| Marthe |
Hi everyone! |
| Coycault |
Hey Marthe |
| Sandymento |
hello! |
|
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| Frosty |
hi lady |
| ddg |
Hi lady |
| Coycault |
Hey Lady |
| Sandymento |
just in time
ladyjq |
| genealogyADM |
Hi lady :-) |
| KaseyOK |
hi lady |
| skitty |
hi lady |
| ladyjq |
hello everyone |
| ladyjq |
I am new in
genealogy but hope to learn fast |
| Frosty |
you will llady |
| ladyjq |
sounds great |
| Frosty |
im still
learning too' |
| genealogyADM |
I'm going to start
off this chat with a few questions for Marthe |
| ladyjq |
how long have
you been doing it |
| genealogyADM |
Just to get things
going |
| Coycault |
I'm still
learning also |
| ddg |
I've be
working on it for two years--and still don't know much! |
| ladyjq |
wow |
| skitty |
about 2 years |
| Marthe |
My favorite
color is green, Kimberly. And thank you for asking. <g> |
| genealogyADM |
Then we will let
Marthe take over because she assures me that she can blab on as long as I
want her to |
| ladyjq |
I was adopted
and want to learn about my family |
| ladyjq |
ok |
| genealogyADM |
LOL Marthe :-) |
| genealogyADM |
Marthe - here's a
tough one |
| Marthe |
Oh sure. First
question and you're making my palms sweat. |
| genealogyADM |
What first interested
you in genealogy? |
| Coycault |
LOL |
| ddg |
What was the
question\/ |
| genealogyADM |
;-) |
|
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cc joined............. |
| Coycault |
Hey cc |
| KaseyOK |
hi cc |
| Marthe |
My grandmother
got me started in genealogy, but it had its roots (*snort*) in a love of
history. |
| skitty |
hi cc |
| genealogyADM |
OK everyone -
why don't you pipe down for a few minutes and let our guest get a word in
edgewise! |
| genealogyADM |
What interesting
facts have you discovered about your own family? |
| Marthe |
Oh, mercy. Well,
my family, for the most part, is boring. |
| Marthe |
But you don't
want to hear that. <G> |
| genealogyADM |
Nope ;-) |
| Marthe |
I did trace back
a line to the Plantagenets... |
| Marthe |
me and about 20
million other people... |
| genealogyADM |
We want to hear about
those black sheep! |
|
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Helen joined............. |
| Marthe |
I guess what
I've really enjoyed discovering was how my ancestors survived what were
often very harsh times and conditions. |
| cc |
Type HEREI am
interested in what Marte has to say about the best genealogy program |
| Marthe |
No black sheeps,
unfortunately. I covet other people's black sheeps. I'm about ready to
MAKE ONE UP, I'm so disgruntled with the family. |
| genealogyADM |
You stole my question
cc <g> |
| genealogyADM |
But we will get to
that one in a sec |
| Marthe |
Just wait till
you see the answer, CC. <g> |
| genealogyADM |
Do you have any
aliens in your family Marthe? |
|
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| Marthe |
Yes indeedy. One
man who was placed on the earth without parents. He must be an alien,
right? |
| genealogyADM |
Yup. That's the one I
was talking about! |
| ddg |
sounds like
alot of us |
|
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| HelenNY |
Is his name
Robert |
| Frosty |
no thomas |
| Marthe |
I think most
everyone has them. |
| Marthe |
Mine has three
heads. <g> |
| genealogyADM |
So how do you think
that computers and the Internet have changed the field of genealogy? |
| Marthe |
Good heavens,
yes! Dramatically and very much for the better. |
| cc |
It certainly
makes researching faster although you really have to check the sources |
| Marthe |
Those of you who
remember what it was like typing up family information by hand will join
me on my knees bowing before the great god IBM (or Apple). |
| Marthe |
Internet alone
has revolutionized how people tackle genealogy. |
| Coycault |
amen to that! |
| genealogyADM |
How true Marthe |
| GeorgeVASuburbs |
I started
getting into genealogy as a result of the Internet |
| genealogyADM |
Do you think the easy
access to information has its downside, however? |
| genealogyADM |
In that it helps to
promote sloppy genealogy? |
|
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| Marthe |
Absolutely. Too
many people take the easy road by lifting info they've found online or on
a CD and don't bother worrying about sources. |
| cc |
Yes, I think
it is very easy for people to accept what is listed without doing the
follow up |
|
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| Marthe |
This is one of
the biggest caveats I'm always warning people about, especially since
everyone is placing their GEDCOM or family info online. |
| Coycault |
How do we
follow up on the imfo. to see if it is right? |
| Marthe |
I've said it in
my classes, and I still say it---just because something is printed or
found on a web site doesn't mean it's correct. It's just like any other
tidbit of information you find--it has to be sourced and verified. |
| Marthe |
Trust me on
this, you *don't* want me to get on my VERIFY EVERYTHING! soapbox. |
| Marthe |
<g> |
| genealogyADM |
We will have to have
