There have been a rash of Blog posts about the release of Family Tree Maker 2011. It looks like I last visited the subject of lineage linked database programs back in January of 2009. For those of you who are not used to that name, a lineage-linked database program is software that stores your family information such as Personal Ancestral File, RootsMagic, Ancestral Quest, Legacy Family Tree and so forth. There are new programs coming out all the time and it is difficult (read impossible) to keep up with all of them. I am constantly having people ask me if I am familiar with [fill in the blank] program. Sometimes I have looked at it and sometimes not. There is one site, GenSoftReviews that claims to have "All the genealogy software, reviewed and rated by you." They have 527 programs reviewed. There is just one problem, almost every program, without exception, is highly rated, between 4 and 5 stars or has no rating at all. OK, now, I know some of these programs are not worth the cost even if they are free, so how do so many of them get such high reviews? Easy, almost no one has used more than one or two genealogy programs. So there is no way for anyone to form an opinion as to better than what. The ones that are not rated haven't made the radar yet (or never will).
Let's look at Family Tree Maker. Really, who do you know that uses the program that also uses two or three other programs? (Randy Seaver excepted). When people ask me what genealogy program I use and I start listing off four or five or so, they probably think I am banging on less than all cylinders. Right at the moment, I have Legacy Family Tree, RootsMagic, Ancestral Quest, iFamily, Reunion, Family Tree Maker 2010, MacFamilyTree, Personal Ancestral File and a couple I may have forgotten on my computers. So how would I know whether any of the ones I am currently using are any better or worse than others? Good question. Even I don't have unlimited funds to buy every genealogy program that comes along (I am spending too much on other programs like Photoshop). And, I don't have anything near the time to even look at all of them (unless someone wants to pay me to do so). So here we have a problem, the people who are rating programs, for the most part, are only familiar with one or two or so programs, so how do they know if what they are using is good or not? The answer is, they don't.
In addition, there is another problem: developer hype. Try going to a few websites for the programs. In every case the software will be described in glowing terms as award-winning, faster, easier, and on and on. So who do you believe? Some of the software sites have tables comparing features between programs. You can guess, every time, their program comes out way ahead of any of the other programs. But they get to select the features and the comparison programs. No one is going to select features they don't have or compare their program to one that is obviously better.
I have been teaching various aspects of Personal Ancestral File for years. Do you have any idea how hard it is to convince someone that Personal Ancestral File isn't the only genealogy program in the universe?
I'll tell you what I am looking for this week. A program that does my research for me and keeps me informed of its progress!
This is my disclaimer: One time I won a free copy of Family Tree Maker in a drawing at a genealogy conference (I always win stuff). Other than that I have purchased every single program and upgrade I have ever used. No developer or software company has ever given me a free copy of their genealogy program unless it was already free. No one paid me to mention their program and no one paid me not to mention their program. The ads I have on my site have never generated me even one red cent of income. In fact, blogging has turned out to be interesting but certainly not profitable. Even if you were a software developer and gave me your valuable program for free, I wouldn't use it if I didn't like it and if I liked it I would tell a hundred people I liked it and if I didn't like it I would tell another hundred people I didn't like it. I have had enough rotten software to last me a lifetime.
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Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
Connecting the Genealogist to the Research -- an online conundrum
In the title to this post, I use for the definition of "conundrum" that of an intricate and difficult problem. The question was raised by Martin Hollick, author of
Hollick, Martin E. New Englanders in the 1600s: A Guide to Genealogical Research Published between 1980 and 2005. Boston, Mass: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2006.
in his post, "Shepardizing Your Genealogy" "How do we connect the average researcher with this latest and greatest information?"
The term "shepardizing" derives from a legal service begun by Frank Shepard (1848-1902) in 1873. The concept of the books was to provide a list of citations made to any law case by a subsequent case. So, for example, if the Supreme Court of U.S. decided a case the Shepards citations would list every case that cited the decision and indicated if the newer case overruled, upheld or modified the original decision. The Frank Shepard Company (later Shepard's Citations, Inc.) evolved over time by into a large multi-volume analysis of every court of record in the United States. The system was ultimately purchased by Lexis-Nexis in 1996.
