Software updates are a fact of life. Since the first days of computing software engineers and programmers have been updating, revising and bug fixing their programs. When a program ceases to be updated, it will eventually become obsolete. You might wish that you could buy one computer and one program and never have to change either, but we are all living in a world where technology is changing daily. Many of the changes to software programs come about as a result to reactions either changes in the hardware or operating systems.
For example, Microsoft had a very stable and useful operating system in Windows XP. But for the need to produce a new product to keep competitive and a lot of other reasons, Microsoft "upgraded" their operating system to Windows Vista. Vista was never well received and many people, after trying the program went back to Windows XP. Now, in an attempt to once again introduce a "new" program, Microsoft is introducing Windows 7 to replace Vista.
Likewise, the chips that make up a computer change. Intel, a major chip manufacturer, introduces new processors all the time, again, to remain competitive. The latest Intel chips have names like Intel Core i7 processor Extreme and Intel Core 2 Quad Processor.
Once the operating system and/or the hardware changes, the software developers likewise have to make changes to their programs. Without the changes, they run the risk that their programs will not work at all at some point.
Genealogy programs change constantly. Versions change and minor bug and feature fixes occur all the time. Here is a list, as of 6 July 2009 of some of the latest release versions:
Legacy 7.0.0.90
RootsMagic 4.0.3.0
Ancestral Quest 12.1.17
Family Insight 2009.5.16.2
Family Tree Maker 18.0.0.305
The Master Genealogist 7 (probably a later version but not easy to find)
In every program it is a good idea to check for upgrades periodically, however, in most cases the developers will notify you of software upgrades.
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Monday, July 6, 2009
Sunday, July 5, 2009
10 Ways to Live Your Family History
Here are a few comments and suggestions about how to incorporate family history into your already busy lifestyle:
1. Keep a journal. How many times have you thought about how many questions could have been answered if my ancestor had just kept a diary or journal? Now think about your descendants. How many questions will they have about your life and your family? How many could be answered if you kept a journal.
2. Visit historic family sites. We all like to take vacations, how about going somewhere meaningful? What if you plan a trip around your ancestors' homes. Even if the houses are not still standing it is meaningful to visit the location. I always remember seeing my Great-great-grandfather's lot. All that was left was a basement hole and part of the foundation. But is was a meaningful experience just to know the family had lived there.
3. Write letters and keep in touch. Write letters to your relatives especially older family members. I have spent a huge amount of time digitizing my ancestors' correspondence. What kind of correspondence will you leave your descendants? E-mail? Keep copies of the letters you write as well as the ones you receive. Digitizing is fine.
4. Preserve your heritage. I often hear stories about old people who die and their children come and throw everything away, including all of the family history. I have saved a few boxes of records from the dump myself. If you know your children will not appreciate your family history, think about donating it to a local library or Family History Center.
5. Tell your children stories. When you learn about your ancestors' stories, tell them to your children. Pass the traditions along to another generation.
6. Keep photographs and identify the people in them. Too many times I find old photos with no identifying information at all. I cannot guess who the people are. Do not perpetuate this problem. Identify people and places.
7. Have family gatherings and reunions. You might just find out you have something in common.
8. Share your genealogy with family members. Not everyone is vitally interested in genealogy all of the time. Even if you think they won't care, give them a copy anyway. Some day they may dig out the copy and become interested. Count on it.
9. Take pictures of events other than vacations, holidays and birthdays. Of the thousands of photos I have it is remarkable how many birthday parties and vacations I preserved. But it would have been nice to have photos of my house where I grew up and the familiar places where I lived.
10. Last and not least, back it up. All of your work should be preserved with multiple copies in different locations. Don't depend on one flash drive to store all your information.
1. Keep a journal. How many times have you thought about how many questions could have been answered if my ancestor had just kept a diary or journal? Now think about your descendants. How many questions will they have about your life and your family? How many could be answered if you kept a journal.
2. Visit historic family sites. We all like to take vacations, how about going somewhere meaningful? What if you plan a trip around your ancestors' homes. Even if the houses are not still standing it is meaningful to visit the location. I always remember seeing my Great-great-grandfather's lot. All that was left was a basement hole and part of the foundation. But is was a meaningful experience just to know the family had lived there.
3. Write letters and keep in touch. Write letters to your relatives especially older family members. I have spent a huge amount of time digitizing my ancestors' correspondence. What kind of correspondence will you leave your descendants? E-mail? Keep copies of the letters you write as well as the ones you receive. Digitizing is fine.
4. Preserve your heritage. I often hear stories about old people who die and their children come and throw everything away, including all of the family history. I have saved a few boxes of records from the dump myself. If you know your children will not appreciate your family history, think about donating it to a local library or Family History Center.
5. Tell your children stories. When you learn about your ancestors' stories, tell them to your children. Pass the traditions along to another generation.
6. Keep photographs and identify the people in them. Too many times I find old photos with no identifying information at all. I cannot guess who the people are. Do not perpetuate this problem. Identify people and places.
