The Genealogist

Genealogy Products Reviewed

I thought that this site which reviews some of the leading Genealogy Products might be of interest:

Genealogy Products Reviewed

How Computer Software Can Streamline Your Genealogy Research

Computer software can make your family tree research a breeze, relatively speaking – pun intended, of course. Using family tree software allows the creation of online data bases to sort records; the storage of digital photos with other documents, scanning of old records, easy sharing with other researchers, and a world of information at your fingertips through the Internet.

When looking for appropriate genealogy software, look for easy to use features that seem intuitive. Many programs will allow matching of information from various online data bases. Some have features that check various name combinations that are similar and rate connections according to probability. These features are quite handy. It is also helpful if the program allows you to input data from other genealogy programs or data bases and spreadsheets like Microsoft Access and Excel.

The software you choose should be well organized and easy to read, displaying needed information on the screen in an easy to follow format. Many allow you to click on name tabs of a child or a parent and view the personal data, which can include the name of spouse, place and date of birth, marriage, death and of burial. Good software will also allow you to tie in other lineage information, such as adoption records, step children, biographies, descendant charts, and other information you will find helpful.Some deluxe software programs go a step further and offer extra features. These can include a county verifier for counties in the US, allowing the user to view all of the counties in a state with their founding dates to hunt for discrepancies. All genealogists who have tried to find a location in a county that has been dissolved or reorganized can appreciate this feature. Another nice added feature in some deluxe software is the ability to search for a location by various means: county, state, country, town, city or province.

Some software even has a potential problems report, this will highlight dates the genealogist should double check. Another nice feature is the reformatting of inconsistently formatted data bases to make sure that records match. And another deluxe feature is web site creation. Some programs will allow the user to make their own genealogy web sites without knowing HTML or other computer code. By creating web sites a user is able to share work easily with other genealogists without having to retype information, make photo copies or spend a bundle on postage. And think of the time that is saved.

Before personal computers became popular genealogists had to spend many hours in libraries and research centers. The tool of choice was the micro film reader. Photo copy machines received a workout. Handwritten notes were extensive, and subject to misinterpretation. Today’s computers, with good software and the internet provide a world of opportunity for the genealogist that would have seemed like magic only thirty years ago. Additionally the need to visit libraries in many cases is now no longer necessary. While there are times when information is still only available on microfilm, many libraries have converted their microfilm to digital format and have made it available online, allowing a person to do research from the comfort of their own home. Imagine doing your genealogy research in your pajamas, at 4 a.m. if that is the time you prefer. Good genealogy software makes it possible.

When looking at software, remember that most of the best companies have enough faith in their programs to offer a 30 day free trial period. You can try the software out, use it for a month and make sure that it truly fits your needs and desires. Then if you choose to buy, paying online with a credit card allows you to keep using the software permanently without having to reinstall. This is another improvement over the past, and certainly an improvement no one complains about.

Whether you use Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000, NT or XP, there are many good programs on the market for genealogists. And it doesn’t matter if you are a beginner, intermediate or an expert. All researchers can benefit from good genealogy software, so give it a try and you’ll certainly be glad you did.

The Magic of Internet Message Boards

The increasing popularity of the internet has offered many new chances for people to exchange information from all over the world. Message boards are one way this information is exchanged in everything from sports to medicine. However, it can also be a way you can increase your genealogy research. They allow you to communicate freely with people from all over in a public forum so that you can have the maximum number of people possible looking at the information you are requesting. This is a great way for you to be able to make contact with others that are interested in genealogy like you.

First of all, if you are going to post on a message board for any reason you should understand the consequences of what you post. Remember that information on a message board, no matter what kind, is essentially public. What you print there can be read by anyone and can be quoted then to anyone. So make sure that everything you write in any message you are going to post only has information in it that you are comfortable having anyone read or share with anyone else. In addition, keep in mind that with most message boards, the post is permanent once you hit the submit button. So you want to make sure you have no embarrassing typos or information you think you might regret. It is always going and worth your while to add that extra few minutes so you can review the message before you hit submit.

So once you know you want to post to a genealogy message board for information exchange, you need to make sure your posts are effective. It is important not to make your posts long and bogged down with a ton of information. When it comes to a message board post, more is less and less is more. Make sure what your post is detailed and concise rather than rambling and general. With a more specific and concise message you are more likely to get specific and helpful responses from others. If you are general with your post you will either get no responses or a ton of responses that may or may not have anything to do with the information you are after. If you are looking for a specific family member in your post, make sure you put in full names, birth dates, marriage dates, and death dates. Put down specific locations that you may have and even the names of parents or children. The more of this you have, the more likely you are to get actual meaningful information.

It may seem either obvious or silly, but good grammar and spelling are going to be important. People are much more likely to respond to a post that seems to have been put up by someone who is serious. In addition, if you use good grammar and punctuation, you are less likely to be misunderstood. You always want information to be precise and that is just one way to make sure that your information is indeed clear. Also, check for typos before you hit submit. Again, a typo, a misplaced comma, or just bad spelling can cause a real problem with your post if you are not careful. So just take a little extra time to make sure you are saying what you want to say.

Lastly, make sure you always write how you would want to be written to, which is sort of the golden rule of message boards no matter what the topic is. Make sure you always check your post regularly for replies. If someone does reply to you, acknowledge them in a timely fashion. If you don’t have time to write back in detail right away at least drop them an email “thank you” to acknowledge receipt of their information. Courtesy is generally appreciated very much in any message board environment.

If you enjoy genealogy, then you probably already know that the internet is an invaluable resource. However, you can also use the internet to get in touch with people who may be sources for you as well. A good genealogy message board is a great way to get in touch with people that may be able to help you find information you are missing or to simply form a support system. Just make sure you are courteous and concise with your information and polite to your fellow message board members so that you will have a positive experience with genealogical message boards.