I understand Martin's concern to be a method by which various genealogical researchers could be connected in a way that more recent research could be cited to subsequent research so that older conclusions could be modified in light of the later discoveries or theories. Some of the reasons the Shepard system worked included the fact that no one owned the court decisions and those decisions, almost universally, are not subject to anyone's claim of copyright. Shepard could cite to his heart's content without the threat of a lawsuit for stealing someone's work. Unfortunately, the same conditions do not exist in the genealogical world. Researcher's own their work! And they know it. Also judges are used to the idea that their decisions might get overruled. They may care or not, but whether they care or not does not matter. Higher courts overrule lower courts with impunity and among themselves, the various courts do not even have to agree with each other. The decisions in cases where the courts disagree end up in higher courts and ultimately in the U.S. Supreme Court. But, very few cases go as far as the U.S. Supreme Court.
However, there is no such august body of judges in genealogical community. If I disagree with a researcher somewhere across the country, there is no mechanism for our opinions to even cross, much less be subject to some sort of arbitration by a higher authority. Although there are those who characterize themselves as genealogical authorities, in the case of a disagreement over a historical fact, there is no one court of last resort. In court, no one really cares about how the opinion is written, it is the legal decision that counts. (Although you will often hear references to well written or badly written decisions). In the genealogical community, absent self publication, a poorly written opinion will unlikely be published at all.
In a comment to Martin's post, Linda Gardner describes a system interrelating family trees with a concern about avoiding duplication. She is essentially describing a wiki, or at least a wiki where changes must be cited to sources. In fact, in my opinion, a genealogical wiki like WeRelate.org is one way all of the information about a particular family can be correlated and updated in a regularized fashion. Unfortunately, this system of checks and balances is not universally accepted and is relatively unknown. I have had one of my major lines online at WeRelate for a considerable time for a fairly large family, I have also informed many of my family members of the availability for research without any interest shown at all.
But as long as genealogy is owned, it is unlikely that anything like a Shepard's citations will get a foothold.
Hollick, Martin E. New Englanders in the 1600s: A Guide to Genealogical Research Published between 1980 and 2005. Boston, Mass: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2006.
in his post, "Shepardizing Your Genealogy" "How do we connect the average researcher with this latest and greatest information?"
The term "shepardizing" derives from a legal service begun by Frank Shepard (1848-1902) in 1873. The concept of the books was to provide a list of citations made to any law case by a subsequent case. So, for example, if the Supreme Court of U.S. decided a case the Shepards citations would list every case that cited the decision and indicated if the newer case overruled, upheld or modified the original decision. The Frank Shepard Company (later Shepard's Citations, Inc.) evolved over time by into a large multi-volume analysis of every court of record in the United States. The system was ultimately purchased by Lexis-Nexis in 1996.
I understand Martin's concern to be a method by which various genealogical researchers could be connected in a way that more recent research could be cited to subsequent research so that older conclusions could be modified in light of the later discoveries or theories. Some of the reasons the Shepard system worked included the fact that no one owned the court decisions and those decisions, almost universally, are not subject to anyone's claim of copyright. Shepard could cite to his heart's content without the threat of a lawsuit for stealing someone's work. Unfortunately, the same conditions do not exist in the genealogical world. Researcher's own their work! And they know it. Also judges are used to the idea that their decisions might get overruled. They may care or not, but whether they care or not does not matter. Higher courts overrule lower courts with impunity and among themselves, the various courts do not even have to agree with each other. The decisions in cases where the courts disagree end up in higher courts and ultimately in the U.S. Supreme Court. But, very few cases go as far as the U.S. Supreme Court.
