Saturday, August 27, 2016

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun -- Survey of Genealogy Activities

Calling all Genea-Musings Fans: 

 It's Saturday Night again - 
time for some more Genealogy Fun!!



Here is your assignment if you choose to play along (cue the Mission Impossible music, please!): 


1)  
Answer these questions in my survey about your genealogy resources and usage:

a)  Which genealogy software programs for your computer do you use (e.g., Family Tree Maker, Reunion, GRAMPS, etc.)?

b)  Which online family trees have information submitted by you - in either a separate online tree (e.g., Ancestry Member Tree) or a universal (collaborative) online tree (e.g., WikiTree)?

c)  For which subscription genealogy record providers (e.g., Ancestry) do you have a subscription?

d)  Which FREE genealogy record providers (e.g., FamilySearch) do you use regularly?

e)  How much time do you spend each week doing actual genealogy research online?  [Note:  not reading, or social networking, but actual searching in a record provider].  Estimate an average number of hours per week.

f)  How much time do you spend each week doing actual genealogy research in a repository (e.g., library, archive, courthouse, etc.)?  Estimate an average number of hours per month over, say, a one year period.

g)  How much time do you spend each week adding information to your genealogy software program (either on your computer or online)?  Estimate an average number of hours per week over, say, a one month period.

h)  How much time do you spend each month at a genealogical society meeting, program or event (not a seminar or conference)?  Estimate an average number of hours per month over, say, a one year period.

i)  How much time do you spend each month on genealogy education (e.g., reading books and periodicals, attending seminars, conferences, workshops, webinars, etc.)?   Estimate an average number of hours per month over, say, a one year period.

j)  How much time do you spend each week reading, writing and commenting on genealogy blogs, websites, and social media?   Estimate an average number of hours per week over, say, a one month period.

2)    Answer the questions in a blog post of your own (and please drop a link as a comment in this post), in a comment to this post, or in a Google+ or Facebook post.

Here's mine:

a)  I use RootsMagic 7 to enter all ancestral information into a database.  I also use Family Tree Maker 2014 and Legacy Family Tree 8 occasionally to take advantage of their features.

b)  I have my family tree information in these online tree systems:

i)  Separate tree:

*  Ancestry Member Tree (several, replaced very 1-2 years), use Hints 
*  MyHeritage (rarely updated), use Record Matches
*  FindMy Past (never updated), use Record Matches
*  GeneaNet (never updated)
*  Twile (partial tree, not updated)

*  HistoryLines (partial tree, not updated)
ii)  Collaborative tree:

*  FamilySearch Family Tree (updated frequently), use Record Hints
*  WikiTree (updated occasionally)
*  Geni.com (updated occasionally)
*  WeRelate (updated rarely)

c)  My subscription genealogy record collection websites:

*  Ancestry.com (US only)
*  MyHeritage (tree and data)
*  FindMyPast (includes NewspaperArchive)
*  GenealogyBank
*  American Ancestors

d)  My most-used FREE genealogy record providers:

*  FamilySearch
*  Find a Grave
*  Google
*  Chronicling America
*  Rootsweb

e)  Doing online genealogy research each week:  Average per week = 10 hours

f)  Doing repository research each month:  Average per month = 2 hours

g)  Adding information to family tree database each week:  Average per week = 12 hours

h)  Genealogy society events and meetings:  Average per month = 16 hours

i)  Genealogy education:  Average per month = 16 hours

j)  Reading genealogy websites or contributing to social media:  Average per week = 30 hours

Adding all of that up totals about 60 hours per week.  Which is about right, I think!

Since I do a lot of genealogy blogging, I spend at least half of my time every day on social media.  I try to streamline my time reading by using my iPhone for email and blogs, and try to limit my time on Facebook to 30 minutes a day or less.  I really should get out more to the local repositories.  I do spend at least one day each year at the Family History Library and an hour or two at the local libraries each month.  My genealogy education this past year was limited to society events, webinars, RootsTech and Jamboree.  In 2012-2015, we went on a genealogy cruise, but not in 2015 or 2016.



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The URL for this post is:  http://www.geneamusings.com/2016/08/saturday-night-genealogy-fun-survey-of.html

Copyright (c) 2016, Randall J. Seaver

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post.  Share it on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ or Pinterest using the icons below.  Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.


10 comments:

Wendy Callahan said...

Fun survey! Here's mine: ;http://www.newenglandgenealogy.net/2016/08/saturday-night-genealogy-fun-survey-of.html

I love Legacy software, though I've heard fantastic things about Rootsmagic.

One thing I wish I could do more often is get out to genealogy events, meetings, etc. Also, I lack the repositories I need locally, except for Family History Centers. And, sadly, their hours just don't jive with my work schedule.

Lois Willis said...

Here's mine
http://loiswillis.com/2016/08/28/sunday-afternoon-genealogy-fun-survey-of-genealogy-activities-2/

Mary Rohrer Dexter said...

Here is mine for this week: http://skeezicks1957.blogspot.com/2016/08/ten-question-survey-challenge.html

Janice M. Sellers said...

Here's my list. I apparently spend a lot of time on genealogy!

http://ancestraldiscoveries.blogspot.com/2016/08/saturday-night-genealogy-fun-survey-of.html

Shirley Ann Rankin said...

a. I don't use any software program currently. I have used Family Tree Maker, but the 2014 edition crashed, so I store my stuff on Ancestry.com online trees.

b.None at present. I have contributed some info to Family Search.

c.Ancestry, American Ancestors, FindMyPast

d.Family Search, FindAGrave, ExtremeGenes, Genealogy Connection, Legacy Family Tree Webinars, Rootsweb, St.Mary's Families, Early Colonial Settlers of Southern Maryland and Virginia's Northern Neck, Dr. Lois Carr's Biographical Files of 17th & 18th Century Maryland, Google Books

e. About 4 hours/day

f. Rarely, mainly because I live too far from the major repositories in the East.

g. N/A

h. 144 hours per year

i. 2-3 hours/week

j. Rarely

Shirley Ann Rankin

Lisa S. Gorrell said...

I spend time daily on genealogy. http://mytrailsintothepast.blogspot.com/2016/08/saturday-night-genealogy-fun-survey-of.html

Linda Stufflebean said...

Randy, This is a fun survey. Here are my answers: http://emptybranchesonthefamilytree.com/2016/08/saturday-night-genealogy-fun-survey-of-genealogy-activities/

Seeds to Tree said...

This was a great idea. Here's my contribution. http://seedstotree.blogspot.com/2016/08/saturday-night-fun-my-answers-to-randy.html

Jacquie

Mary Rohrer Dexter said...

Shirley Ann - I love those Maryland links you posted. Thanks!

Teresa said...

Here's mine - a couple of days late :)

https://writingmypast.wordpress.com/2016/08/29/genea-musings-resources-survey-for-fun/