another chat for that topic Marthe! |
| ddg |
Sure we
do--but we don't want it to cost much. |
| genealogyADM |
Especially once I
climb on the soapbox with you! |
|
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| Marthe |
You follow up
the same way you would if you found the info in a book, Coycault. You look
for sources, verify the person who put the info online, and hunt down
those primary records. |
| Coycault |
TY Marthe |
| genealogyADM |
OK - before we get to
the big question that everyone wants to know, I want to give Marthe the
opportunity to tell us a little about herself |
| Marthe |
Um. That should
have been "contact the person" not verify. Just a little
swizzled. Wine with dinner. Hoooo! |
| Rita |
Type HEREHello
Marthe |
| genealogyADM |
Many of you may not
realize, for example, that she has expanded her writing into the field of
historical romance |
| Coycault |
:-) |
| Marthe |
Oh, mercy, you
are looking to torment these poor souls, Kimberly! |
| genealogyADM |
They can take it :-) |
| Marthe |
Oh! Oh! And I
have exciting news about that too. |
| genealogyADM |
Do tell |
| Marthe |
My first novel,
which was published last October, is a finalist in a prestigious mystery
contest. |
| Marthe |
I'm so thrilled. |
| genealogyADM |
Awesome! |
|
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| Coycault |
Thats great ,
Marthe congrats!!! |
| Marthe |
But I do have to
admit that the love of genealogy and history is what got me into writing
fiction (well, that and it was a sanity thing after my first genealogy
book). |
|
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| Marthe |
BTW, I shall
make the announcement I've been tormenting Kimberly with via e-mail. |
| Marthe |
I have a new
genealogy book that should be out in September. |
| Coycault |
Whats the name
of your genealogy book, Marthe? |
| Marthe |
It is
called...oh blast, let me go look it up... |
| genealogyADM |
Yeah - she wouldn't
tell me! |
| genealogyADM |
Slap Marthe with a
wet noodle! |
| Marthe |
Create Your
Family History with Family Tree Maker 8. The Official Guide |
| Marthe |
Ta da! |
|
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| roxie |
I am using
Family Tree Maker software version 4.0a. Is it advisable to use a
numbering system as well? If so, where would I find info on what is an
easy to understand way to do it? |
| Marthe |
My other books,
Coycault, are Genealogy Software Guide and Genealogy on CD-ROM. |
| ddg |
brb |
|
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mackie joined............. |
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| genealogyADM |
Has 8.0 even been
released yet? |
|
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| genealogyADM |
I thought they were
on 7.5 |
| Marthe |
Nope. Not until
September, which is when the book is out. I'm working off an alpha
release. |
| genealogyADM |
So you must have a
sneak preview! |
| Marthe |
Yeppers, she
says coyly. |
| genealogyADM |
That's great! |
| Rita |
Is it Lion
???? |
| Marthe |
And no, I can't
say anything about it. Sorry. I signed a NDA. |
|
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| genealogyADM |
Anything else you
want to tell us about yourself before I ask you the question everyone has
been waiting for? |
|
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| Marthe |
No, not really.
I'm pretty dull. <g> |
| Frosty |
do you think
its better than version 7.0 |
| genealogyADM |
Big drum roll
please.................... |
| genealogyADM |
Marthe - |
| Marthe |
I like to think
any upgrade is better, Frosty. |
| Marthe |
Yes, Kimberly? |
| Rita |
Was worth a
try. You write so Great |
| Frosty |
thank you |
| genealogyADM |
What's your favorite
genealogy software program? |
| Coycault |
~~~~~~ |
| genealogyADM |
Cool drum
rolls Coy! |
| Marthe |
Plbtbtbtbttb. I
don't answer that question, no sirree, am NOT going to fall into that
trap. <g> |
| Coycault |
Thx |
| genealogyADM |
But you have to
Marthe!!!!! |
| Marthe |
What I do say to
the "what's the best program" |
| Marthe |
question is that
there is no best program. |
| Marthe |
Each program has
its own strengths and weaknesses, |
| Marthe |
and not every
program is right for every person. |
| Coycault |
I agree |
| Sandymento |
...how 'bout
pick a "function"...which one makes the best Box Charts of
descendants? |
| Frosty |
most porgrams
are luck if you ask me |
| Marthe |
So the program I
might like best may not be the best choice for you. |
| genealogyADM |
Maybe you can tell us
at the end Marthe :-) |
| Coycault |
very true |
|
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| genealogyADM |
For now, how can
people determine which program is right for them? |
| Marthe |
What I suggest
is that people take a moment to evaluate their needs and desires, and then
look at the programs available to winnow out what won't work, and what
might work. |
| KaseyOK |
what program
do you suggest for the beginners |
| Marthe |
Hang on Kasey, I |
| Marthe |
I'm on my
software soapbox. <g> |
| Marthe |
Read reviews.