However, there is no such august body of judges in genealogical community. If I disagree with a researcher somewhere across the country, there is no mechanism for our opinions to even cross, much less be subject to some sort of arbitration by a higher authority. Although there are those who characterize themselves as genealogical authorities, in the case of a disagreement over a historical fact, there is no one court of last resort. In court, no one really cares about how the opinion is written, it is the legal decision that counts. (Although you will often hear references to well written or badly written decisions). In the genealogical community, absent self publication, a poorly written opinion will unlikely be published at all.
In a comment to Martin's post, Linda Gardner describes a system interrelating family trees with a concern about avoiding duplication. She is essentially describing a wiki, or at least a wiki where changes must be cited to sources. In fact, in my opinion, a genealogical wiki like WeRelate.org is one way all of the information about a particular family can be correlated and updated in a regularized fashion. Unfortunately, this system of checks and balances is not universally accepted and is relatively unknown. I have had one of my major lines online at WeRelate for a considerable time for a fairly large family, I have also informed many of my family members of the availability for research without any interest shown at all.
But as long as genealogy is owned, it is unlikely that anything like a Shepard's citations will get a foothold.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Following links from Google Books, WorldCat and Archive.org
When I was working at the University of Utah Library a million years ago (maybe only half a million), my past-time on break was to walk the stacks, it was exercise and I also became acquainted with all of the different sections of that huge library. I would also find books of interest from time to time. Whenever I go to a library, I essentially do the same thing, walk up and down the shelves looking for relevant material. I have learned that no index (card catalog) is perfect and there is no substitute for taking a look for yourself as to what might be available.
The current equivalent for walking the shelves is using Google Books, WorldCat and Archive.org to look for books that might be helpful to my research. But I do miss the library.
Here is an example of an interconnected search on Google/WorldCat/Archive.org:
After opening Google Books, I did a search for "tanner genealogy." I got back 13,300 results which gives me plenty to work with. I did another search with a place name, "New York." I immediately found a reference to a book in the Bulletin of the New York Public Library, Volume 16:
The reference was contained in an article on Recent Books of Interest. The specific reference was to William Tanner, Sr. of South Kingston, Rhode Island and his descendants, by G. C. Tanner. (Of course, I am cheating in this example, because I already know about this and most of the other books). I recognize this as a reference to one of my ancestors and decide to investigate further. So now, I do a search in Google Books on the name of the book.
Google Books has the entire book digitized in full view. The citation to the book is Tanner, George C. William Tanner of North Kingstown, Rhode Island, and His Descendants. [Minneapolis, Minn.]: Pub. by the author, 1905. Let's suppose I wanted to find the book in a library (despite the fact that the book is completely digitized online). I can click on the "Find in a library" button in Google Books and Google will take me to WorldCat.org, where I find that none of the close-by libraries have the book.
At this point, if I wanted to pursue the matter, I could order the book through Interlibrary Loan from my local Mesa Public Library. But I want to see if the book is located anywhere else on the Internet, so I click on the link to "View all editions and formats."
I find several online copies of the book, some in subscription websites, I choose the Archive.org version which gives me the option of reading online, downloading a PDF, a B/W PDF, an ePUB version, a Kindle version, a Daisy version, a Full Text version, or a DiVu version or having the entire book in HTTP.
I realize that you may not have the same luck in finding a book about a remote ancestor so easily, but it doesn't hurt to look and search on a variety of names and locations in all of these resources.
The current equivalent for walking the shelves is using Google Books, WorldCat and Archive.org to look for books that might be helpful to my research. But I do miss the library.
Here is an example of an interconnected search on Google/WorldCat/Archive.org:
After opening Google Books, I did a search for "tanner genealogy." I got back 13,300 results which gives me plenty to work with. I did another search with a place name, "New York." I immediately found a reference to a book in the Bulletin of the New York Public Library, Volume 16:
Google Books has the entire book digitized in full view. The citation to the book is Tanner, George C. William Tanner of North Kingstown, Rhode Island, and His Descendants. [Minneapolis, Minn.]: Pub. by the author, 1905. Let's suppose I wanted to find the book in a library (despite the fact that the book is completely digitized online). I can click on the "Find in a library" button in Google Books and Google will take me to WorldCat.org, where I find that none of the close-by libraries have the book.
