More Rumors and Speculation?

I just got another "tip" that FamilySearch Family Tree going "live" has been pushed back to Thursday, October 18, 2012. If you want to see the source of this statement you can go to "FamilySearch Family Tree Go Live Has Been Pushed To This Coming Thursday."

There is an almost perfect vacuum out there about this subject other than this one blog. There have been some strange goings on today with FamilySearch.org. For most of the day, I could not sign in at all. 

I am not sure what is meant by "going live." The program is completely available as far as the features have been loaded in. I have been consistently working with the program since February. Like I have said before, if going live means something, I can't say what that might be presently. 

Two indications that the program is live would be 1) a notice on FamilySearch.org or a live link to the program that did not require you to be "invited" for the link to appear on the home page and/or 2) some notice on the New.FamilySearch.org homepage of the changeover. 

We'll wait and see what happens on Thursday. 

Webinars and Webcasts

Two days ago, I taught a class about FamilySearch Family Tree. During the class, I mentioned that I was presenting on a webinar the next day. At the end of the class as all the participants were walking out the door, one lady asked me a question, she said, "What is a webinar?" Obviously, when I used the term "webinar" I was not communicating with some in the class. Yesterday, I was helping a patron in the Mesa FamilySearch Library, when she stopped me and commented that she was overwhelmed with all the words we were using to talk about genealogy.

This points out a significant challenge in communicating with those who are "outside" the genealogical community and/or technologically challenged. We don't speak the same language.

If I mention a "family group record," likely anyone reading this blog will know what I am talking about. But, if you dropped in here by chance and have no previous exposure to genealogy, you just might not understand what I was referring to. The same thing goes for the jargon of technology. For example, the Mesa FamilySearch Library website has a link to webinars and webcasts. But what if you don't have any idea what either of these are? Are you likely to benefit from the availability of these resources?

There is a lot of talk about expanding the base of the genealogical community to include more of the community at large. But this is unlike to happen in those communities or groups of people who are technologically challenged, because the outreach is happening online and at genealogy sponsored events. For example, there is almost no interest in my family in the subject of genealogy. Other than one of my daughters, I have no one who has even a passing interest in the Tanner family or any of my other lines. My wife's family is fairly active in genealogy and there are a number of her family members that actively pursue genealogical activities. I do have some distant relatives on my mother's side of my family that are involved. But very only a very few distant relatives on my father's side. Those who are on my father's side who are interested are also on my mother's side since my parents are related as cousins.

But we don't do a very good job of avoiding jargon when we talk to those outsiders both technologically and genealogically.

I would suggest that the next time you have an opportunity to talk to someone about genealogy, you pause and think if the words you are using have any meaning to the person you are talking to. You might just stop every few minutes in the conversation and ask the person if they know what you are talking about. You might be surprised at the answers.

Rumors? Fact or Fiction?

About a week ago, I posted a link to a blog that claimed that FamilySearch Family Tree would go "live" on October 16, 2012. This post is being written on October 16, 2012 and although the day is not yet over, there is no indication that there are any substantial changes to FamilySearch Family Tree today or will be in the very near future.

One of the first indications of a major shift in the program would be some kind of notice on the New.FamilySearch.org web page about the new program. Many users of New.FamilySearch.org are yet unaware of the fact that the program is being replaced. The latest announcements in the New.FamilySearch.org website date back to February, 2012 before the FamilySearch Family Tree program was introduced.

Except for a few features left to be introduced, FamilySearch Family Tree is virtually fully functional. So, I guess I will just keep watching to see what happens. 

My Top Ten Google Apps

Now that I am in the mode of thinking about top ten stuff, I decided I needed to list my top ten Google Apps or Products or whatever they are called. Google lists a few across the top of the Classic Google search screen, such as Search, Images, Maps etc. But the last item is "More" that has a drop-down list of additional Apps. Then at the bottom of that drop-down list there is a link to "Even More." Currently, Google lists a total of 47 Apps or Products (including those in the other menus).