Ask questions of people that use the programs. Try out demos. |
|
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| Marthe |
Don't be afraid
of shareware programs, many of them are just as good as the commercial
ones |
| Marthe |
and they have
demos readily available. |
| misty |
for what it
worth, I have tried three programs and none has all the functions I want
or are to hard to figure out. The good ones are I mean. |
| Marthe |
If you can't get
your local software store to open a program so you can try before you buy, |
| Marthe |
go to the
library or society where they might have the program you're interested in
and try it out. |
| Marthe |
The most
important thing I recommend is to TRY it before you invest your money. |
| GeorgeVASuburbs |
I didn't know
there were good shareware programs, Marthe. |
| Marthe |
What's good for
one person may not be what's best for another, George. |
| Marthe |
That's why there
is no one best program. |
| Frosty |
zdnet has some
good ones |
| KaseyOK |
I've seen
shareware for games but not genealogy |
| Marthe |
So--you have to
make up a list of what you want in a program. |
| Marthe |
Do you want a
master source list? |
| Marthe |
A program that
has lots of support and an easy GUI? |
| Marthe |
One that can
create lovely charts and forms? |
| Marthe |
One that can
generate a web page for you? |
| Marthe |
One that has
customizable options so you can make it do what you want it to do? |
|
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| misty |
I have used
FTM to print family books, it is a nice one but I don't care for the way
it keeps track of sources. |
| Marthe |
Only you know
what you need in a program. Make up a list and start comparing software
descriptions and see which ones have the bells and whistles you want. |
|
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| Marthe |
I believe that
there are three basic types of genealogy database programs... |
| Marthe |
beginner or
hobbiest programs |
| Marthe |
intermediate
level programs for more serious researchers, |
| Marthe |
and advanced
programs for the die-hard researcher and professional. |
|
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| ddg |
what is a
beginner program? |
| Marthe |
Just about every
program out there falls into one of those three categories. |
| Marthe |
Do you mean
which products fall under the heading beginner program, ddg? |
| ddg |
yes |
| Marthe |
Family Tree
Maker is what I consider a beginner/hobbiest program. |
| Marthe |
Family Matters. |
| ddg |
so what would
the intermediate be? |
| Marthe |
Family Ties is
another one. |
| genealogyADM |
Aren't there some
programs which fall into more than one of those types Marthe? |
| misty |
does anyone
use The Master Genealogist? |
| Marthe |
Intermediate--I
would consider (and this is just my opinion, mind) Ancestral Quest, Family
Origins, Cumberland Family Tree... |
| Marthe |
I haven't seen
the new version of Generations, but I used to think of it as an
intermediate level program too. Legacy as well. |
| Marthe |
TMG, Ultimate
Family Tree, Reunion (for the Mac)..those are all the advanced programs. |
| genealogyADM |
Generations
8.0 is one of those touting the fact that there program is for everyone -
from expert to advanced |
| GeorgeVASuburbs |
I'm having
trouble with FTM 5 and typing in my family name - da Silva. Should I be
dropping off the 'da', mushing it together 'dasilva' or 'da Silva'? |
| Marthe |
You're right,
Kimberly, some programs fall into more than one category. Generations is
one that could be used by a novice, but unless they know how to use the
sourcing capabilities fully, it can be wasted on beginners. |
| Marthe |
On the other
hand, how are people supposed to learn if they don't try something beyond
them! |
| misty |
what is your
FTM doing that won't let you put in your name? |
| Marthe |
Oh, poop,
George, there's a command to use for that...um... |
| GeorgeVASuburbs |
It doesn't
like me typing in 'da Silva' |
| Marthe |
I think it's
putting the last name within slash marks. Like /da silva/ |
| misty |
did you type
Da Silva? |
|
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Don joined............. |
| Marthe |
I'd have to look
at my FTM manual to see. |
|
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| GeorgeVASuburbs |
I typed "da
Silva" |
| Sandymento |
UFT uses the
slash marks I think... |
| Marthe |
You might want
to try asking your question on the FTM site (I know they have a techy
board somewhere). The techs there are pretty helpful. |
| misty |
I have used Mc
Claughlin with no problem |
| GeorgeVASuburbs |
What is the
proper way to store "da Silva" in order to be able to share the
data with others? |
| Don |
Type HEREAre
there any Ancestral Quest users here? |
| misty |
I have a later
version though so that might make the difference |
| wandajoe1 |
Hi, all joe
here, just got on board |
| GeorgeVASuburbs |
The general
genealogy standard is what I'm looking for |
| Marthe |
You got me,
George. Do you mean using a GEDCOM? |
| genealogyADM |
Why don't we let
Marthe talk a little more about genealogy software in general and then we
can get into specific questions about individual programs |
| wandajoe1 |
Yeh |
| GeorgeVASuburbs |
I guess I mean
GEDCOM |
| Don |
That's a good
idea. |
| KaseyOK |
Marthe, thanks
for the info I need to go, |
|
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| Marthe |
Well, actually,
let me ask you guys a question. What is it you want in a genealogy
program? What is the main thing you want it to do for you? |
|
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KaseyOK left............. |
| wandajoe1 |
Newbie
building files, easiest way, most results |
| genealogyADM |
Keep me organized :-) |
|
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misty left............. |
|
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ladyjq left............. |
| Marthe |
When choosing a
program, you should have a list of your goals in mind. |
|
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mackie left............. |
| Marthe |
If you just want