At this point, if I wanted to pursue the matter, I could order the book through Interlibrary Loan from my local Mesa Public Library. But I want to see if the book is located anywhere else on the Internet, so I click on the link to "View all editions and formats."
I find several online copies of the book, some in subscription websites, I choose the Archive.org version which gives me the option of reading online, downloading a PDF, a B/W PDF, an ePUB version, a Kindle version, a Daisy version, a Full Text version, or a DiVu version or having the entire book in HTTP.
I realize that you may not have the same luck in finding a book about a remote ancestor so easily, but it doesn't hurt to look and search on a variety of names and locations in all of these resources.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
My rules for buying a new computer for genealogy
In my recent post on buying a new computer I talked about some of the factors that go into choosing a system for home (or small business) use. Here are my rules or at least the ones I have adapted over the years in purchasing dozens of computers:
Rule No. 1: Always buy the fastest computer you can reasonably afford.
This is a pretty simple rule. Various computer systems are rated by the speed of the processor and the speed the information is moved internally (Bus Speed). Usually, within a short time a new processor is introduced, there are a number of independent organizations who rate the speed and compare the new processor to previous models. You can make a pretty good guess as to how fast the computer is going to operate by the speed marks. There is one catch, you cannot compare two different processors on speed alone. For example, you cannot compare an AMD chip with an Intel chip. To this end, there are also speed tests using common software, such as the time it takes to open a certain file in Photoshop or some other program. After careful research, you can get a good idea of the speed comparisons of the various computer chips currently available. If you are so inclined, you can look at a CPU Benchmark test at PassMark Software. This is not an endorsement and yes, I know there are a dozen (probably more) different tests out there.
Why do I buy the fastest computer I can reasonably afford? The answer is pretty simple. Computers age much faster than any other consumer product and by buying the fastest computer you can afford, you will likely keep what you have for a longer period of time and spend less money over the long run.
Why do computers get old and slow? Because software and my use of the computer continues to demand more speed and more capabilities.
Rule No. 2: Don't ignore rule No. 1, but don't buy a new computer system when it first comes onto the market.
Rule No. 2 seems to contradict rule No. 1, but in reality, the fastest computer in the world is useless unless the software programs utilize the speed of the processor. For example, Apple computer has had a 64 bit system for some time, but most of the computer programs ignore the extra speed and continue to run in 32 bit mode. So purchasing a very fast computer is tempting but needs to be moderated by utility. Wait for the software to catch up with the new processors.
Rule No. 3: Anticipate change.
It does no good to buy the fastest computer you can reasonably afford, only to find out that the major manufacturers, i.e. Intel, AMD, Motorola, IBM etc., are coming out with entirely new computer chips in the near future. First of all, when the new chips come out, the existing computers with the older chips will either disappear or drop drastically in price and second of all, the new chips will mean even faster computers. But, you can wait forever. You have to make a decision and go with it.
Rule No. 4: Stick with compatibility.
OK, now despite Rules 1 through 3, upgrading your computer programs could cost more than the computer itself. If you buy a new computer system without taking software upgrade cost into consideration, you might be surprised at what it is going to cost you to upgrade. You may even find that your old software will not run at all on the new computer. Look before you leap. It may be less expensive to get some more mileage out of the old system until the speed issue becomes intolerable.
Rule No. 5: Time is money.
I practically live in front of a computer and make most of my living (even as an attorney) from using a computer every day. I simply will not put up with a cranky old computer system. Like some people I know, computers tend to get cranky with age. They slow down. They get a variety of ailments and they don't work all that well. Unlike getting new body parts, buying a new computer is a ready solution to the cranky computer syndrome. If I can cut the time I spend doing a repetitive task in half, I can make twice as much money. (OK, I realize this is dreaming, but I do get a lot more work done today than I used to ten years ago).
