Remember when people would gather around and watch vacation slides from a projector? You can share your favorite digital photos in a similar — and more high-tech way — using special software for creating slide shows that play on a computer or TV set.

Many programs can help you get the job done. Here's a look at three, free slide show programs for Windows. If you're using a Mac, you can produce slide shows with iPhoto, which comes free with all Macs sold in the past few years.

Microsoft's Photo Story walks you through the process of creating a slide show. Photo Story makes it easy to add special effects such as transitions, panning and sounds. Photo Story saves your slide show as a Windows Media video file, which you can play back using Windows Media Player that comes bundled with the XP operating system.

To create a slide show, select "Begin a new story." Click Next. Click Import Pictures. Select your pictures and click OK.

Use the controls to reorient and edit the pictures. Click Next. Add titles and transition effects for each photo and then click Next.

To change pan effects, click Customize Motion. You also can record audio for the individual pictures. Click Next twice. Then click Save Project so you can edit the slide show later. Enter a name and click save.

Google's Picasa 2 is a handy program for any photo aficionado. It helps you organize your photos, making it easier to add them to a slide show. Picasa 2 works with Windows 98 or later.

You can add entire folders or photos grouped under a label. If you don't want to include everything in a folder, give the photos a label. Photos can have numerous labels, and labels can be deleted.

Right-click on a photo and select Add Label and, then, New Label. Type Slide Show and click OK. Highlight the rest of the photos and right-click on them. Select Add Label and, then, Slide Show. They will appear in their own section. Use the rotate buttons to orient them correctly.

IrfanView also creates slide shows. It runs on Windows 95 systems and newer. First, use Filmstrip view (View and Filmstrip) in Windows Explorer to orient your pictures correctly.

In IrfanView, click File and, then, Slideshow. Select your photos and click Add. Use the "Move up" and "Move down" controls to change the order. If you want, change the slide advancement options or add a title. When you're done, select Save as EXE/SCR file. Select Create EXE file. Specify the save location and file name. Then click Create.

You can use iPhoto to create slide shows if you have a Mac. First, select the album you want to use for your slide show. Then click the Slideshow button.

You can add music by clicking the Music button. The Settings button gives you other options. Here, you can change the duration of slides and add transitions.

You can turn your slide show into a QuickTime movie. Just click File and Export. Click on the QuickTime tab and specify your options. Then click Export. The QuickTime movie can then be burned to CD.