tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26204193.post8225746940703614063..comments2024-03-26T11:22:41.940-07:00Comments on Genea-Musings: How Do I Plan to Save My Genealogical Research for Posterity?Randy Seaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477703429102065294noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26204193.post-36151096551982585752015-04-17T10:38:14.409-07:002015-04-17T10:38:14.409-07:00These are very valuable suggestions, and I plan to...These are very valuable suggestions, and I plan to follow some of them myself.<br /><br />I have to point out that -- these days -- Ancestry's public member trees are visible only to current subscribers. I think that the change came about in the last year or two. Everyone can _post_ a tree there, but only members can look at others' trees. I speculate that this is to increase the competitive value of their DNA products?<br /><br />It appears to me that a Google search no longer finds names in member trees on Ancestry. At least, it doesn't find two unusual names that are in my public member tree.<br /><br />These points don't invalidate the usefulness of posting a tree there -- only that it won't reach such a wide audience as it once did.<br />Marianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08873605766046172611noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26204193.post-74635120852668776312014-09-27T05:47:51.361-07:002014-09-27T05:47:51.361-07:00I have gone back to paper. I have my tree on line ...I have gone back to paper. I have my tree on line but since no one is interested no one will find it when I die. At least with binders of paper they will have to open the binder to see what's in there. I have also written the story of several couples with some still to write. I've given binders with the stories to some relatives. The feed back on the stories has been positive but it hasn't sparked any interest in anyone. Why bother if I'm going to do the work and print the book for free? Thttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13256855136448978468noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26204193.post-49427477635807676372014-09-27T02:53:57.998-07:002014-09-27T02:53:57.998-07:00Two things could resolve this problem. First is an...Two things could resolve this problem. First is an XML-based data standard to replace GEDCOM. Second, genealogical societies need to realize what an asset this service would be for their members. With digital storage getting cheaper every day, building member archives can be a very lucrative operation. I would much rather give my research to the society (or societies) near me or where my ancestors lived than to a commercial enterprise.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26204193.post-27176750727086063612014-09-26T11:32:54.779-07:002014-09-26T11:32:54.779-07:00Randy,
These are great ideas here. I have a scrib...Randy,<br /><br />These are great ideas here. I have a scribd account (free version), but haven't uploaded anything yet.<br /><br />I want to let you know that your wonderful post is listed in today's Fab Finds post at http://janasgenealogyandfamilyhistory.blogspot.com/2014/09/follow-friday-fab-finds-for-september_26.html<br /><br />Have a great weekend!Jana Iverson Lasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07687969613629975601noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26204193.post-53090377905977866742014-09-25T22:50:25.912-07:002014-09-25T22:50:25.912-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.mbm1311https://www.blogger.com/profile/00259363925596797806noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26204193.post-31575963846186420952014-09-25T22:50:13.667-07:002014-09-25T22:50:13.667-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.mbm1311https://www.blogger.com/profile/00259363925596797806noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26204193.post-31998805471224096432014-09-25T22:49:36.207-07:002014-09-25T22:49:36.207-07:00I have settled on ancestry.com, family search, we ...I have settled on ancestry.com, family search, we relate and scanning my research binders and sending them to Mocavo. As it has already been said - none of this goes from one to the other in a clean and complete fashion. Lots of follow up typing to try and get all the information in there.<br /><br />There is too much 'secretarial' work in genealogy. I don't like having to check things and re enter missing data. What a waste of time!mbm1311https://www.blogger.com/profile/00259363925596797806noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26204193.post-24698291587827081542014-09-25T21:10:01.349-07:002014-09-25T21:10:01.349-07:00Randy, I've thought about this, too, since man...Randy, I've thought about this, too, since many of my family members haven't shown much interest. I love your ideas and am including this post on my Recommended Reads tomorrow at www.emptybranchesonthefamilytree.com. Thank you!Linda Stufflebeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10652044674485948749noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26204193.post-90800713524592446692014-09-25T20:31:41.477-07:002014-09-25T20:31:41.477-07:00My friends and I discuss this more often these day...My friends and I discuss this more often these days -- I guess it's a boomer thing. We're also a population who have used computers long enough to know that companies come and go, data formats change, new computers can't accept connectors from older peripherals, and companies have no interest in supporting last year's model of data, software, or hardware.