Rule No. 6: Watch the technology.
The Apple iMac is a good example of watching the technology. The standard computer system of the past was a box connected to a huge cathode ray tube monitor, a keyboard and a mouse. iMac put the computer in the monitor and did it with style. The box is gone. iMac may not be the fastest computers in the world, but they have so many positive features that on the whole they are more attractive (to me) than any other current system.
Rule No. 7: Consider the price.
Will the increased productivity offset the cost of the computer? Will you have to upgrade all your software? Are you really unhappy with your current system or is someone telling you to buy a new computer? Will you have to buy a new printer or scanner? These and other questions equate to the cost of a new system.
Now, do I really go through all of these questions every time I purchase a new computer? In fact, the answer is yes I do and I apply the same criteria to digital cameras, cell phones and all the other electronic gadgets in the universe.
Rule No. 1: Always buy the fastest computer you can reasonably afford.
This is a pretty simple rule. Various computer systems are rated by the speed of the processor and the speed the information is moved internally (Bus Speed). Usually, within a short time a new processor is introduced, there are a number of independent organizations who rate the speed and compare the new processor to previous models. You can make a pretty good guess as to how fast the computer is going to operate by the speed marks. There is one catch, you cannot compare two different processors on speed alone. For example, you cannot compare an AMD chip with an Intel chip. To this end, there are also speed tests using common software, such as the time it takes to open a certain file in Photoshop or some other program. After careful research, you can get a good idea of the speed comparisons of the various computer chips currently available. If you are so inclined, you can look at a CPU Benchmark test at PassMark Software. This is not an endorsement and yes, I know there are a dozen (probably more) different tests out there.
Why do I buy the fastest computer I can reasonably afford? The answer is pretty simple. Computers age much faster than any other consumer product and by buying the fastest computer you can afford, you will likely keep what you have for a longer period of time and spend less money over the long run.
Why do computers get old and slow? Because software and my use of the computer continues to demand more speed and more capabilities.
Rule No. 2: Don't ignore rule No. 1, but don't buy a new computer system when it first comes onto the market.
Rule No. 2 seems to contradict rule No. 1, but in reality, the fastest computer in the world is useless unless the software programs utilize the speed of the processor. For example, Apple computer has had a 64 bit system for some time, but most of the computer programs ignore the extra speed and continue to run in 32 bit mode. So purchasing a very fast computer is tempting but needs to be moderated by utility. Wait for the software to catch up with the new processors.
Rule No. 3: Anticipate change.
It does no good to buy the fastest computer you can reasonably afford, only to find out that the major manufacturers, i.e. Intel, AMD, Motorola, IBM etc., are coming out with entirely new computer chips in the near future. First of all, when the new chips come out, the existing computers with the older chips will either disappear or drop drastically in price and second of all, the new chips will mean even faster computers. But, you can wait forever. You have to make a decision and go with it.
Rule No. 4: Stick with compatibility.
OK, now despite Rules 1 through 3, upgrading your computer programs could cost more than the computer itself. If you buy a new computer system without taking software upgrade cost into consideration, you might be surprised at what it is going to cost you to upgrade. You may even find that your old software will not run at all on the new computer. Look before you leap. It may be less expensive to get some more mileage out of the old system until the speed issue becomes intolerable.
Rule No. 5: Time is money.
I practically live in front of a computer and make most of my living (even as an attorney) from using a computer every day. I simply will not put up with a cranky old computer system. Like some people I know, computers tend to get cranky with age. They slow down. They get a variety of ailments and they don't work all that well. Unlike getting new body parts, buying a new computer is a ready solution to the cranky computer syndrome. If I can cut the time I spend doing a repetitive task in half, I can make twice as much money. (OK, I realize this is dreaming, but I do get a lot more work done today than I used to ten years ago).