Some of these are of tremendous use for genealogists. Hence, I list my top ten favorites. If the truth be known, some of these programs are more useful than other full blown Apps or websites. So here we go with the list:

1. Google Maps. This is my hands down favorite. I use this almost every day (or did until Apple and Google got in a tiff over Apple adding its own map app for the iPhone). I could spend a good hour or more just explaining the details of how this program works and all its features, like personalized maps, for example. Come to think of it, maybe I will in a future post.

2. Google Earth. While I am on the subject of Google Maps, I guess that leads me to its counterpart, Google Earth. Since I spend a lot of time contributing 360 degree panoramas to Google Earth, this is obviously one of my top choices. But, this program also has some fabulous tools for genealogists, such as the overlay link to the David Rumsey Historical Map Collection, for one.

3. Google Books. Now, I could have put this first, but then I would have to put the maps second and that didn't work. Can you imagine having millions (and I mean millions) of genealogy books at your beck and call? To get an idea of the scope of this App, do a Google Books search on the term "genealogy." Now, granted, not all of those books are directly about our type of genealogy, but a whole lot of them are.

4. Web Search. Of course, this was supposed to be number one also. But then we can't all be number one, can we? Where would I be without Google Search? The answer is high school.

5. Blogger. You might not be reading this without Blogger. I realize there are other ways to post a blog, but this is clearly the easiest and most convenient one to use. Believe me, I have tried others.

6. Reader. The can't-live-without companion to Blogger is Reader. This App gives me the ability to tame the huge influx of information from following hundreds of blogs.

7. Gmail. Despite its failings, I find Gmail to be convenient and workable. I suppose I could try some other program, but I haven't had the incentive to do so. I do have several unused other accounts that I can switch to in a moment if Google fails.

8. Picasa. This program is a real program. It is the answer to having thousands of photos on your computer's hard drive. There are better programs, such as Adobe Bridge, but then again free is nice.

9. YouTube. Why do I always end up watching a video on YouTube? Because they are there. This App has changed the world. Literally.

10. Last but certainly not least, is Translate. It wasn't all that great when it started, but it is a very fast and easy way to understanding foreign websites.

Well, that's the list folks. Have fun with the rest of the Apps also.

MyHeritage.com Webinar tomorrow on Record Matching

Tomorrow at 2:00 pm MDT (1:00 pm) Arizona time, I will be participating in a webinar sponsored by MyHeritage.com concerning their new Record Matching program. I am not being paid anything to appear at the webinar or to endorse any of their products, but I must say this is a fabulous program. I currently have over 2,300 matched records to my file and not near enough time to examine them all.

Tune in to hear about this exceptional new tool for genealogists. You can sign up here:

https://www4.gotomeeting.com/register/771788695

Today's Webinar on FamilySearch Family Tree Now Online

With the help of the Mesa FamilySearch Library, I presented a one hour webinar on FamilySearch Family Tree this afternoon. It is now available to be viewed online at any time. Here is the link:

FamilySearch Family Tree - James Tanner 15Oct2012

Some of the attendees commented on sound problems, but the quality of the recording indicates that our setup was not the problem. It is likely that the problems occurred in the speed and consistency of local providers.

We have more of these coming so please check the Mesa FamilySearch Library website for updates on our webinars and webcasts.

The Overson Negative Project

 My Great-grandmother Margaret Godfrey Jarvis Overson was one of the earliest female photographers in Arizona. Following in the footsteps of her father Charles Jarvis, who was also a photographer, she took thousands of photographs from the early 1900s until around 1950. Many of those photos were published in her genealogy book:

Overson, Margaret Godfrey Jarvis. George Jarvis and Joseph George De Friez Genealogy. Mesa?, Ariz: M.G. Jarvis Overson, 1957.

She is in the center of both these photos seated by her husband, my Great-grandfather Henry Overson.  The first photo was taken about 1929. The second photo was likely taken about 1945.

I knew that she had likely taken hundreds, if not thousands of photos, but had no idea where the originals might be. My daughter, Amy, put a request for information in her blog, TheAncestorFiles.blogspot.com and after three years we were contacted by a cousin who had the original negatives. I originally under-estimated the number of negatives. I have been processing the negatives for about 10 months now and have processed over 2,300 images so far. The entire collection will end up in a major university collection.