<br /><br />Randy, I've found it very time-consuming to get just one nuclear family with about 10 children onto FamilySearch's Family Tree with their sources, even though I already have them researched and documented on my desktop. Importing a Gedcom with fewer than 100 people was a disaster, requiring more clean-up time than retyping it all by hand would have taken. <br /><br />How have you progressed in putting your tree onto Family Tree? Is there a secret technique that I'm missing?<br /><br />I've been toying with the hard-cover photobooks that so many websites will let us format online, and then print and ship them to us. I think the images can act as eye-candy, and I can slip in narratives about the people and documents in the images. My feeling is that it needs to have hard covers to defend itself over time on a shelf, and people will hold onto it for the photos with labels, even if they don't care about the text. <br /><br />By the way, many of the sites that offer this service have sales around May-June, and probably November-December. I like the fact that I can keep the master on the web site, revise it as I need to, and print on demand when I have the funds or need a gift for a wedding or new baby.<br /><br />Marianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00211040636289878792noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26204193.post-34686150380916776892014-09-25T09:11:16.438-07:002014-09-25T09:11:16.438-07:00Excellent post, Randy. I will be sharing these ide...Excellent post, Randy. I will be sharing these ideas with my students and using some of them myself. Thanks.Dawn Thurstonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01516414702989326002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26204193.post-18097093659594046972014-09-25T05:15:41.442-07:002014-09-25T05:15:41.442-07:00You could donate your research to a major library...You could donate your research to a major library during your lifetime. I know the Allen County Public Library accepts donations of organized materials, either paper or digital.Emilyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11010419478255871108noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26204193.post-14086188368885102232014-09-25T04:37:03.962-07:002014-09-25T04:37:03.962-07:00Definitely a deep question, Randy, and I haven'...Definitely a deep question, Randy, and I haven't found an answer myself either.<br /><br />Just focusing on the digital data for a second, as hardware and computer operating-systems change, there will always be a route to migrate your data to a newer platform -- if someone is sufficiently interested in maintaining it -- but what about the actual data format? If the data format is proprietary, including database schemas, then will there be any runnable programs in the world that will still be able to make sense of it in times to come? If the structure of online sites is insufficient to accurately represent your data -- for instance, because they're "tree focused" -- then you have probably invested in some desktop program which may have a limited longevity.<br /><br />Even standardised data formats for images (e.g. jpg) and video (e.g. mp4) may be superseded over time but at least they have a public specification and so such data could still be read, if necessary. Maybe this is a question for FHISO: do we need a standardised format for our genealogical data that is neutral with respect to hardware and software, or is some format that only offers limited exchange capabilities sufficient?Tony Proctorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18330460400737261264noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26204193.post-27387209207243837852014-09-24T18:10:50.027-07:002014-09-24T18:10:50.027-07:00Thanks for the shout out Randy. I really think as ...Thanks for the shout out Randy. I really think as we get older where our research is going [literally and figuratively] should be a focus. I am making decisions differently now and it looks like you are too. Thanks for the great look at your research retention steps. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11680740956718759137noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26204193.post-3540440213318258752014-09-24T17:04:59.009-07:002014-09-24T17:04:59.009-07:00This is a project that can't wait, Randy. I&#...This is a project that can't wait, Randy. I've already made register style reports of ten generations and passed it out to relatives for Christmas presents. Don't wait "until its finished" or "when I get more information" because REALLY who is ever done with their genealogy. Get out copies ASAP. This Christmas! While you are at it, donate an extra copy to your local library, genealogy society or to the library or historical society where the majority of your people lived. - - Also, Blurb will slurp your blog, so there is minimal work in getting a hard copy of your posts in book form. This is a project you can do ASAP, too. Heather Wilkinson Rojohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17704949156266722016noreply@blogger.com