7. Have family gatherings and reunions. You might just find out you have something in common.
8. Share your genealogy with family members. Not everyone is vitally interested in genealogy all of the time. Even if you think they won't care, give them a copy anyway. Some day they may dig out the copy and become interested. Count on it.
9. Take pictures of events other than vacations, holidays and birthdays. Of the thousands of photos I have it is remarkable how many birthday parties and vacations I preserved. But it would have been nice to have photos of my house where I grew up and the familiar places where I lived.
10. Last and not least, back it up. All of your work should be preserved with multiple copies in different locations. Don't depend on one flash drive to store all your information.
Using New FamilySearch for genealogical research
New FamilySearch has a huge number of individuals and families. It is an excellent tool for doing LDS Temple Ordinances, but is it useful for genealogical research? The first and most simple answer is that except for LDS Church membership records almost all of the information about individuals and their families is derivative and not primary source material, but the amount of information may certainly be useful.
First of all, New FamilySearch is not yet available to everyone. A significant number of LDS Church members still, as of July, 2009, do not have access to the database. Additionally, people who are not members of the Church likewise do not have access. However, taking into account those limitations, there is still a need to consider the types of information that may be present in this huge database.
New FamilySearch includes a tremendous amount of information. The files that comprise the database come from the following:
The International Genealogical Index (IGI) has been relied on for years to obtain birth, death and marriage information. But it is not a primary source. Even the extraction records are copies from the original records and have no more validity than any other index.
Careful research includes, where possible, reference to original sources, i.e. those made by the people in question or someone else with had a reason to record the information correctly. I would refer the reader to References for Researching from the National Genealogical Society (NGS). Also the Genealogical Standards also from the NGS.
FamilySearch addresses the issue of the content of the files with this statement:
There is one huge difficulty, presently, with New FamilySearch; multiple copies of the same individuals and families and a lack of consistent source information. If the person who submitted the information either directly to New FamilySearch or through one or more of the previous databases, like the PRF, failed to give any source citations, the usefulness of the information is greatly reduced. The information in New FamilySearch is only as good as the original submission. There is no mechanism in New FamilySearch to determine if information is valid or true.
A further statement by FamilySearch may be helpful in understanding the nature of the information contained in New FamilySearch:
First of all, New FamilySearch is not yet available to everyone. A significant number of LDS Church members still, as of July, 2009, do not have access to the database. Additionally, people who are not members of the Church likewise do not have access. However, taking into account those limitations, there is still a need to consider the types of information that may be present in this huge database.
New FamilySearch includes a tremendous amount of information. The files that comprise the database come from the following:
- Church members who have contributed information to the new FamilySearch
- Ancestral File
- Pedigree Resource File
- Temple ordinance records, including the International Genealogical Index (IGI)
- Membership records of the Church
- Church extraction programs
The International Genealogical Index (IGI) has been relied on for years to obtain birth, death and marriage information. But it is not a primary source. Even the extraction records are copies from the original records and have no more validity than any other index.
Careful research includes, where possible, reference to original sources, i.e. those made by the people in question or someone else with had a reason to record the information correctly. I would refer the reader to References for Researching from the National Genealogical Society (NGS). Also the Genealogical Standards also from the NGS.
FamilySearch addresses the issue of the content of the files with this statement:
- Information that was published in Ancestral File, including corrections, will appear both as it was originally contributed and as it was later merged and displayed in Ancestral File. You will see notes and sources if they were provided in the original contribution. In addition, information and corrections that were never published in Ancestral File are also included.
- Many contributors provided the same information multiple times to the Pedigree Resource File. They often did this to provide additions and corrections. These multiple contributions have been combined in FamilySearch. If information changed, you will see the most recent version of the information. You will also see notes and sources if they were provided in the original contribution.
- Information from the International Genealogical Index has also been added to FamilySearch. You can correct the genealogical information but not the ordinance information.
There is one huge difficulty, presently, with New FamilySearch; multiple copies of the same individuals and families and a lack of consistent source information. If the person who submitted the information either directly to New FamilySearch or through one or more of the previous databases, like the PRF, failed to give any source citations, the usefulness of the information is greatly reduced. The information in New FamilySearch is only as good as the original submission. There is no mechanism in New FamilySearch to determine if information is valid or true.
A further statement by FamilySearch may be helpful in understanding the nature of the information contained in New FamilySearch:
The FamilySearch Internet (FSI) is for research. It contains all the Church’s research tools.NEW FamilySearch ( nFS) is to prepare names of deceased ancestors for temple ordinances. It replaces “Temple Ready” but does not replace “Personal Ancestral File” which is a place to store your personal research records, photos and other personal data you want to keep in your personal records. Although information, including notes, can be added to nFS, it is intended only to help others understand where the information in nFS comes from, not to discuss the merits of the information. This should be done through private resources such as letters, e-mail, etc.So what is the conclusion? New FamilySearch could be a source for existing information of a research nature, but unless the source material is included with the submission, it is not a particularly reliable source. Certainly no one should download or copy information from New FamilySearch without verifying the information from other more reliable sources.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Brickwall? Not until you've tried the New York Public Library
Castle Garden. [The Ezra Meeker historical post cards for schools, libraries...] (ca. 190-)
The New York Public Library ranks right up there with the British Library, the Library of Congress and the Bibliothèque Nationale de France. In addition, the NYPL has one of the largest genealogical collections in the World. It is literally amazing the variety of documents, books and manuscripts in its eighteen locations. Its list of online services is really impressive and includes 74 searchable full-text databases of such sources as theAncestry Library Edition, HeritageQuest Online, ProQuest Historical Newspapers: New York Times (1851-2003), Chicago Defender (1905-1975), Chicago Tribune (1849-1985), Los Angeles Times (1881-1985), Washington Post (1877-1990), and the New York Tribune (1900-1910), Early American Newspapers, 1690-1876, Times of London, 1785-1985, 19th Century Masterfile, New England Ancestors, New York County Histories Online, and Burke’s Peerage and Gentry Online, Origins Network (British and Irish Genealogy).