somewhere to store your info, most any program will do. |
|
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Rita left............. |
| Don |
I'm trying to
use a program to keep track of all the relationships and all of the bits
of information about my ancestors that I've collected. |
| billrosser |
Make one that
is more forgiving than Family Treemaker |
| Marthe |
It's what you
want to do with your database that will influence heavily which program
you will buy. |
|
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april joined............. |
| wandajoe1 |
How can an
inexperienced one figure out about goals, withouot knowing what all is
possible? |
|
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|
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ddg joined............. |
| Marthe |
Your goals stem
from your research project, Joe. You have to examine what you're
researching, and why. |
| billrosser |
Generations 6,
has it going right, hope they dont mess it up, adding stuff. |
| Don |
I periodically
print out a book version of my data base and distribute it to those
relatives that want it. |
| Marthe |
If it's just a
hobby, something that is midly interesting, you're probably not going to
need a powerful program like TMG. |
| genealogyADM |
Generations 8 is
actually pretty cool |
| Coycault |
Got to
go....see yall later :-).....Thanks Marthe |
| Marthe |
If you are
really into the research and want to share info with everyone, publish a
family history book, etc. you may want to go with a more comprehensive
program than Family Tree Maker. |
| billrosser |
When did 8
come out??? |
| genealogyADM |
I got to test drive
it at the National Genealogy Conference last week |
| Marthe |
Although I
shouldn't say that since I am writing a book on how to write a family
history book using FTM. <ahem> |
| genealogyADM |
It was just released |
| wandajoe1 |
Just got
'into' this action in winter, trying to get back to several hidden
ancestors, now main goal is just finding them |
| Frosty |
thanks Gotta
go |
| genealogyADM |
But here I am
interrupting my own speaker - sorry Marthe <g> |
|
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| Marthe |
No, no, I don't
mind. |
| Marthe |
I'm forever
forgetting what I was saying. |
| HelenNY |
nite frosty |
| Marthe |
How many of you
have a program now that you're happy with? |
| genealogyADM |
I also attended a
lecture on genealogy software where the presenter used one program as his
primary database, but imported the into into other programs for printing
charts or books |
|
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|
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Sage joined............. |
| genealogyADM |
Because no one
program is the best at everything! |
| Cindi |
not me |
| billrosser |
Found a Welsh
link just today via Ancestor.com (back to 1250.... |
| wandajoe1 |
don't know
except FTM-Win, so have no comparison to see |
| Sandy |
:) I adore UFT... |
| genealogyADM |
Well, I am not
ashamed to admit that I am now in the market for a new program |
| genealogyADM |
Being that UFT is no
longer being developed |
| Sandy |
..me too... |
| GeorgeVASuburbs |
What are a few
free/shareware programs that are available? |
|
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|
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juju joined............. |
| Sage |
Type HERELike
my FTM generations. But prefer to use the family sheets furnished by our
4H program in Hamilton county, Indiana |
| Cindi |
I run MAC,
that limits me |
| Marthe |
Those of you who
are unhappy, I urge you to pick up a copy of a genealogy magazine to see
what the latest versions of software are out there. Then read reviews,
test drive what you can, and don't let anyone influence you as to what the
"best" program is. |
| wandajoe1 |
How can one
get comparables on these big software pkgs, without buying a bunch of
nuthins? |
| Don |
I got into
Ancestral Quest originally since it used the same data files that PAF used
which was my first program. When they added the book feature and fancy
printouts to AQ, I felt that was what I was looking for. |
|
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left............. |
| genealogyADM |
Uh Oh |
| genealogyADM |
Now we lost our
guest! |
|
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Nette left............. |
| Sandy |
I got bounced
earlier...took awhile to get back in and using a different name...FYI |
| wandajoe1 |
Where are try-andsee
items available? |
| Sandy |
Online. |
| genealogyADM |
While she is gone, I
have lists on my site of many of the major genealogy software packages -
with links to online free trial versions in many cases |
|
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Marthe joined............. |
| ddg |
What would be
the name of the genalogy magazine |
| wandajoe1 |
OK thnxjoe |
| Sage |
Where on your
site |
| Marthe |
Gack. |
| Marthe |
Sorry. |
|
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Sandymento left............. |
| Marthe |
Computers! |
| wandajoe1 |
Watch it!! |
| Sandy |
no...she got
bumped and returned :) |
| Marthe |
I wanted to
recommend a good site that has reviews and info about various programs. |
| genealogyADM |
http://genealogy.about.com/msubsoftware.htm |
| Marthe |
http://www.GenSoftSB.com/ |
| wandajoe1 |
I know |
|
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Robin left............. |
| genealogyADM |
Yes, that is a good
site Marthe |
| Sandy |
Plus...if you
get their free versions you can also cruise their homepage and see what
the Help Center is like...even try emailing them about a small problem and
see how long it takes for them to get back to you! |
| Don |
Ancestral
Quest has a terrific demo available for download at www.ancestralquest.com |
|
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Frosty left............. |
| Marthe |
Most programs
have demos available. It's a great way to see which programs fit. |
| genealogyADM |
I have it and several
other good review sites listed on my genealogy software page that I
mentioned above |
| Marthe |
Well, now, see!