Rule No. 6: Watch the technology.
The Apple iMac is a good example of watching the technology. The standard computer system of the past was a box connected to a huge cathode ray tube monitor, a keyboard and a mouse. iMac put the computer in the monitor and did it with style. The box is gone. iMac may not be the fastest computers in the world, but they have so many positive features that on the whole they are more attractive (to me) than any other current system.
Rule No. 7: Consider the price.
Will the increased productivity offset the cost of the computer? Will you have to upgrade all your software? Are you really unhappy with your current system or is someone telling you to buy a new computer? Will you have to buy a new printer or scanner? These and other questions equate to the cost of a new system.
Now, do I really go through all of these questions every time I purchase a new computer? In fact, the answer is yes I do and I apply the same criteria to digital cameras, cell phones and all the other electronic gadgets in the universe.
Friday, August 27, 2010
On publishing genealogy -- still a viable option?
The hallmark of the published genealogy is a thick book of names, reported relationships, brief narratives and NO sources. I have a number of these books on my own shelves at home. Most are treasured as family heirlooms, written by someone's great grandmother or aunt, long since passed away and unavailable to make corrections or even defend their work. In a past post, out of a sense of self preservation, I have declined to identify any particular book. Now, don't get me wrong, I have actually seen family history books that were meticulously sourced and filled with valuable data. I laud any one who has published such a book and recommend it to anyone who wants to know about their family. Unfortunately, I do not happen to be related to any such people.
At the moment, I am looking at a large and impressive book with gold lettering celebrating the posterity of one of my great-great aunts and her husband. I find one passing reference to a source, another descendancy book by another relative which is also missing any source references. Other than this reference there is not one birth certificate, census reference or military record in the entire tome. There is a very nice picture of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, who I am certain I am not related to.
In answer to a question from a reader, yes, these books find their way into a multitude of libraries, even the shelves of the venerable Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. But as Randy Seaver writes in Confessions of a Name Collector, in his early research, he recorded the information because it was there essentially. So what is the big deal with having sources for information in your family history, don't we all know who are parents and grandparents were? Well, not exactly.
Saying that someone was born on such and such a date in 1870 is not helpful to future generations unless the date can be verified from a contemporary source. Without sources, how do you tell the difference between the made up parts and the real facts? Or better, how do you know if there are any real facts at all and the entire book isn't made up and entirely fictitious? The answer is simple, you don't. Sources are that important.
So is publishing your genealogy still a viable option? Only if the book, either paper or electronic, has a firm foundation in source material.
At the moment, I am looking at a large and impressive book with gold lettering celebrating the posterity of one of my great-great aunts and her husband. I find one passing reference to a source, another descendancy book by another relative which is also missing any source references. Other than this reference there is not one birth certificate, census reference or military record in the entire tome. There is a very nice picture of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, who I am certain I am not related to.
In answer to a question from a reader, yes, these books find their way into a multitude of libraries, even the shelves of the venerable Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. But as Randy Seaver writes in Confessions of a Name Collector, in his early research, he recorded the information because it was there essentially. So what is the big deal with having sources for information in your family history, don't we all know who are parents and grandparents were? Well, not exactly.
Saying that someone was born on such and such a date in 1870 is not helpful to future generations unless the date can be verified from a contemporary source. Without sources, how do you tell the difference between the made up parts and the real facts? Or better, how do you know if there are any real facts at all and the entire book isn't made up and entirely fictitious? The answer is simple, you don't. Sources are that important.
