Some people eat, sleep and chew gum, I do genealogy and write...

Sunday, January 26, 2014

Update on RootsTech 2014 and Win a Free Entry Pass

We have been getting ready to do our presentations at RootsTech 2014. I am one of the presenters but there are really two classes of presenters. The first class are those that are going to be broadcasting live. The schedule of the live broadcasts will be published shortly before the Conference. These live broadcasts will be available online at RootsTech.org during the time of the conference each day. Bearing in mind that Salt Lake City, Utah is on Mountain Daylight Time (for now the same as Arizona). Of course, these are free. These broadcasts will also be maintained on the website for an undetermined length of time.

The second class of presentation are those that are recorded to be shown by the individual Stake Family History Fairs. My understanding is that these presentations will only be available to the Stakes who are participating. Since there are probably at least 600 Stakes around the world, there shouldn't be any problem in seeing some of these presentations. But there are 44 presentations total and of course, the Stakes can pick and choose which ones they show. So there is no guarantee that the presentation you would like to see online will ever be shown where you can see it. Unless, they relent at some point and make them all available. But also, some of the presentations are highly volatile and will be out-of-date very quickly. So who knows? Oh, by the way, the presentations are being translated into 10 different languages.

So, if you want to be guaranteed to see some of the presentations on the schedule, recorded or not, you have to actually attend RootsTech 2014. That brings up the question of a free pass to the entire Conference which I can give away. I am supposed to come up with a contest to see who deserves the pass. But I don't do so well with that kind of thing and I decided, before it was too late, to have a contest to come up with a contest. OK, so here is the deal. Beginning at this post, and for the next two days, until 12:00 am on Tuesday, January 28th or early on the 29th however you look at it, or about 48 hours from this post (Arizona Time), I will accept entries. All you have to do is give me a good idea for a contest. In my sole discretion, I will choose the best idea and that person wins the free pass. If no one enters or I only get one idea sent in that sort-of narrows the field a lot. Why do I want the ideas? So next year I won't have to sit around trying to dream up a contest.

You can add your entries as comments to this post or add your entries to my Google+ account. You can add as many entries as you like up until the deadline. OK, one more thing. I have to have some way to contact you so if you send in an entry as "anonymous" you can't win. I will not publish your entries if they contain an email address. But I will notify the winner on Wednesday when I finally get going.  I will need an email address from the winner so FamilySearch can work out the details of getting the winner a free pass.

See you at RootsTech.

10 comments:

  1. I am afraid I have to agree with you when it comes to contests and games, although playing games with my grandchildren is tolerable. So how about a contest to see who has three of the most interesting reasons for attending Rootstech? mabeldin@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. Here's another idea, the old "why I want to win a free ticket to attend RootsTech". Last year this would have worked for me cuz I really wanted to attend the APG conference and RootsTech only if I won a free ticket. mabeldin@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  3. Here's another: Describe how attending RootsTech would help with one genealogy project you are working on (so that could be researching your family or preparing for a presentation or wanting to learn how to use X software or meet James Tanner, or...) mabeldin@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. Ask them to create an article about how to use marriage records in family history. kimsavage75@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  5. Have them come up with a theme for a series of classes. kimsavage75@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  6. What are the top 10 blog post from James Tanner that have helped you the most. kimsavage75@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  7. What are the top 10 blogs that you use the most? kimsavage75@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  8. Name the top 5 websites used for family history. kimsavage75@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  9. Share the most interesting type of record you have found. Is it weird, funny, crazy? For example check out this post: http://blogs.archives.gov/prologue/?p=2814

    kimsavage75@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  10. Serendipity - Share an awe inspiring moment researching your family line.

    ReplyDelete