Kimberly is a step ahead of us! |
| wandajoe1 |
Kim, she quick |
| genealogyADM |
That's my job :-) |
| genealogyADM |
Are you ready to ask
a few user questions Marthe? |
| wandajoe1 |
I got Marthe's
URL, can I get yours too? |
| Sage |
Does anyone
still do work by hand |
| genealogyADM |
I have several that
were emailed to me |
|
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billrosser left............. |
| Marthe |
Sure thing! Ask
away. I may not be too savvy on individual program questions, but I can
try to answer them. |
| ddg |
I still put
mine on paper too |
|
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Lindsay left............. |
| genealogyADM |
My software resources
page can be accessed at http://genealogy.about.com/msubsoftware.htm |
|
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Megan left............. |
| wandajoe1 |
I gotta learn
how to put em on paper, might be good idea |
| Sage |
One can never
have to many backup files. Fires do happen! |
| Marthe |
My, my. All
these people leaving. Don't they know I'm handing out a copy of Genealogy
on CD-ROM later? <g> |
| genealogyADM |
Sandy wants to know
about alternate choices for UFT for those of us using more advanced
features |
| Marthe |
Generations is
not as strong (IMHO) as UFT, but it's almost there. The Master Genealogist
is a good one for people who are familiar with databases and know their
way around. |
|
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roxie left............. |
| Marthe |
Legacy is
another one with one leg in the advanced group, and one in the
intermediate group. |
| genealogyADM |
Do you think TMG will
be easier to use now that it is going to 32 bit software like the other
programs? |
| Marthe |
I like a program
that has powerful sourcing capabilities and the ability to customize, and
all three of the programs above have that. |
| Marthe |
I hope so. I
never did like the Foxpro based software. |
| Sandy |
Yes,
customizing charts for cousins in England and then switching everything
for cousins in the States is wonderful! |
| Don |
I tried TMG at
a friend's house and my first thought was that it was too complicated to
use. I'm not a professional genealogist! |
| Marthe |
But again,
that's just me. A perfect example of what works for one person doesn't
work for another. |
| genealogyADM |
It is very
complicated Don - high learning curve |
| wandajoe1 |
I have a lot
of stuff, just received, from my sister, whose work was done in the
1970's. It is hand-done, and very tight, on the papers. Putting it inot
FTM is slow, and I want to get verification of all dates and places. Do
you know Clooz"? |
| genealogyADM |
But very powerful |
| Marthe |
Yes, I'm
familiar with Clooz, Joe. It's not really what I think of as a genealogy
database, per se. But it's a great program. |
| wandajoe1 |
Does it fit
with keeping details in place, findable? |
| Sage |
No matter how
powerful the scope there are just some people that you cannot track down |
| Marthe |
Clooz, for those
of you who don't know, is kind of an electronic filing cabinet. |
| wandajoe1 |
Would you use
it to keep track of your data items? |
| Marthe |
Yes, it's good
at that, Joe. You might want to see if there's a demo of it available. |
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| Don |
Over the past
year, I've become a bug on sourcing all information. I've seen many bits
of information on various web sites and when you ask someone for the
source of their information, they don't know what you're talking about. |
|
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| wandajoe1 |
I just bot it,
recently, and am still trying to get a handle on the way ot functions |
| Marthe |
Documents,
census extracts, land record extracts, that sort of thing, yes, Joe. |
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| Marthe |
That's when you
have to go hunt down the info, Don. |
| genealogyADM |
Another person wrote
to ask you to address the needs of Macintosh users. Are there any good
programs for them? |
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| Marthe |
Well, there is
still UFT for the Mac, by my favorite Mac program has always been Reunion. |
| ddg |
brb |
|
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| Marthe |
Oh dear. There's
a cow in my front yard. |
| genealogyADM |
A cow? |
| wandajoe1 |
Do you, Marthe,
or Kim have info on formatting a GEDCom for the purpose of uploading it to
the FAMTREE files on-line? |
| Marthe |
Yep. They come
visiting every so often. The cows and the peacocks (don't ask). |
| HelenNY |
LOL go get
your mornigs milk Marthe |
| genealogyADM |
Sounds fascinating
Marthe! |
| Marthe |
Joe, your
genealogy program should create the GEDCOM for you automatically. |
| wandajoe1 |
Does not sound
like times square |
| Sage |
Sounds like
fun |
|
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| Marthe |
Oh, come on now,
I know you people are just chock full of questions! Hit me with 'em! |
| ddg |
kdkdj |
| ddg |
sorry |
| Marthe |
Or I'll tell you
about the cow. <g> |
| genealogyADM |
You asked for it
Marthe! |
| wandajoe1 |
Ok, I guess I
gotta get serious reading that (*&^%$# manual |
| genealogyADM |
Do you think
genealogy index CD's are worth the investment? |
| genealogyADM |
Which program do you
use Joe? |
| wandajoe1 |
Come on Marthe,
that a loaded one |
|
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| Marthe |
Index CDs? Mmmmm.