So is publishing your genealogy still a viable option? Only if the book, either paper or electronic, has a firm foundation in source material.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Using Gmail to call on the telephone
Google's Gmail just implemented free telephone calling in the U.S. and $.02 a minute to the rest of the world. Using your computer's built-in microphone or an external one plugged into the computer, you can now make calls to any land line or cell phone. Google's free service competes with Skype and other online phone services, but has the edge in ease of use and availability. Some people have already used this kind of service for work and even home.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
On buying a new computer for genealogy
In the past and for many years, I owned an Apple computer store which also sold a variety of manufactures' computers (most of those early computer stores are long since out of business). Since selling off my computer store business, I continue to teach a lot of classes about genealogy programs and online resources which gives people the idea I might know something about computers and so from time to time people ask me for recommendations on the purchase of a (new) computer for doing their genealogy. Often, when I give a reccommendation, the person comments that this is not what their son (fill in the blank) or whoever told them and they start to argue with me. Subsequently, my recommendations have become more and more general over the years.
Before asking, you may want to know a little bit about the person you ask as well as a little bit about computers. I find that when any of my friends ask their younger relatives for assistance in purchasing a computer they soon find out that the younger relative is more interested in what he or she can do with the computer than what my friend might want to do. But, as a genealogist you may not need the fastest game-playing graphics computer for your research, a cheaper off-the-shelf model might do just as well.
There have been vast changes in the way computers are sold today compared to the past. The first personal computers required a lot of hand-holding and the customers expected the salesperson to be knowledgeable.
About all that you really need know today, is that most computers are sold either over the Internet or through a big-box store such as Costco, Walmart, Sam's Club, Best Buy and a host of other businesses. Computers are sold like a commodity. It is possible that the sales clerk in the store where you buy a computer, may not even know how to turn it on. This does not mean that you won't find a computer expert in a mass merchandising store, it is just unlikely to happen.
Today, the price of a new computer is dependent on 1) the speed and capacity of the processor, 2) the amount of RAM memory, 3) the capacity of the hard drive, 4) the number and type of connectors such as USB ports and others, 5) other equipment included in the sale, such as a mouse, keyboard, or monitor. Usually, newer computers come pre-loaded with a lot of software. The faster, newer, larger capacity computers cost more than slower, older, smaller capacity computers. But electronics in general change so rapidly, today's slower, older computer might be only six months old.
Because the price of the computer is usually a function of the newness of the equipment, all you really have to do to start an investigation is find out the latest release of processors from Intel or AMD. If you buy from a major outlet you are unlikely to find anyone in the store who can tell you anything about the product you are buying except where the box is located and its price if the printed price card is located nearby. Buying online, you are also left entirely to your own devices in finding out what it is you need or want to buy. This is the main reason I get the questions about which computer to buy. But if you realize that the major retailers turn over their inventory very quickly, you can usually find the latest and fastest release of processor in one of the more expensive computers for sale off the shelf. Unless you are heavily into video, manipulating photographs in Photoshop or some other memory intensive activity, nearly all of the computers available today are much faster than you will ever need for genealogy. In fact, the least expensive computers today have more computing power than anything that was available even a few years ago at any price. My iPhone has more computing power than most of the desktop computers I have owned over the past 28 years.
So what would I do if I were buying a computer? First, I would go to the library (or look online) and find a very recently published book on the basics of computing. I would make sure I knew the difference between the computer's RAM memory and its hard drive memory and other basic information. Then I would spend some time looking on line and comparing prices. If I didn't understand the differences between the computers at different prices, I would either research the words until I knew what the difference was or ask someone who really knew the answer. I would probably read some of the reviews of the products online.
For example, you can spend $13,000 on a new car or $130,000 on a new car. Do you know why the first car costs $13,000? Or why the second car costs $130,000? If not, I suggest you shouldn't be buying a car. You also might want to know the difference between a Sony Supermicro Extreme Computer Editing Workstation for $6,999 and an HP Workstation Xw5000 for $70 new. Maybe not, but you might want to know why you would probably not want either one to do your genealogy.
It is still true today, that with computers, you can buy a complete system, ready to operate, or you can buy each individual piece and put the whole thing together yourself. Some people think the only way to purchase a computer is in pieces. I do not find many genealogists who think this way. Usually, genealogists would rather get to work rather than spending time trying to get a pile of computer components to work together. A variation on this theme is the relative who offers to "build" you a system from scratch. Before you accept this offer, you might want to see what you can buy ready-built off-the-shelf before taking him up on the deal.
