tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1527613590529958801.post386473613480019006..comments2024-03-21T19:08:05.737-07:00Comments on Genealogy's Star: Maybe we need a revolution in genealogy. Maybe we already have one going on. James Tannerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02989059644120454647noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1527613590529958801.post-67435406649640018002014-11-18T15:02:11.036-07:002014-11-18T15:02:11.036-07:00We have one of those researchers in our family, to...We have one of those researchers in our family, too. She is planning to donate it to her local historical society when she dies. In the meantime, at least 2 of us would like to see it now. I hope her historical society wants it and has space for it. In checking some of the family tails I've heard credited to her, the information is not correct. I've quit wishing I could go through her boxes of family memorabilia. Yes, I'd like to see it but the urgency is no longer there. Thttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13256855136448978468noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1527613590529958801.post-81039102559500281142014-11-07T06:32:29.646-07:002014-11-07T06:32:29.646-07:00Thanks for another great example. I hear about thi...Thanks for another great example. I hear about this type of situation regularly. In fact, already once this week. Many of these people do not realize the seriousness of keeping all this information to themselves. James Tannerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02989059644120454647noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1527613590529958801.post-83559339079736877172014-11-07T06:30:03.966-07:002014-11-07T06:30:03.966-07:00You mention Nauvoo. This is one place I could neve...You mention Nauvoo. This is one place I could never get cell phone coverage. But on my last visit, the coverage had improved somewhat. I think we tend to focus on the problems rather than the over changes that affect the vast majority of our populations around the world. James Tannerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02989059644120454647noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1527613590529958801.post-54841125061977207352014-11-07T06:27:44.376-07:002014-11-07T06:27:44.376-07:00Good comment and interesting thoughts. Thanks.Good comment and interesting thoughts. Thanks.James Tannerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02989059644120454647noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1527613590529958801.post-25882079418866964252014-11-07T01:01:32.195-07:002014-11-07T01:01:32.195-07:00I am enjoying your blog very much James. I too am ...I am enjoying your blog very much James. I too am one of those that has embraced the new technology. I remember the days of traveling a vast distance and waiting my turn to just view census records on microfilm in a library or archive. It took days and weeks sometimes to accomplish that task alone. <br /><br />Now I can access every census record for the U.S and beyond for some countries at 3 AM from the comfort of my home. But not everything is online, not every record has been put in a form yet to be searched online and so those who dig through records and research the traditional method still have in my opinion a bit of an advantage. Because in my experience the jewels of my research are usually found in musty old records still. <br /><br />Yes you can source 3 or 4 generations with documentation online but I was always taught to try to have at least 3 sources to back up even the fact of someone's parents. As we well know what is in a census record can be misleading. A person claimed as a child may not actually be that head of household's biological child. Not all states have digitized birth records or other sources to prove that. <br /><br />But I don't understand the battle between the two or why anyone would want to fight having better tools to get the job done. I worked in archives and the challenge of preserving records for research is a daunting and expensive task. To me the computer age is going to save quite a few records as long as we have the technology to read them. <br /><br />Access is always a problem for those with economic disparities. I believe this is where public libraries are sort of filling in a void with public access to computers much like the microfilm readers of the past. <br /><br />But for those who are just won't put their information on line or even make provisions to save your work I have a cautionary tale. We had local researcher who for years had amassed so much information in her research of local history and families in this one area. She was meticulous in her research and had copies of everything. She left no provision for when she passed what to do with all her research. She had no children and her family basically threw it out. Archives and historical societies are straining for space and many just don't have the resources to keep collections.The new technology can enhance our tools of research and preservation hand and hand with traditional research and preservation. I don't see the conflict or why there should even be a conflict. I just know that research has become much easier to accomplish, all those records have found a way to be preserved and that work is not in peril of being destroyed if we use a combination of both. Thanks for the great articles James.<br /><br />Appalachian Heartwoodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05345792002776421852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1527613590529958801.post-44696186139269355572014-11-06T19:16:03.982-07:002014-11-06T19:16:03.982-07:00My cell phone hardly ever works indoors due to poo...My cell phone hardly ever works indoors due to poor provider signal.<br /><br />I can't get decent internet connectivity without paying a large monthly sum for a bundle of stuff I'll never want to use.<br /><br />There is a major internet-access disparity that in a way parallels the economic disparities in the USA. Technological changes are rather beside the point if one cannot use them.<br /><br />Think about those Nauvoo people.Geoloverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12050268303916428230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1527613590529958801.post-3052018717911190522014-11-06T13:50:12.203-07:002014-11-06T13:50:12.203-07:00I completely agree that the availability of digiti...I completely agree that the availability of digitized records online has made it possible for most people to quickly generate a completely sourced 5 or 6 generation pedigree -- I do it all the time on behalf of others. Where I differ is seeing a zero sum game between the computer-savvy researchers and those who pursue more traditional document-based research. There are computer-generated pedigrees that are pure fantasy, and there are paper-only researchers whose work is impeccable. The difference, in my opinion, lies in how well researchers cite their sources and -- most importantly -- whether they understand the laws and history of any given time and place enough to properly analyze the records. I don't see why there has to be a dichotomy between "Researchers" and "Family Historians." From my experience, those who are offended by the latter just won't put their information online. As for those who do want to connect and collaborate online...caveat emptor! Thanks for your ongoing blogposts on this subject.Kathleenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06235337888646553703noreply@blogger.com