Not one of my favorites, but only because most of the info is indexed in
books, and is about as correct as the books. |
| wandajoe1 |
I have
FTM-WIN7.5 |
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| Marthe |
I prefer the
genealogy CDs that contain either digitized primary sources (like the
censuses on CD), or digitized versions of out of print books. |
| genealogyADM |
I'll email you the
instructions Joe |
| genealogyADM |
That's why I brought
it up |
| wandajoe1 |
thnx Kim |
| Sandy |
The data is
only as good as the volunteer's eyesight! <grin> |
| genealogyADM |
Many people seem to
invest in index CD's, but overall I think they are a waste of money myself |
| ddg |
What would you
estimate the cost of doing genealogy? |
| Marthe |
And the
transcriber's, Sandy. |
| wandajoe1 |
I think $40.
per disc is a lot for any ANY CD |
| Sandy |
yup - and I've
done my share of boo-boo's with guessing handwritting! |
| Marthe |
I always suggest
that people check with their local genie society or library before
investing in a CD. |
| genealogyADM |
What do you think of
Heritage Quest having the entire US Census available now on CD? |
| Marthe |
Sometimes what
looks like a fantastic resource may not be, and many libraries and
societies have CD libraries themselves. |
| Marthe |
I love it! |
| Marthe |
Census on
CD...does it get better than this? |
| wandajoe1 |
FHC libraries
should have most of that, intime to come, I would thinnk |
| Marthe |
You can print
out the parts you want, browse neighborhoods, blow up images...it's great. |
| genealogyADM |
Yes - census on the
Internet for free :-) |
| Sandy |
YES I have
learned so much by visiting the local FHC library...takes time, but well
worth seeing a census film of GR grandparents etc. with my own eyes |
| genealogyADM |
I can dream, can't I? |
| Marthe |
Same thing goes
for the companies that are putting passenger lists on CD. |
| Sage |
Is heritage
quest a site |
| Marthe |
Ain't gonna
happen, Kimberly, but it is a nice dream. |
| genealogyADM |
The Heritage quest
has redone all of the census indexes |
| Don |
I purchased an
CD index of the 1850 NY census about 4 years ago that did not contain
Seneca Co. All of the Seneca Co. residents were listed under St. Lawrence
Co. After complaining three times and not getting a reply, I was told by
the publisher that it would be too expensive to correct. That CD with the
error is still being sold today! |
| wandajoe1 |
They making
CD's for slae, not for use |
| genealogyADM |
And has also has
completed digitizing the entire US census |
| Sandy |
What about
backing up your data...do you suggest we use the programs system of backup
or copy the entire thing onto a CDrom or zip? |
| Marthe |
Which is why,
Don, in my CD-ROM book I list the counties included on the CDs (at least,
I list the information the publishers give me). Nothing is so frustrating
as finding out that one county you wanted isn't included. |
| Sage |
IS HERITAGE
QUEST AN ON-LINE SITE? |
| Marthe |
They are a
publisher, Sage, but they do have a web site. |
| genealogyADM |
http://www.heritagequest.com |
| wandajoe1 |
Sage, yes, go
to the WWW> with what you have there |
| genealogyADM |
They publish Heritage
Quest magazine and are part of Sierra |
| Don |
I have about a
dozen of the Heritage Quest Digital Census CD's and think they're great! |
| Marthe |
Sandy, I back up
everything onto a zip disk. Actually, three of them, because I don't doubt
one would fail. |
| Sandy |
Heritate Quest
is at http://www.heritagequest.com/ |
| wandajoe1 |
They have some
good stuff, but I am convinced that the CD production gmae is for money to
them, not goo info to us |
| genealogyADM |
They actually claim
that the digitized images are better than the microfilmed originals |
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| wandajoe1 |
gotta see |
| genealogyADM |
Another example of
how computers have aided genealogy research |
| Sandy |
And some
microfilms are pretty BAD! |
| Marthe |
I think that
goes without saying, Joe. Most companies are in it for a profit--it's just
whether or not their products are worth the price that is the question.
For the census CDs, I'd say yes. I love them. |
| wandajoe1 |
Doing it all
by hand would take me (over 200) too long! |
| Don |
If you join
the Heritage Quest Research Club for $29.95/year, each Census CD is $5
cheaper so your "break even point" is 6 CDs. |
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| genealogyADM |
Anyone have any more
questions for Marthe? |
| genealogyADM |
Don't be shy :-) |
| Marthe |
I promise not to
snap at anyone. |
|
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| wandajoe1 |
We have $200
tied up in a bunch of FTM discs, and they have little if any value, just
pond skimmers |
| Sandy |
Just a word
for Volunteers-most Genealogy pages have a Lookup list of Volunteers to
help - have you covered getting "free" help in any books? |
| Marthe |
I have in my
classes, Sandy. |
| Marthe |
I think lookup
sites are great. |
| ddg |
Where are your
classes held? |
| wandajoe1 |
Are your
lessons on-line, like Kim's |
| Marthe |
which, as you
can imagine, endears me to the software companies. <g> |
| HelenNY |
I ahve the
same thing joe |
| Marthe |
I have lessons
at the genealogy.com site, and I am teaching through a community college
online, but I've cancelled all further classes because I'm spending every
blasted waking moment writing. |
| Marthe |
But if you trot
over to the genealogy.com site, I have three online Internet Genealogy
classes there. |
| wandajoe1 |
Sorry to keep
you up so late Grin |
| Marthe |
Other questions?
