't need to install. There are slide show options but it doesn't give any search options. You could just use HTML code and set up a menu system. Then you just can write the whole thing to CD or DVD depending on the amount and size of the images.

I've scanned the prints at 300 DPI, and the negatives also at 300 DPI, unless the prints are smaller than 4 by 5 inch and negatives smaller than 120 (2 1/4 inch by 2 1/4 inch) 127 film I increased to 600 dpi if the image was sharp. Just remember high resolutions in many cases will not get you any more detail as the image just is not that great.

Most of the 1800's photographs you will find are very sharply focused and can stand higher resolutions when scanning.