Continued
Once you have a feel for the price and performance of a particular computer system, you will probably come to a conclusion about which system you want to buy.
Before asking, you may want to know a little bit about the person you ask as well as a little bit about computers. I find that when any of my friends ask their younger relatives for assistance in purchasing a computer they soon find out that the younger relative is more interested in what he or she can do with the computer than what my friend might want to do. But, as a genealogist you may not need the fastest game-playing graphics computer for your research, a cheaper off-the-shelf model might do just as well.
There have been vast changes in the way computers are sold today compared to the past. The first personal computers required a lot of hand-holding and the customers expected the salesperson to be knowledgeable.
About all that you really need know today, is that most computers are sold either over the Internet or through a big-box store such as Costco, Walmart, Sam's Club, Best Buy and a host of other businesses. Computers are sold like a commodity. It is possible that the sales clerk in the store where you buy a computer, may not even know how to turn it on. This does not mean that you won't find a computer expert in a mass merchandising store, it is just unlikely to happen.
Today, the price of a new computer is dependent on 1) the speed and capacity of the processor, 2) the amount of RAM memory, 3) the capacity of the hard drive, 4) the number and type of connectors such as USB ports and others, 5) other equipment included in the sale, such as a mouse, keyboard, or monitor. Usually, newer computers come pre-loaded with a lot of software. The faster, newer, larger capacity computers cost more than slower, older, smaller capacity computers. But electronics in general change so rapidly, today's slower, older computer might be only six months old.
Because the price of the computer is usually a function of the newness of the equipment, all you really have to do to start an investigation is find out the latest release of processors from Intel or AMD. If you buy from a major outlet you are unlikely to find anyone in the store who can tell you anything about the product you are buying except where the box is located and its price if the printed price card is located nearby. Buying online, you are also left entirely to your own devices in finding out what it is you need or want to buy. This is the main reason I get the questions about which computer to buy. But if you realize that the major retailers turn over their inventory very quickly, you can usually find the latest and fastest release of processor in one of the more expensive computers for sale off the shelf. Unless you are heavily into video, manipulating photographs in Photoshop or some other memory intensive activity, nearly all of the computers available today are much faster than you will ever need for genealogy. In fact, the least expensive computers today have more computing power than anything that was available even a few years ago at any price. My iPhone has more computing power than most of the desktop computers I have owned over the past 28 years.
So what would I do if I were buying a computer? First, I would go to the library (or look online) and find a very recently published book on the basics of computing. I would make sure I knew the difference between the computer's RAM memory and its hard drive memory and other basic information. Then I would spend some time looking on line and comparing prices. If I didn't understand the differences between the computers at different prices, I would either research the words until I knew what the difference was or ask someone who really knew the answer. I would probably read some of the reviews of the products online.
For example, you can spend $13,000 on a new car or $130,000 on a new car. Do you know why the first car costs $13,000? Or why the second car costs $130,000? If not, I suggest you shouldn't be buying a car. You also might want to know the difference between a Sony Supermicro Extreme Computer Editing Workstation for $6,999 and an HP Workstation Xw5000 for $70 new. Maybe not, but you might want to know why you would probably not want either one to do your genealogy.
It is still true today, that with computers, you can buy a complete system, ready to operate, or you can buy each individual piece and put the whole thing together yourself. Some people think the only way to purchase a computer is in pieces. I do not find many genealogists who think this way. Usually, genealogists would rather get to work rather than spending time trying to get a pile of computer components to work together. A variation on this theme is the relative who offers to "build" you a system from scratch. Before you accept this offer, you might want to see what you can buy ready-built off-the-shelf before taking him up on the deal.
Continued
Once you have a feel for the price and performance of a particular computer system, you will probably come to a conclusion about which system you want to buy.
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