Comments? Dirty limericks? |
| Marthe |
Or should we let
Kimberly pull a name out of a hat? |
| Cindi |
What did you
mean by "prints out a book for family"? |
| wandajoe1 |
I thank you,
busy lady, for coming over here, cause Kim has a good thing gooing, and
you add to it nicley |
| Sandy |
Like the
bumper sticker "Dying to stop a cemetery?" |
| Marthe |
Sorry, Cindi,
did I say that or are you asking someone else? |
| Sandy |
or how about
"Seeking Kinformation" |
| HelenNY |
yes thank you
Marthe I enjoyed it and got some info that will help me |
| Cindi |
You said
something about advanced programs can print out a book for family |
| Marthe |
Oh, if you want
to use a genealogy program to print out a family history book. |
| wandajoe1 |
Yeh,
interested |
| Marthe |
Many will create
one for you, or allow you to export the data in a format where you can
import it into a word processor. |
| Cindi |
yes - but I
don't understand - have very limited program |
| Marthe |
Then if you
wanted to print up a family history book (with charts, forms, reports,
photos, etc.) you'd probably have to look for another program, Cindi. One
that would let you print up what you wanted. |
| Cindi |
would that be
true of any advanced programs you mentioned - thinking of getting Reunion |
| wandajoe1 |
You on Apple? |
| Cindi |
yes |
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| Don |
I'm sitting
here yawning- good night all! |
| Marthe |
Reunion will
create narrative reports (register reports) that you can export and import
into a WP and create your book that way. |
| Cindi |
thanks -
didn't know that |
| Marthe |
Pick a name,
Kimberly. |
| ddg |
what if you
are not knowledgable about programs or computers, or genealogy, how would
you start> |
| genealogyADM |
I'm having
trouble picking a name |
| genealogyADM |
So to make it
fair |
| Marthe |
Everyone hold
your breath and look attractive while Kimberly picks one of you out of the
crowd. |
| genealogyADM |
I am thinking
of a number between 1-100 |
| wandajoe1 |
77 |
| genealogyADM |
whoever gets
the closest wins the book! |
| Don |
17 |
| Cindi |
what are we
talking about? |
| ddg |
53 |
| april |
33 |
| Sage |
50 |
| HelenNY |
57 |
| ycyor |
71 |
| Sandy |
5 |
| Marthe |
ddg, go to
kimberly's software page and start looking at the sites that review
programs or companies that have programs. Make a list of what you want,
then compare it to what the programs will do. |
| Marthe |
Try demos if you
can. |
| genealogyADM |
Marthe is giving one
lucky winner a copy of her book Genealogy on CD-Rom |
| ddg |
thanks |
| Cindi |
oh - 12 |
| genealogyADM |
Anyone else want to
pick a number? |
| wandajoe1 |
I been doind
census 2000 |
| Marthe |
Good odds, the
crowd has thinned! |
| genealogyADM |
The correct number
is......... |
| genealogyADM |
59 |
| genealogyADM |
Congratulations
Helen! |
| wandajoe1 |
Boo Hiss |
| HelenNY |
oh my god
thank you |
| Sage |
Yeah, Helen |
| HelenNY |
I can't
beleive I won |
| april |
all right
helen |
| Marthe |
Hooo! Helen!
Drop me an e-mail at marthe@sinc-ic.org and let me know your snail addy. |
| ycyor |
Good start of
the week for you. |
| wandajoe1 |
go for it
Helen atta girl |
| Sandy |
:)
congrats...must be late for the East Coast! |
| genealogyADM |
Almost 11 :-) |
| wandajoe1 |
soon to be
1100 pm |
| ddg |
see you later |
| Don |
Good night --
again! Congrats to Helen! |
| Marthe |
If you have
other questions, I believe Kimberly has started a discussion area? |
| Cindi |
nite all |
| wandajoe1 |
Thangkew,
mrthe |
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| genealogyADM |
But I have to hold
the chats late here to get all of you wonderful people on the West coast
to attend :-) |
| ddg |
congrats,
Helen |
| HelenNY |
oh thank you
so much I will love it |
|
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| genealogyADM |
Marthe will be
answering questions in my genealogy forum for the next two weeks |
| Sage |
Thanks, Marthe.