Although the Family History Library in Salt Lake has a huge genealogical collection, it is not all inclusive. Library resources at the NYPL include:
- Library Catalogs
- Handbooks and Guides
- Selected Electronic Resources
- New York City Vital Records Indexes
- Census Records
- Passenger Lists and Indexes
- Naturalization Petitions Indexes
- U.S. Military Sources
- D.A.R. and Loyalist Sources
- Irish Sources
- African American Sources
- Regional Records
- Newspapers and Indexes
- City and Telephone Directories
- Family Histories
- Periodicals
- Photographic Collections
Where are with New FamilySearch Implementation?
All members of the Logan Temple District now have access to New FamilySearch. This means that the following Temple Districts are now completely on the program:
I guess the only story left to write about the introduction will happen shortly.
- Twin Falls Idaho
- Monticello Utah
- Rexburg Idaho
- Manti Utah
- Vernal Utah
- Logan Utah
- St. George Utah
- Mount Timpanogos Utah
- Bountiful Utah
- Salt Lake Utah
- Ogden Utah
- Draper Utah
- Idaho Falls Idaho
- Jordan River Utah
- Provo Utah
I guess the only story left to write about the introduction will happen shortly.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
New partnerships for WorldCat
Kirtas Technologies is the worldwide leader in bound-book digitization, and OCLC, a global online library service and research organization; have signed an agreement that will enable streamlined access to the ever-increasing numbers of digitized books to users of OCLC’s WorldCat and Kirtasbooks.com. As part of an agreement with Kirtas Technologies, WorldCat.org will show if a book is available as digitized content or that it can be made available for digitization. The agreement is signed.
Kirtas Technologies has a huge selection of online digitized books, mostly reasonably priced. A search of KirtasBooks on the term "genealogy" resulted in a search of over 324,000 books.
Kirtas Technologies has a huge selection of online digitized books, mostly reasonably priced. A search of KirtasBooks on the term "genealogy" resulted in a search of over 324,000 books.
Even more records on Record Search Pilot
In the recent past, FamilySearch's Record Search Pilot has been off-line at various times. It looks like they are making up for lost time by adding eight new collections:
The Rhode Island State Census for 1915 index only, no images
New Mexico Death Records for 1889 through 1945 has the index only, no images
Massachusetts Death Records from 1841 to 1915 is 58% complete and includes images
Mexico, Campeche, Catholic Church Records from 1638 to 1944 images only
Mexico, Coahuila, Catholic Church Records from 1627 to 1978 images only
Mexico, Colima Catholic Church Record from 1707 to 1969 images only
Spain, Gerona Diocese, Catholic Parish Records from 1339 to 1930 browse images only
Delaware State Birth Records from 1861 to 1908 is 49% complete and includes images
FamilySearch indicates that more records are on the way. Another Record not mentioned in the Announcement is Veterans with Federal Service Burial in Utah, Territorial to 1966 with images.
The Mexican records are particularly valuable because we have never had convenient online access to Mexican records previously.
For those of you who are not that familiar with Mexico, Campeche, Coahuila and Colima are Mexican states. Also, the Gerona Diocese is located in the northeast of Catalonia, Spain. There is both a province and a city of the same name.
The Rhode Island State Census for 1915 index only, no images
New Mexico Death Records for 1889 through 1945 has the index only, no images
Massachusetts Death Records from 1841 to 1915 is 58% complete and includes images
Mexico, Campeche, Catholic Church Records from 1638 to 1944 images only
Mexico, Coahuila, Catholic Church Records from 1627 to 1978 images only
Mexico, Colima Catholic Church Record from 1707 to 1969 images only
Spain, Gerona Diocese, Catholic Parish Records from 1339 to 1930 browse images only
Delaware State Birth Records from 1861 to 1908 is 49% complete and includes images
FamilySearch indicates that more records are on the way. Another Record not mentioned in the Announcement is Veterans with Federal Service Burial in Utah, Territorial to 1966 with images.
The Mexican records are particularly valuable because we have never had convenient online access to Mexican records previously.
For those of you who are not that familiar with Mexico, Campeche, Coahuila and Colima are Mexican states. Also, the Gerona Diocese is located in the northeast of Catalonia, Spain. There is both a province and a city of the same name.
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