Good info. Please join us again. |
| Sandy |
TANK U MARTHE... |
| wandajoe1 |
Seeya in the
funnies, Kim |
| april |
thanks marthe
and kim |
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| HelenNY |
thanks |
|
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wandajoe1 left............. |
| genealogyADM |
So if you think of
any more genealogy software or CD questions |
| Marthe |
It was a thrill
to be here! |
| genealogyADM |
Then please ask them
in my forum! |
| genealogyADM |
http://forums.about.com/ab-genealogy/messages?msg=763.1 |
| Marthe |
Kimberly, if you
post the questions people sent in prior to this, I'll answer them there,
too. |
| genealogyADM |
Will do Marthe |
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| Marthe |
Chats can be a
little hard to answer in any length. <g> |
| genealogyADM |
Thanks so much for
coming! |
| HelenNY |
I got ot go
emil you Marthe Thank you |
| Sage |
Thanks, Kim,
for inviting Marthe |
| Marthe |
Thanks for
having me! I feel guilty you guys stayed up so late. |
| genealogyADM |
You're welcome Sage |
| genealogyADM |
Thanks for coming
everyone |
| genealogyADM |
Hope to see you at
next Tuesdays chat |
| Marthe |
Night, all! |
| genealogyADM |
Once I think of a
topic |
| genealogyADM |
Good Night Marthe |
| genealogyADM |
Thanks
again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
| genealogyADM |
{{{{hug}}}}}}} |
|
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| Sage |
How about one
on those elusive hard to find characters who seem to drop off the face of
the earth |
| genealogyADM |
I did that a few
weeks ago...but we didn't get very far, so that would be an excellent one
to do again! |
| genealogyADM |
If nothing else we
can commiserate with each other |
| genealogyADM |
And we got some good
tips out of the last one! |
| Sage |
I have a lost
relative that I really am confused about. |
| genealogyADM |
You can ask me now if
you would like |
| Sage |
But I will
wait till next week. |
| Sage |
I need to put
Grandson to bed and then answer e-mails. Thanks. See you next week |
| genealogyADM |
Thanks for coming
Sage |
| genealogyADM |
See you next Tuesday
:-) |
| genealogyADM |
Hi Lou |
| genealogyADM |
Chat just ended
unfortunately :( |
| Lou |
Type HEREHello |
|
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Sage left............. |
| genealogyADM |
Do you have a quick
question that you would like to ask? |
| HelenNY |
I am back |
| genealogyADM |
Hi Helen |
| genealogyADM |
Congrats on winning
the book :-) |
| HelenNY |
I am so
excited I for got to leave the room |
| HelenNY |
oh thank you
Kim |
| HelenNY |
I still can
not believe I won it |
| Sandy |
Kimberly...I'm
still trying to figure out the URL for your forum?...there's TONS of
messages...is it a huge listing of questions/answers? |
| genealogyADM |
There aren't any
questions and answers yet |
| genealogyADM |
Did you see the
message that I posted about asking Marthe questions? |
| Sandy |
AH HA...so I
would hit the REPLY button and it would start up from there? |
| genealogyADM |
You got it! |
| Sandy |
my duh for the
evening! |
| genealogyADM |
That forum confuses
everyone - even me sometimes - drives me nuts!!! |
| genealogyADM |
You're allowed at
least one! |
| genealogyADM |
It's a good reference
book Helen |
| HelenNY |
I can't wait
to get it Kim |
| genealogyADM |
Plus Marthe is going
to autograph it which is kind of neat |
| genealogyADM |
It's primarily a big
list of all the CDs published that contain genealogical information |
| HelenNY |
oh how cool
that will be neat |
| genealogyADM |
It's very organized |
| genealogyADM |
And she has reviews
of some of the CDs as well |
| HelenNY |
I also am one
of them that has a lot of cd's from the FTM and I don't like them |
| genealogyADM |
Me either....pretty
much a big waste of money if you are a serious genealogist |
| HelenNY |
they want u to
buy more to get the info you want |
| HelenNY |
yes they are a
waste |
| genealogyADM |
Most of the info
comes from books and other such sources anyway |
| genealogyADM |
And can be accessed
at libraries or through your local family history center |
| HelenNY |
yes tha tis
true |
| genealogyADM |
They don't offer
primary information |
| genealogyADM |
So you have to pay
for the clues...and then pay again to find the records |
| HelenNY |
you got that
right |
| genealogyADM |
Good for beginners
who don't know how to research I guess...but still a lot of money |
| HelenNY |
all they want
is moneya nd more money |
| genealogyADM |
They have a 45 day
satisfaction guaranteed policy, but I wonder how many people actually ever
send the CD's back |
| HelenNY |
I for one have
not sent any back I sure wished I had |
| genealogyADM |
If you are going to
pay for index information like that, I prefer Ancestry where you pay a
flat fee for unlimited searches |
| genealogyADM |
Not that their
indexes are much more useful than FTM's |
| genealogyADM |
But at least they are
priced a lot more reasonably! |
| HelenNY |
yes that is
what I finnaly did and I like that a lot better |
| HelenNY |
yes true |
| genealogyADM |
The one thing which
upsets me about FTM cd's the most is that they make a profit from the
World Family Tree CD's |
| HelenNY |
Well everyone
I am going to get out of here and get to bed thanks again and I sure will
be back |
| genealogyADM |
Where almost every
other Web site which collects family trees from users like that provides
them online for free |
| genealogyADM |
I don't like FTM
making a profit over disseminating a bunch of misinformation |
| genealogyADM |
Thanks for coming
Helen |
| genealogyADM |
We are going to look
for our alien ancestors next Tuesday :-) |
| HelenNY |
yes tha tis
true Kim and they make money off what you have sent in and I will share my
info for free to any one tha twatns it |
| HelenNY |
oh good maybe
I will find my robert tha tis missing |
| HelenNY |
night everyone |
| genealogyADM |
Good night Helen! |
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